Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 21 February 2018

[Joyce Takamine]

Compiler:   Joyce Takamine

e-mail:      RBA AT cobirds.org  

Date:        February 21, 2018

This is the Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, February 21  sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies.

Highlight species include: (* indicates new information on this species)

NOTE:  The RBA is now using the new AOU checklist and the order of families has changed.

Greater White-fronted Goose (El Paso, Jefferson, Washington, Weld)

BRANT (Arapahoe)

Trumpeter Swan (Fremont, Yuma)

Wood Duck (Prowers)

Greater Scaup (Jefferson, Weld)

White-winged Scoter (*Arapahoe, Jefferson)

Long-tailed Duck (*Montezuma)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Adams, El Paso, *Montezuma, Weld) 

Red-breasted Merganser (Montezuma)

Clark’s Grebe (Fremont)

Sandhill Crane (Alamosa, Costilla, Kiowa, Mesa, Pueblo, *Rio Grande)

Spotted Sandpiper (Mesa)

Mew Gull  (Weld)

California Gull (Adams, Archuleta, Kiowa, Larimer, Mesa)

Iceland Gull (El Paso, Kiowa,  Pueblo) 

Glaucous Gull (Kiowa)

Great Black-backed Gull (Pueblo)

YELLOW-BILLED LOON (*Arapahoe, Jefferson)

Double-crested Cormorant (Otero, Pueblo)

American White Pelican (Otero, Weld)

Osprey (Larimer)

Northern Goshawk (Jefferson)

HARRIS’S HAWK (Larimer)

Swainson’s Hawk (Prowers)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Washington)

Black Phoebe (Montrose)

Say’s Phoebe (Adams, Archuleta)

Chihuahuan Raven (Fremont)

Bushtit (Weld)

Pygmy Nuthatch (Broomfield)

Brown Creeper (Kiowa)

Winter Wren (Archuleta, Morgan)

Bewick’s Wren (Otero)

Eastern Bluebird (Washington)

Hermit Thrush (Washington)

Gray Catbird (Arapahoe)

Curve- billed Thrasher (El Paso)

Brown Thrasher (Otero)

Northern Mockingbird (Adams)

Bohemian Waxwing (Summit)

American Pipit (La Plata)

Rosy-Finch spec (Archuleta)

Lapland Longspur (Kiowa)

McCown’s Longspur (Kiowa)

Green-tailed Towhee (Montrose)

Field Sparrow (Baca)

Vesper Sparrow (Larimer)

Sagebrush Sparrow (Mesa)

Savannah Sparrow (Weld)

Fox Sparrow (*Larimer, Prowers)

Lincoln’s Sparrow (Archuleta, Larimer, *Mesa)

Swamp Sparrow (*Boulder, La Plata)

White-throated Sparrow (Arapahoe, Otero, Prowers)

Harris’s Sparrow (Arapahoe, Denver, El Paso, Kiowa)

Brown-headed Cowbird (Weld)

Rusty Blackbird (Morgan)

Pine Warbler (*Larimer)

Yellow-rumped Warbler (*Arapahoe, Archuleta, Jefferson, Mesa, Otero, Prowers, Pueblo)

Northern Cardinal (Otero, Prowers)

ADAMS COUNTY:

---On February 11 at Mann Nyholt Lake, Adam Vesely reported California Gull.

---On February 12 at Barr Lake Bird Conservancy of Rockies Office and below dam, Colin Woolley reported Say’s Phoebe.

---On February 18 at Big Dry Creek OS, David Ely reported Northern Mockingbird.

---On February 18 at South Platte River  Sand Creek mouth, Riley Morris reported Black Phoebe.  This would be new county record if accepted.

ALAMOSA COUNTY:

---On February 16 on Hwy 17 near Hooper, James Loy reported 1100 Sandhill Cranes.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:                                                                  

---On February 16 at South Platte Reservoir, Chris Wood reported White-winged Scoter, YELLOW-BILLED LOON, and Say’s Phoebe; Chris Wood reported White-winged Scoter in SW  Bay (Jefferson).  On February 17 at South Platte Reservoir, Meg Reck and Holden Maxfield reported White-winged Scoter and YELLOW-BILLED LOON; Michelle Desrosiers and Colin Woolley reported White-winged Scoter and YELLOW-BILLED LOON in SW bay (Jefferson).  On February 18 at South Platte Reservoir, Anna Lenshek reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON.  On February 19 at South Plate Reservoir, Alan and MaryLynne Ketcham reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON and Derek Lecy reported White-winged Scoter and YELLOW-BILLED LOON.  On February 20 at South Platte Reservoir, David Suddjian reported White-winged Scoter and YELLOW-BILLED LOON.  Suddjian reported that the SW Bay was frozen. 

---On February 20 at South Platte Park, Ben Sampson reported Yellow-rumped Warbler near Nature Center.

---On February 14 at Ketring Park, Elaine Wagner and Doug Kibbe reported Hermit Thrush and Gray Catbird.  On February 16 at Ketring Park in Littleton, Doug Kibbe and Elaine Wagner reported BLACK BRANT.  On February 17 at Ketring Park in Littleton, Matt Crooks and several other birders reported BLACK BRANT.  On February 18 at Ketring Park, Cheryl Teuton and several other birders reported BLACK BRANT.  The BRANT was also seen at neighboring Gallup Park.   On February 19 at Ketring Park, Alan and MaryLynne Ketcham reported BRANT.

---On February 17 at Dahlia Hollow Park, Bez Bezuidenhout reported Pygmy Nuthatch.

---On February 18 at Chapel Hill Memorial gardens, Jared Del Rosso reported Harris’s Sparrow.

---On February 18 at Gallup Park in Littleton, Jared Del Rosso and Christian Hagenlocher reported BLACK BRANT.

---On February 18 at St Mary’s Catholic Church lower area, David Suddjian reported Say’s Phoebe

ARCHULETA COUNTY:

---On February 16 at Navajo Lake Sailboard beach, Kathy Mihm Dunning reported California Gull.

---On February 16 at Pagosa Riverwalk, Kathy Mihm Dunning reported Lincoln’s Sparrow and Winter Wren.  On February 17 at San Jan River Walk in Pagosa Springs, Jason St Pierre and Ryan Votta reported Winter Wren and Yellow-rumped Warbler.  On February 18 on San Juan River Walk in Pagosa Springs, Ryan Votta reported Yellow-rumped Warbler and Jim Beatty reported Winter Wren.

---On February 17 at Cat Creek, CR 700, Ben Bailey, Cedar Mcgrath, and Judy Jones reported 75 Rosy-Finch and Say’s Phoebe.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---On February 17 at Pella Crossing OS, Steve Frye reported Swamp Sparrow.

---On February 20 at Pleasant View Soccer Field, Ernest Crvich reported Swamp Sparrow.

COSTILLA COUNTY:

---On February 16 on E Hwy 160 near Blanca, Emily Samuel reported 10 Sandhill Cranes.

DENVER COUNTY:

---On February 17 at First Creek at DEN OS, Lorraine Lanning reported Harris’s Sparrow in vegetation near Creek just east of Buckley.

EL PASO COUNTY:

---On February 15 at Monument Wastewater Treatment Plant, Chris  Brobin reported pair of Barrow’s Goldeneye.

---On February 16 on Chapel Hills Drive in Colorado Springs, Roger Massey reported  Greater White-fronted Goose foraging on a front lawn.  On February 17 on Chapel Hills Drive Joy and Leonard Lake reported Greater White-fronted Goose on grassy bank across from library.   On February 18 on Chapel Hills Drive, Susan Stover reported Greater White-fronted Goose.

---On February 17 at Reflection Pond, John Drummond, Alan and MaryLynne Ketcham reported Greated White-fronted Goose.  On February 18 at Reflection Pond, Richard Bunn reported Greater White-fronted Goose.

---On February 17 on Birdsall Road in Fountain, Alan and MaryLynne Ketcham reported Curve-billed Thrasher and 2  Brown-headed Cowbirds.

FREMONT COUNTY:

---On February 17 at Brush Hollow Reservoir, Norm Lewis and Mike Serruto reported 2 Trumpeter Swans and Clark’s Grebe.   On February 18 at Brush Hollow Reservoir, Ginny Bergstrom reported 2 Trumpeter Swans and Clark’s Grebe; Gwen Moore reported 2 Trumpeter Swans.  On February 19 at Brush Hollow Reservoir, Joy and Leonard Lake and SeEtta Moss reported 2 Trumpeter Swans.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

---On February 16 on Clear Creek trail from Golden to I-70, Chuck Aid and Micahel Kiessig reported 3 Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warblers.

---On February 16 at Clement Park and Johnson Reservoir, Thomas Holub reported Greater White-fronted Goose.

---On February 16 at Harriman Lake Park, Chris Wood reported 14 Greater Scaup.

---On February 19 at Bear Creek Green Belt S Kipling Pkwy to S Wadsworth  Blvd, Chris Wood reported Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler foraging near Wadsworth near the creek.

---On Februrary 19 at Ralston Creek at Croke, Steven Snyder reported Northern Goshawk.

KIOWA COUNTY:

---On February 17 on CR 3E, Bill Kaempfer reported 2 Lapland Longspurs.

---On February 17 at Neenoshe Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported 4 Iceland (Thayer’s) Gulls, 2 California Gulls, Glaucous Gull, and 4 McCown’s Longspur.

---On February 17 at Upper queens/Neeskah Reservoir, Steve Mlodiow reported 110 Sandhill Cranes, California Gull, Lapland Longspur, 3 Harris’s Sparrows, and Brown Creeper.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

---On February 16 at Pastorius Reservoir, Kathy Mihm Dunning and Jason St. Pierre reported American Pipit and Swamp Sparrow.

LARIMER COUNTY:

---On February 13 at Larimer County Landfill (restricted access), Joshua Smith reported California Gull.  On February 17 at Larimer County Landfill (restricted access), Chris Wood reported 2nd year California Gull.

---On February 16 on I-25 near Loveland, Gene Rutherford reported HARRIS’S HAWK near Exit sign.   On February 18 near I-25 Loveland exit, Susan Broderick reported the HARRIS’S HAWK flying over trees near Wyngate Hotel on Ronald Reagan Blvd.

---On February 16 at Cottonwood Run NA Rec trail Wilson to Taft, Christine Sparks reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On February 17 at Dixon Reservoir, Jim Nachel reported Vesper Sparrow.

---On February 17 at Horsetooth Reservoir, Chris Wood reported 2 ad California Gulls.

---On February 18 from Dixon Reservoir to Horsetooth Reservoir, Elaine Leslie reported Osprey flying north to south.

---On February 18  - 20 at Wild Horse Birdfeeder in Loveland, John Reichhardt reported Pine Warbler.

---On February 18 at Hillsdale Park in Berthoud, Christine and Richard Sparks reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On February 20 at CSU Environmental Learning Center, Derek Lecy reported Red Fox Sparrow.

MESA COUNTY:

---On February 15 at Colorado River Isaland SWA, Glenn Pearson reported 2 California Gulls.

---On February 16 at Grand Junction Wildlife Area, Kathleen McGinley and Mike Henwood reported 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows.  On February 20 at Grand Junction WA, Ryan Claar reported Lincoln’s Sparrow along Gunnison Trail near the end.

---On February 18 at State Line, Denise and Mark Vollmar reported 12 Sandhill Cranes and 3 Sagebrush Sparrows.

---On February 18 at Horsethief Canyon SWA, David Price and Eileen Cunningham reported Spotted Sandpiper and Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler.

MONTEZUMA COUNTY:

---On February 14 at McPhee Reservoir Dolores End, Kathy Mihm Dunning reported Long-tailed Duck.  On February 15 at Dolores Ponds (wastewater plant) Jim Beatty reported f Long-tailed Duck in second pond past Dolores wastewater treatment ponds.  On February 14 at West End, Jim Beatty reported 2 f Red-breasted Mergansers.  On February 16 at Dolores Ponds (Watewater Treatment Plant), Jason St Pierre and Eric Hynes reported Long-tailed Duck and Barrow’s Goldeneye.  On February 19 at South arm of McPhee Reservoir, Erik Hendrickson reported Long-tailed Duck and Barrow’s Goldeneye.

MONTROSE COUNTY:

---On February 15 at Marine Road Park, Susan Entsminger reported Black Phoebe at edge of North Ponds and Green-tailed Towhee at South side of Park.

MORGAN COUNTY:

---On February 18 at Riverside Park (east section) in Fort Morgan, Chris Wood and David Dowell reported Winter Wren and Rusty Blackbird.

OTERO COUNTY:

---On February 17 at Rocky Ford SWA, David Dowell reported Brown Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, White-throated Sparrow and 2 Northern Cardinals.

---On February 17 at Holbrook Reservoir, David Dowell reported 2 Double-crested Cormornats, 17 American White Pelicans and Bewick’s Wren.

PROWERS COUNTY:

--- On February 16 at Lamar Community College, Jane Stulp reported Red Fox Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, and 2 Northern Cardinals.  On February 18 at Lamar Community College, Jon Horn reported f Wood Duck, 4 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Northern Cardinal.

---On February 18 on Hwy 196 from Kornman to county line, Jon Horn reported 1st year light phase Swainson’s Hawk.

PUEBLO COUNTY:

---On February 17 at Pueblo Reservoir South Marina, Jon Horn reported Great Black-backed Gull.  On February 18 at Pueblo Reservoir, Robb Hinds reported Great Black-backed Gull.  On February 19 at Pueblo Reservoir, Joy and Leonard Lake reported Great Black-backed Gull and 8 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

---On February 19 at Whitewater Park in Pueblo, Lorna Megenity reported Double-crested Cormorant and 6 Sandhill Cranes.

RIO GRANDE COUNTY:

---On February 17 at Monte Vista NWR Hwy 15 Viewing Area, John W. Cobb reported 120 Sandhill Cranes.  On February 19 at Monte Vista NWR, Bill Schreitz reported 475 Sandhill Cranes.  On February 20 at Monte Vista NWR, Jon Horn reported hundreds of Sandhill Cranes.

SUMMIT COUNTY:

---On February 17 at Arapaho NF near Dillon, Helen Butts reported 120 Bohemian Waxwings.

WASHINGTON COUNTY:

---On February 18 at Prewitt Reservoir, Chris Wood reported 7 Greater White-fronted Geese, Red-bellied Woodpecker, 9 Eastern Bluebirds, and Hermit Thrush.

WELD COUNTY:

---On February 14 at LUNA Reservoir, Sean Fitzgerald reported Greater Scaup.  On February 18 at LUNA Reservoir, Gene Rutherford reported 3 Greater Scaup (2m, 1f) and Brown-headed Cowbird.

---On February 16 in Bittersweek Park in Greeley, Matthias Sirch reported Bushtit.

---On February 17 at Behren Reservoir, Gene Rutherford reported Savannah Sparrow.

---On February 18 at St Vrain SP Great Egret Pond, Gene Rutherford reported American White Pelican.

---On February 18 at Firestone Gravel Pits (view from road), Steve Mlodinow, Gene Rutherford, and Luke Pheneger reported m Barrow’s Goldeneye and American White Pelican; Mlodinow also reported 1st cyc Mew Gull.

---On February 18 at Barefoot Lakes, Gene Rutherford reported Mew Gull.

YUMA COUNTY:

---On February 18 at Stalker Lake, David Dowell reported Trumpeter Swan.

DFO Field Trips:

The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, February 24 will be to Sloan’s Lake led by Jackie King (jackie.king At ccd.edu; 720-381-3314)  Directions:  Meet on the north side of Solan’s Lake near the boat house just south of W 25th Ave at Wolff.  Lunch is optional.  Register online or contact leader.

The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, February 24 will be Front Range Owling led by David Suddjian (dsuddjian AT gmail.com; 831-713-8659).  This trip is full.

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, February 25 will be to Fort Collins Grandview Cemetery led by Gregg Goodrich (GreggGoodrich AT gmail.com; 303-665-9135).  This trip is full

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, February 25 will be Boulder County:  From the Mountains to the Plains led by Paula Hansley (plhansley AT gmail.com; 720-890-2628).  Directions:  Meet at 0800 at Cinnebarre Theaters parking lot off Dillon Rd in Louisville.  Take McCaslin Blvd exit from Hwy 36 (Boulder Turnpike) to the north; go left at first traffic light at Dillon Rd, take first left and follow little road into a large parking lot for Cinebarre Theaters.  Meet on west side.    Carpool.  Check out feeders including Mtn Research Station and Allenspark.  Will work way back to plains.  Bring lunch, water (and/or warm Beverage), warm clothes, including gloves and hat.  Register online or contact leader.

Good Birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder