Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday/Thursday, March 25-26, 2020

[Patrick O'Driscoll]

Date: Wednesday-Thursday, March 25-26, 2020

Email: RBA AT cobirds.org

Compiler: Patrick O’Driscoll

patodrisk AT gmail.com

303-885-6955 mobile

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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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Rare, out-of-place and out-of-season species reports are listed below. Currently, several species that are a few weeks out of range, such as early migrants or birds that breed in Colorado, are not being reported as "rare."

 

Trumpeter Swan (El Paso, *Mesa)

Tundra Swan (*Summit)

EURASIAN WIGEON (Logan)

Black Scoter (El Paso)

Long-tailed Duck (*Bent, *Jefferson, *Pueblo)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Weld)

Glaucous Gull (Weld)

Pacific Loon (*Pueblo)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Arapahoe)

Red-naped Sapsucker (*Larimer, *Pitkin, *Montezuma)

Juniper Titmouse (Pitkin)

Winter Wren (Boulder, Larimer)

Rosy-Finch mixed flock (Larimer)

PURPLE FINCH (Larimer)

McCown’s Longspur (Adams)

Golden-crowned Sparrow (Mesa)

White-throated Sparrow (Summit)

Rusty Blackbird (*Douglas)

 

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Note: For locations below that you are not familiar with, go to the Colorado Field Ornithologists’ (CFO) website. Select the “Birding Resources” header, toggle down to “County Birding,” and indicate the county of interest for site information.

https://coloradocountybirding.org/County/BySite.aspx. 

 

ADAMS COUNTY:

—On Mar 20 a McCown’s Longspur was reported in Bennett at 36099 E 56th Ave by Frank Farrell.

 

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:

—On Mar 21 a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was reported at 1809 E Tufts by Mary Kay Waddington. She invites birders to park in driveway and walk around field and/or down to the creek to look for the bird.

—On Mar 18 two Long-tailed Ducks were reported on the Arapahoe County side of South Platte Reservoir. First reported Mar 11 by Frank Farrell.

 

BENT COUNTY:

—On Mar 24, a Long-tailed Duck was reported at John Martin Reservoir by Alicia Arnold and Tyler Wilson.

BOULDER COUNTY:

—On Mar 21 a Winter Wren was reported at Boulder Creek/CU campus. First reported Mar 18 by Peter Burke.

 

CHAFFEE COUNTY:

—On Mar 25, six Williamson’s Sapsuckers were reported in 3 aspen gulches in San Isabel NF (2 miles W of US 285 and 5 miles SE of Mt. Princeton Hot Springs) by Sally Waterhouse.

 

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

—On Mar 25, a Rusty Blackbird (continuing from winter) was reported at Chatfield SP’s Plum Creek Delta by David Bailey.

 

 EL PASO COUNTY:

—On Mar 23 a Trumpeter Swan was reported at Big Johnson Reservoir & Bluestem Prairie Open Space by Tanja Britton.

—On Mar 18 a (f) Black Scoter was reported at Monument Lake by Terence Berger. A first spring El Paso County report for this species.

 

EL PASO and PUEBLO COUNTIES:

—NOTE: Chico Basin Ranch closed until at least Mar 30 by coronavirus precautions.

 

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

—On Mar 25 a Great-tailed Grackle was reported at Harriman Lake Park by Graham Ray.

—On Mar 24 two Long-tailed Ducks were reported on the JeffCo side of South Platte Reservoir. First reported Mar 11 by David Bailey.

 

LARIMER COUNTY:

—On Mar 25 a Red-naped Sapsucker was reported in Grandview Cemetery, Fort Collins, by Edward Raynor.

—On Mar 21 a Glaucous Gull was reported at Topminnow Natural Area (East Horsetooth Gravel Pit) by Robert Beauchamp.

—On Mar 20 a PURPLE FINCH was reported in Fort Collins at Maple and Fishback by David Wade.

—On Mar 19 huge flocks of 2,000+ Rosy-Finches (Mostly Gray-crowned, a few Brown-capped) were reported in Estes Park at the home of Scott Rashid.  On Mar 23 a Black Rosy-Finch also was present. Scott invites birders to observe at 715 Sanborn Drive, but ONLY after phoning first at 970-227- 9425. NOTE: By Colorado birding custom, those visiting active private feeders bring birdseed or a cash donation to defray owner’s costs. Please observe this tradition if able.

—On Mar 18 a Winter Wren was reported at Lee Martinez Park in Fort Collins. First reported Mar 2 by Josh Bruening.  Seen about 30 yards west of 0.5 mile marker, 10 yards east of culvert where large logs arc over stream.

 

LOGAN COUNTY:

—On Mar 18 a EURASIAN WIGEON was reported in a Merino farm pond at mile marker 393 on US 6. First reported Mar 16 by Glenn Walbek. NOTE: ALL viewing MUST be from highway ONLY, not private homeowner’s property OR driveway.

 

MESA COUNTY:

—On Mar 24 two Trumpeter Swans were reported at James M. Robb Colorado River SP-Pear Park section by Eileen Cunningham.

—On Mar 24 the wintering Golden-crowned Sparrow was reported at Grand Junction Wildlife Area.

 

MONTEZUMA COUNTY:

—On Mar 24 a Red-naped Sapsucker was reported at 28550 Road T.5, Dolores by Carol Bylsma.

 

PITKIN COUNTY:

—On Mar 24 two Red-naped Sapsuckers were reported along Prince Creek Road (CR5) SE of Carbondale by Madalynn Connor.
—On Mar 21 two Juniper Titmice were reported in Snowmass at Red Rim Road (FSR 534) by John Anderson.

 

PUEBLO COUNTY:

—On Mar 25 a continuing Long-tailed Duck was reported at Pueblo West Gravel Pit by Chris Knight. Likely the bird previously reported at nearby Pueblo Reservoir.

—On Mar 25 a continuing Pacific Loon was reported at Pueblo West Gravel Pit by Chris Knight.

 

SUMMIT COUNTY:

—On Mar 25 a Tundra Swan was reported at Angler Mountain Ranch ponds (private, viewable from road) by several birders.

—On Mar 23 a White-throated Sparrow was reported at the bird feeding station in Frisco by Jack and Ryan Bushong.

 

WELD COUNTY:

—On Mar 23 a Glaucous Gull was reported just west of Ault on CR 33. First reported Mar 22 by Gary Lefko.

—On Mar 22 a Barrow’s Goldeneye was reported at Stewart’s Pond by Sue Riffe.

—On Mar 18 a Barrow’s Goldeneye was reported at Loloff Reservoir by Chuck Aid.

 

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PLEASE NOTE: Because of “social distancing” precautions against coronavirus and COVID-19, Denver Field Ornithologists has suspended all field trips and other in-person club activities through the end of April at the earliest.

 

Want a break from all the news surrounding COVID-19?

Go out to watch CORVIDS and other birds for daily exercise and recreation. Be sure to practice social-distancing protocols. Be safe and good birding to all!

 

Good birding,

 

Patrick O’Driscoll

patodrisk AT gmail.com

303-885-6955 mobile