COLORADO RARE BIRD REPORT for SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2020
Patrick O'Driscoll
Date: Saturday, April 11, 2020
Email: RBA AT cobirds.org
Compiler: Patrick O’Driscoll, patodrisk AT gmail.com
Phone: 303-885-6955
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The Colorado Rare Bird report is an informational service.
Because of statewide coronavirus “Stay at Home” orders, the purpose of this report is to keep homebound readers abreast of rare bird sightings across the state during spring migration.
It does NOT endorse or encourage illegal travel to see or "chase" rare birds beyond your own local area.
We urge readers to respect state and local restrictions on non-critical travel and limits on outdoor activities that include birding.
Please bird ONLY at or close to home and ONLY with universally promoted safety precautions, including physical “social distancing” and face coverings.
Or, as Dave Leatherman noted this week, “Be like a Cedar Waxwing . . . very compliant in their wearing of masks.”
Birders have been helpful by reporting updates to COBirds. Thanks!
CAPITAL LETTERS denote very rare species, as listed by the Colorado Bird Records Committee at the CFO website.
(*) indicates new information on a species.
For more information on birds seen today, go to cobirds.org and scroll to the bottom for “Recent eBird Sightings.”
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Spring migration notes:
Swallows, vultures, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds and a few Swainson’s Hawks are returning. Burrowing Owls, too. The sparrow and longspur migration is also upon us. The first shorebirds (sandpipers, phalaropes) are arriving, too.
What’s in your yard or near your home?
Rare, out-of-place and some out-of-season species reports are listed below.
EURASIAN WIGEON (El Paso, Logan)
Long-tailed Duck (*Arapahoe, Jefferson)
Red-breasted Merganser (*Pueblo)
Black-necked Stilt (Ouray)
Long-billed Curlew (Adams, *Archuleta)
Stilt Sandpiper (Kiowa)
Dunlin (Kiowa)
Pectoral Sandpiper (Kiowa)
Willet (Larimer)
Mew Gull (Adams)
Iceland Gull (Thayer’s) (*Larimer)
Glaucous Gull (El Paso)
Common Loon (Denver, Kiowa)
Neotropic Cormorant (Bent, *El Paso)
Great Egret (*Delta)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Mesa)
Williamson’s Sapsucker (*Clear Creek, Ouray)
Red-naped Sapsucker (Summit, Weld)
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) (*Routt)
BLACK PHOEBE (*Denver, *Boulder, Larimer)
Vermilion Flycatcher (*El Paso, Jefferson)
Veery (Eagle)
Sprague’s Pipit (Baca)
Common Redpoll (Gunnison)
Lark Bunting (*Prowers)
Black-throated Sparrow (*El Paso)
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Mesa)
Fox Sparrow (slate-colored) (Clear Creek)
Sagebrush Sparrow (Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson)
Rusty Blackbird (Douglas)
Black-and-White Warbler (Weld)
Northern Parula (Larimer, Washington)
Summer Tanager (Douglas)
Western Tanager (Larimer, Mesa)
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ADAMS COUNTY:
—On Apr 9 two Long-billed Curlews were reported at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR by Liz Steiner.
—On Apr 4 a Mew Gull was seen again at Dunes Reservoir by Adam Vesely, who first reported it there Mar 29. This may be the same bird first reported from nearby lakes on Mar 18 by Burke Angstman.
Dunes Reservoir, an eBird hotspot, is NW of intersection of E 112th Ave and Highway 85. There’s a small public parking lot near the SW corner of the reservoir.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
—On Apr 10 two Long-tailed Ducks were reported at South Platte Park by Phil Lyon. Likely the continuing pair previously seen in South Platte Reservoir.
—On Apr 8 a Long-tailed Duck was reported at Quincy Reservoir by G Stacks. First reported Apr 3 by Stacks.
ARCHULETA COUNTY:
—On Apr 10 three Long-billed Curlews were reported at Jack's Pasture and Piedra Road northwest of Pagosa Springs by Byron Greco.
BACA COUNTY:
—On Apr 4 a Sprague’s Pipit was reported along US 160 in Walsh by Norman Erthal.
BENT COUNTY:
—On Apr 4 a Neotropic Cormorant was reported at Lake Hasty by Duane Nelson, who first reported it there a few days earlier.
BOULDER COUNTY:
—On Apr 10 a Black Phoebe was reported at 5523 La Plata Cir, Boulder by Jennifer Delaney.
CLEAR CREEK COUNTY:
—On Apr 10 eight Williamson’s Sapsuckers were reported at Bergen Peak SWA by Chuck Aid.
—On Apr 9 a Fox Sparrow (slate-colored) was reported at The Goshawk (private but open to public) by Cameron Carver.
DELTA COUNTY:
—On Apr 10 a Great Egret was reported at Fruitgrowers Reservoir - North Road Causeway. First reported Apr 8 by Bill Harris.
DENVER COUNTY:
—On Apr 10, a BLACK PHOEBE was reported at Grasmere Lake in Washington Park by Jeff Dawson. First Denver County eBird record if/when accepted by Colorado Bird Record Committee.
—On Apr 9 a Common
Loon male in breeding plumage was reported at Marston Reservoir. First reported
Apr 7 by Mackenzie Goldthwait and Doug Kibbe.
DOUGLAS COUNTY:
—On Apr 6 a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported
along Wildlife Way and the Highline Canal near Chatfield SP by Ted Uhlemann.
—On Apr 5 three Rusty Blackbirds were reported at Chatfield SP - Plum Creek
Nature Area. First reported Apr 4 by Frank Farrell.
—On Apr 5 a Summer Tanager was reported at "190-210 W Happy Canyon Rd" in Castle Rock by Cynthia Kristensen.
EAGLE COUNTY:
—On Apr 9, a Veery was reported at Brush Creek Confluence Open space by Rich McCain.
EL PASO COUNTY:
—On Apr 10 a Black-throated Sparrow was reported in Woodmoor by Charlie Simmons.
—On Apr 10 a Vermilion Flycatcher was reported at Palmer Park in Colorado Springs. First reported Apr 7.
—On Apr 10 a Neotropic Cormorant was reported at Memorial Park and Prospect Lake. First reported by Tyler Stewart.
—On Apr 6 a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported on Hemingway Road between Drennan and Brook by Tyler Stewart. Another was found Apr 6 off Brewer Lane 1/3 mile west of Milne Road by John Bruder.
—On Apr 4 a Eurasian Wigeon was reported at Forest Lake Park in Monument by Chris McReynolds. This is a private area, but can be viewed from the concrete path (public, we are told) near Forest Lake Drive. Scope essential to view this distant duck.
—On Apr 4 a Glaucous Gull was reported at Big Johnson Reservoir by Jim Merritt.
NOTE: Chico Basin Ranch is closed until at least Apr 15 because of the Covid-19 outbreak.
GUNNISON COUNTY:
—On Apr 5 a Common Redpoll was reported near Crested Butte by Drew Kelly.
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
—On Apr 9 a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported at Hildebrand Ranch Park by Michelle Desrosiers.
—On Apr 9 three Vermilion Flycatchers were reported at 57 Lookout Mountain Rd in Golden by Michael M. Bell.
—On Apr 7 two continuing Long-tailed Ducks were reported in the southwest bay of South Platte Reservoir by Frank Farrell.
KIOWA COUNTY:
—On Apr 7 three Pectoral Sandpipers were reported at Neenoshe Reservoir by Steven Mlodinow.
—On Apr 7 a Stilt Sandpiper and 3 Dunlin were reported at Upper Queens/Neeskah Reservoir by Steven Mlodinow.
—On Apr 7 a Common Loon was reported at Neegronda Reservoir by Steven Mlodinow.
LARIMER COUNTY:
—On Apr 10 an Iceland Gull (Thayer’s) was reported at Horseshoe Reservoir by Nick Komar.
—On Apr 9 a Willet was reported at Running Deer & Cottonwood Hollow natural areas by Lori Zabel.
—On Apr 8 a Western Tanager was reported near 4016 Otter Road N of Masonville by Peter Weber.
—On Apr 7 a Northern Parula was reported on the Power Trail in Fort Collins by Adrian Strong.
—On Apr 7 a Black Phoebe was reported east of Lake Estes. First reported Apr 5 at Lake Estes by Mark Hemmes; first eBird report from this location, as the species is almost unheard of in the mountains.
—On Apr 6 a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported at Lake Estes by several birders. First found by Marc Hemmes.
LOGAN COUNTY:
—On Apr 3 the EURASIAN WIGEON first seen March 18 by Glenn Walbek at Merino ponds (private property-view from Hwy 6), was reported again at same location, at a distance, by Michael Lester. Note: ALL viewing ONLY from US 6. Homeowner has said no one has permission to enter private property or driveway for better views.
MESA COUNTY:
—On Apr 7 a Golden-crowned Sparrow that overwintered at Grand Junction Wildlife Area was re-found by Mike Henwood, Brenda Sabo, and Kathleen McGinley. First reported by Henwood Dec 27, 2019.
—On Apr 5 a Western Tanager was reported in Dominguez Canyon by Jake Glassman.
—On Apr 4 a Red-bellied Woodpecker was reported along 19 Road in Fruita by Nick Musel. If confirmed, only the third 3rd eBird record from the Western Slope.
OURAY COUNTY:
—On Apr 9 a Black-necked Stilt was reported at Ridgway SP Marina area by Don Marsh and Brenda Wright.
—On Apr 7 a Williamson’s Sapsucker was
reported at Ridgway SP - Visitor Center & campgrounds by Don Marsh.
PROWERS COUNTY:
—On Apr 6 a Lark Bunting was reported at Swenson Roundtop by Jane Stulp.
PUEBLO COUNTY:
—On Apr 10, two
Red-breasted Mergansers were reported at Valco Ponds SWA by Chris Knight.
NOTE: Chico Basin Ranch is closed until
at least Apr 15 because of the Covid-19 outbreak.
ROUTT COUNTY:
—On Apr 9 a Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
was reported at 2752 Riverside Dr, Steamboat Springs by Aj Schrenk.
SUMMIT COUNTY:
—On Apr 9 a Red-naped Sapsucker was reported at Dillon
Reservoir’s Frisco Marina area by Misty Walters.
—On Apr 8 a Red-naped Sapsucker was reported in Summit Estates, Breckenridge by
Sally Palmer.
WASHINGTON COUNTY:
—On Apr 8, a Northern Parula was reported at Last Chance rest area by Art Reisman.
WELD COUNTY:
—On Apr 8 a Red-naped Sapsucker was reported at Linn Grove Cemetery in Greeley by Shawn Mason.
—On Apr 5 a Red-naped Sapsucker and a
Black-and-White Warbler were reported at Crow Valley Campground in Pawnee NG by
Christine Oblak and Jesse Casias.
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PLEASE NOTE: Because of Covid-10 pandemic precautions, Denver Field Ornithologists has suspended all field trips scheduled for April, May and June. Other birding clubs have also canceled activities, and the annual Colorado Field Ornithologists convention, set for Pueblo in May, has been canceled.
Please share interesting and/or unusual birds and behavior observations on COBirds.
Good birding,
Patrick O’Driscoll
Denver, CO
patodrisk AT gmail.com