COLORADO RARE BIRD ALERT, SATURDAY MAY 9, 2020
DAVID A LEATHERMAN
Date: Saturday, May 9, 2020
Email: RBA AT cobirds.org
Compiler: Dave Leatherman, daleatherman@msn.<dot> com
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The Colorado Rare Bird Report is an informational service.
Because of statewide coronavirus “Stay at Home” and “Safer at Home” orders (depending on where you live), 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 permitted area.
We urge readers to respect state and local restrictions on non-critical travel and limits on outdoor activities that include birding. Please do all you can to ensure the safety of others and yourself while birding, including appropriate PPE and distancing.
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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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Spring migration notes:
Passerine migration is in full swing, with many neotropical species arriving. Any patch of habitat can produce birds, including your own backyard or the park down the street. In the interest of shortening this report somewhat, many exciting birds are not included here.
What’s in your yard or near your home? Let us know on COBirds.
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Rare birds and some out-of-place or out-of-season birds are listed below.
Trumpeter Swan (Las Animas)
MEXICAN WHIP-POOR-WILL (*Fremont)
Whimbrel (Delta)
Neotropic Cormorant (Weld)
Reddish Egret (Mesa)
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (*Denver)
Glossy Ibis (Washington)
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Jefferson)
White-eyed Vireo (*Baca, *Bent, *El Paso)
Yellow-throated Vireo (*Boulder, Fremont, Jefferson, *Larimer)
Philadelphia Vireo (Jefferson)
Gray-cheeked Thrush (*Baca, *Bent, *Prowers)
Varied Thrush (Bent)
Field Sparrow (*Boulder, Broomfield, El Paso, Larimer)
Sagebrush Sparrow (Denver)
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Denver)
Baltimore Oriole (*Boulder)
Worm-eating Warbler (*Kiowa)
Golden-winged Warbler (*Jefferson)
Blue-winged Warbler (*Baca, *Otero)
Black-and-white Warbler (Bent, Broomfield, Jefferson, Larimer)
Prothonotary Warbler (Chaffee, LaPlata, *Larimer)
Tennesee Warbler (Arapahoe, *Baca, Douglas, Kiowa, *Larimer)
LUCY’S WARBLER (Mesa)
Nashville Warbler (Baca, Boulder, *Jefferson)
Mourning Warbler (*Bent)
Kentucky Warbler (*Chaffee)
Hooded Warbler (Chaffee, Kiowa, Larimer)
Cape May Warbler (Baca, *Bent)
Northern Parula (Arapahoe, Bent, Teller)
Yellow-throated Warbler (Broomfield, Jefferson, Pueblo)
Magnolia Warbler (Jefferson)
Bay-breasted Warbler (Larimer, Pueblo)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Baca, *Bent, Boulder, Pueblo)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Jefferson, *Kiowa, Pueblo)
Blackpoll Warbler (Baca,*Bent, Boulder, *Jefferson, Larimer, Weld)
Palm Warbler (Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, *Denver, *Larimer, *Saguache)
HERMIT WARBLER (Bent)
Black-throated Green Warbler (Jefferson)
Prairie Warbler (Larimer)
CANADA WARBLER (Kiowa)
Summer Tanager (Boulder, *Douglas, Jefferson, *Kiowa, Fremont)
Scarlet Tanager (Rio Grande)
Northern Cardinal (*Boulder)
Painted Bunting (*Baca)
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ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
--On May 6 a Tennessee Warbler was reported from Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve by Mitchell Bailey.
--On May 7 a Northern Parula first reported from Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve on May 6 by Joey Negreann was refound.
—On May 4 a Palm Warbler continued at Cherry Creek SP (Lake Loop), possibly the same individual found on May 1 just south of there by Mitchell Bailey.
BACA COUNTY:
--On May 8 a Blue-winged Warbler was reported from below the dam at Two Buttes Reservoir by Joey Kellner.
--On May 8 two female type Painted Buntings were reported from below the dam at Two Buttes Res by Joey Kellner.
--On May 8 a Tennessee Warbler was reported by Joey Kellner below the dam at Two Buttes Res.
--On May 8 a Gray-cheeked Thrush was reported by Joey Kellner below the dam at Two Buttes Res.
--On May 5 a heard-only Cape May Warbler was reported high in the trees by Steve Mlodinow below the dam at Two Buttes Reservoir.
--On May 5 two Chestnut-sided Warblers were reported by Steve Mlodinow below the dam at Two Buttes Reservoir.
--On May 8 a White-eyed Vireo first reported by Steve Mlodinow on May 5 below the dam at Two Buttes Reservoir continues.
--On May 5 Steve Mlodinow also reports below the dam at Two Buttes Reservoir 5 Northern Waterthrushes, 1 Nashville Warbler, 1 American Redstart, 2 Tennessee Warblers, 1 Blackpoll Warbler, 1 Ovenbird and a russet-backed Swainson’s Thrush.
--On May 5 a Gray-cheeked Thrush was reported by Steve Mlodinow at Turk’s Pond SWA.
BENT COUNTY:
--On May 8 a Mourning Warbler was reported by Glenn Walbek at Tempel Grove.
--On May 8 a Cape May Warbler was refound by mob, first reported by Brandon Percival at Tempel Grove on May 6.
--On May 8 two Gray-cheeked Thrushes were refound, first reported by the Phenegers at Tempel Grove on May 6.
--On May 8 a White-eyed Vireo first reported by the Phenegers on May 6 was refound at Tempel Grove.
--On May 8 a Blackpoll Warbler was reported from Tempel Grove by
--On May 5 a Hermit Warbler was reported by the Phenegers at Tempel Grove west of the CR35 bridge. Despite much effort, this bird has not been refound.
--On May 4 a male Varied Thrush was reported along the north side of the parking/equipment area w of CR35 at Tempel Grove by John Malenich.
--On May 4 a Northern Parula was reported by John Malenich at Tempel Grove.
--On May 4 a Black-and-white Warbler was reported by John Malenich at Tempel Grove.
BOULDER COUNTY:
--On May 8 a Field Sparrow was reported at Waneka Lake/Greenlee Preserve by Art Reisman.
--On May 8 a male Baltimore Oriole was at a private residence along Apple Valley Road, first reported by Sue Riffe, seen by many.
--On May 8 Boulder Creek at the CU East Campus was enlivened by a Yellow-throated Vireo first reported by
--On May 8 a Northern Cardinal continues at the Linden and 21st Street stakeout location.
--On May 7 a Nashville Warbler was reported from Old St. Vrain Road by Mark Minner-Lee.
--On May 5 a Palm Warbler was reported from Lagerman Ag Preserve by Emil Yappert.
--On May 5 a Blackpoll Warbler was reported at TwinLakes in n Boulder by Nathan Pieplow.
—On May 4 a Palm Warbler found at Hecla Lake on May 3 by Andy Angstrom continued.
—On May 3 a Palm Warbler was reported from near the CU Campus (Confluence Ponds & Skunk Creek) by Leslie S.
BROOMFIELD COUNTY:
--On May 6 a Field Sparrow was reported in the Big Dry Creek and Willow Run Open Space in Broomfield by Jason Cole.
--On May 6 a Black-and-white Warbler was reported at Miramonte Pond in Broomfield by David Ely and Matt Hofeditz.
—On May 3 a Palm Warbler was reported from the pond west of Stearns Lake, first found May 1 by Chipper Phillips.
--On May 4 a Summer Tanager was reported from Interlocken Business Park by Chipper Phillips.
CHAFFEE COUNTY:
--On May 8 a Kentucky Warbler was reported from Sands Lake SWA by Jeff Guy.
--On May 6 a Prothonotary Warbler was reported from Sands Lake SWA by Tyler Wilson.
--On May 6 a Summer Tanager was reported from Sands Lake SWA.
--On May 5 a Hooded Warbler was reported from Sands Lake SWA by Tyler Wilson.
DELTA COUNTY:
--On May 7 a Whimbrel was reported from Fruit Growers Res by Martha Springer.
DENVER COUNTY:
--On May 8 a Palm Warbler pumped its tail in the Overland Park area hotspot, found by Steve Rash.
--On May 8 a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron first reported by John Breitsch at First Creek At Green Valley Ranch (Dunkirk and 53rd) on May 6, continues.
--On May 5 a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported at Westerly Creek Park by Jason Bidgood.
—On May 4 a Golden-crowned Sparrow was reported at Sand Creek (Havana St to Westerly Creek). First reported on April 19 by Jake Shorty. There are no previous eBird records for Denver County.
DOUGLAS COUNTY:
--On May 8 two Summer Tanagers were reported at Historic Cheese Ranch Park in Highlands Ranch (39.5504, -104.9204) by Diane Roberts.
—On May 3 a Tennessee Warbler was reported at Chatfield SP (upsteam of Kingfisher Bridge) by Joey Kellner.
EL PASO COUNTY:
--On May 8 a White-eyed Vireo was at Adams Open Space in Fountain by Tyler Stuart.
--On May 6 a Field Sparrow was banded at Clear Springs Ranch by Steven Brown.
Note: Chico Basin Ranch is closed to the public, except for dues-paying members of the birding, hunting and fishing clubs. At the request of CBR, posts about birds seen there have been removed from the CO RBA.
FREMONT COUNTY:
--On May 7 a MEXICAN WHIP-POOR-WILL was well heard on the Oak Creek Grade Road (a continuation of 6th Street in Canon City, which going south out of town becomes 143 Road and is later called Oak Creek Grade), about 6 miles south of Canon City, first heard on May 6 by Jerry DeBoar. The song was heard well enough to differentiate it from that of E. Whip-poor-will.
--On May 7 a Yellow-throated Vireo was found along the Canon City Riverwalk between Sell Lake and Raynolds by Jerry DeBoar.
--On May 6 a female type Summer Tanager was reported at the Blue Heron Ponds hotspot along SR115 s of US50 (e of Florence) by Jerry DeBoer.
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
--On May 8 a Golden-winged Warbler was refound by many at the BTBW stakeout location at Tucker Gulch (south of the footbridge) in Golden, first found by Terrance Wells on May 7.
--On May 7 a Magnolia Warbler was reported from Tucker Gulch by Timo Mitzen.
--On May 8 a Nashville Warbler was refound at Tucker Gulch by mob.
--On May 7 a Blackpoll Warbler was seen at Tucker Gulch.
—A male Black-throated Blue Warbler first reported by Michael Lester on May 2 at Tucker Gulch in Golden (stakeout hotspot) was most recently seen May 5. Also reported from this site on May 6 were a Summer Tanager and a Palm Warbler.
--On May 5 a Yellow-throated Warbler was found at Main Res by Rob Raker, seen by the mob on May 6.
—On May 2 a Black-and-white Warbler was reported at Harriman Lake Park; first found on April 30 by Bez Bezuidenhout.
NOTE: Red Rocks Park is closed indefinitely because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
KIOWA COUNTY:
--On May 8 a Black-throated Blue Warbler was at Upper Queens Res (west end of CR C), first found by Brandon Percival on May 7.
--On May 8 a Worm-eating Warbler was refound by mob, first reported by Brandon Percival at Upper Queens Res. A Summer Tanager was also at this location.
--On May 4 a Hooded Warbler was reported from Upper Queens Res by John Malenich.
—On May 3 a CANADA WARBLER was reported from Upper Queens Res. by David Dowell.
LA PLATA COUNTY:
--On May 6 a Prothonotary Warbler first reported May 4 from Pastorius Res by David Dunford was reported as continuing.
--On May 5 a Northern Waterthrush was reported from Pastorius Res by David Dunford.
LAS ANIMAS COUNTY:
--On May 7 a Trumpeter Swan was reported at Pinon Lake Res by John Vanderpoel.
LARIMER COUNTY:
--On May 8 a Yellow-throated Vireo was reported by Ann Colpitts at Morey Wildlife Reserve in Loveland.
--On May 8 Joe Kipper reported a Tennessee Warbler from LeeMartinez Park in Fort Collins.
--On May 8 Patricia Cohen found a Palm Warbler at Arapaho Bend NA in Fort Collins.
--On May 7 a Field Sparrow was at Greyrock Commons in nw Fort Collins by Doug Schwarz.
--Late on May 5 Nick Komar found a Bay-breasted Warbler high in cottonwoods at Morey Wildlife Reserve near the bridge off Cedar Valley Rd in Loveland.
--On May 6 a Piping Plover was reported flying from n side to the nw side of Cobb Lake (pvt, view from 56Rd) by Josh Bruening.
--On May 8 a Prothonotary Warbler continues Prospect Ponds NA , first found by Joshua Keller at the diversion dam on May 5.
--On May 4 a Tennessee Warbler was reported from Prospect Ponds NA by EJ Raynor.
--On May 4 multiple Blackpoll Warblers were found in both Loveland (Lon Hagler Res by Christine Sparks) and Fort Collins (Arapahoe Bend NA by Brian Tarbox, Prospect Ponds NA by Matthew Webb and Josh Bruening, Environmental Learning Center by Brian Tarbox)
--On May 4 a Yellow-throated Vireo was reported from Wellington SWA by Brendan Beers.
--On May 4 a Prairie Warbler in an off-limits portion of Cottonwood Hollow NA was heard from across the river to the west in Prospect Ponds NA by Matthew Webb.
--On May 5 a Yellow-throated Vireo first found on May 4 by Jay Breidt along the Poudre River at Poudre Ponds NA in Fort Collins, was reported as continuing. Not reported May 6.
—On May 4 a Hooded Warbler first reported from just east of Hamilton Reservoir (40.84861, -105.00980) by Matthew DeSaix was seen by the mob. The nickname for this small wetland is “The Oasis”. The legality of access to this area needs clerification.
--On May 4 a Black-and-white Warbler was reported from Prospect Ponds NA by Matt Webb.
MESA COUNTY:
--On May 5 a white morph Reddish Egret was nicely discerned among other white wader species at the Redlands Parkway Ponds w of Grand Jct. by Carol Ortenzio.
—On May 4 a LUCY’S WARBLER at the hotspot “Gateway Cottonwoods” west of Gateway (town), first found here on April 26 by Kathleen McGinley, continues and may be nesting. BIRDERS ARE ASKED NOT TO PLAY TAPES.
OTERO COUNTY:
--On May 7 the Phenegers report a Vermilion Flycatcher, Blue-winged Warbler and Summer Tanager from Higbee Valley Road south of LaJunta.
PROWERS COUNTY:
--On May 8 a Gray-cheeked Thrush was reported from the Lamar Community College Woods by the Phenegers.
PUEBLO COUNTY:
--On May 7 a Chestnut-sided Warbler was reported from RoselawnCemetery in Pueblo by Evan Carlson.
--On May 7 a Yellow-throated Warbler was reported from RoselawnCemetery in Pueblo by Evan Carlson.
--On May 7 a Black-throated Blue Warbler was reported from the Rock Creek area below the Pueblo Res Dam on the north side of the Ark. River by Chris Knight.
—On May 3 a male Bay-breasted Warbler was reported from Pueblo along the Arkansas River Trail, east of Pueblo Blvd, by Evan Carlson.
Note: Chico Basin Ranch is closed to the public, except for dues-paying members of the birding, hunting and fishing clubs. At the request of CBR, birds seen there have been removed from the CO RBA.
RIO GRANDE COUNTY:
--On May 7 John Rawinski found a male Scarlet Tanager at Home Lake SWA e of Monte Vista.
SAGUACHE COUNTY:
--On May 8 a Palm Warbler was reported by John W. Cobb at Russell Lakes SWA.
TELLER COUNTY:
--On May 7 a Northern Parula was reported from Manitou Lake by Scott Schaum.
WASHINGTON COUNTY:
--On May 3 a Glossy Ibis was reported from CR 57 & Hwy 6 pond by Nick Moore.
WELD COUNTY:
--On May 7 Gene Rutherford reports a Blackpoll Warbler at Norma’s Grove.
— On May 3 a Neotropic Cormorant was reported at PelicanLakes, a hotspot near Windsor, by Ryan Graves.
--On May 4 a Northern Waterthrush was reported from Norma’s Grove by Ryan Graves.
Crow Valley Campground is closed to all human activity (per USFS District Office).
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PLEASE NOTE: Because of COVID-19 pandemic precautions, Denver Field Ornithologists has suspended all field trips scheduled for May and June. Other birding clubs have also canceled activities, and the annual Colorado Field Ornithologists convention, set for Pueblo in May, has been reset for May, 2021.
Please share interesting and/or unusual birds and behavior observations on COBirds.
Dave Leatherman, Fort Collins