Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 20 June 2018

[Joyce Takamine]

Date:        June 20, 2018

Compiler:   Joyce Takamine

e-mail:      RBA AT cobirds.org  

This is the Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, June 20 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.

Common Goldeneye (Garfield)

Hooded Merganser (Boulder, Larimer)

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Logan, Washington)

Greater Roadrunner (*El Paso)

Black Swift (Pueblo)

Chimney Swift (Jefferson)

Rufous Hummingbird (*Jefferson)

Black Rail (Weld)

American Coot (*Phillips)

Sandhill Crane (Larimer)

Black-necked Stilt (Mesa)

Long-billed Curlew (Larimer)

Marbled Godwit (Logan)

White-rumped Sandpiper (Logan)

Long-billed Dowitcher (Las Animas, Weld)

Willet (Alamosa, Jackson, Weld)

Common Loon (Delta, Las Animas)

Little Blue Heron (*Boulder)

TRICOLORED HERON (*Boulder)

Cattle Egret (*Jefferson, *Pueblo)

Green Heron (Larimer)

White-faced Ibis (Logan)

Mississippi Kite (El Paso, Kiowa)

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Arapahoe)

Northern Goshawk (*Jefferson)

Lewis’s Woodpecker (Jefferson)

Red-headed Woodpecker (*El Paso, Jefferson, Logan)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Logan)

Peregrine Falcon (Denver)

Willow Flycatcher (Jefferson)

Least Flycatcher (Denver, *Eagle)

Hammond’s Flycatcher (Weld)

Gray Flycatcher (Gunnison)

Cordilleran Flycatcher (Arapahoe)

Black Phoebe (Ouray)

Eastern Phoebe (Boulder, Logan)

Great Crested Flycatcher (Logan)

Cassin’s Kingbird (La Plata, Washington)

Bushtit (Adams, *Weld)

Red-breasted Nuthatch (*Arapahoe)

Brown Creeper (Adams)

Bell’s Vireo (Logan)

Gray Vireo (*Las Animas)

Yellow-throated Vireo (Weld)

Red-eyed Vireo (Larimer, Weld)

Eastern Bluebird (*El Paso, Larimer)

Curve-billed Thrasher (*El Paso)

Brown Thrasher (Boulder)

Red Crossbill (Jefferson)

Lesser Goldfinch (Boulder, Jefferson, Larimer)

EASTERN TOWHEE (Logan)

Cassin’s Sparrow (Boulder, *Larimer)

Chipping Sparrow (Arapahoe)

Brewer’s Sparrow (Denver)

Field Sparrow (Larimer, Logan, Weld)

Lark Sparrow (El Paso)

Lark Bunting (*Boulder, *Jefferson)

Grasshopper Sparrow (*Jefferson, *Larimer)

BAIRD’S SPARROW (*Jefferson)

Fox Sparrow (*Park/Summit)

White-throated Sparrow (Weld)

Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed) (*Adams)

Bobolink (*Boulder, Mesa)

EASTERN MEADOWLARK (*Boulder)

Orchard Oriole (Broomfield)

Baltimore Oriole (Logan)

Ovenbird (*Larimer)

American Redstart (*Broomfield, Kiowa)

Chestnut-sided Warbler (*Boulder, Jefferson)

Black-throated Blue Warbler (Weld)

Yellow-throated Warbler (*Pueblo)

Grace’s Warbler (Jefferson)

Northern Cardinal (*Boulder, Logan)

Indigo Bunting (Boulder, *El Paso, Larimer)

Painted Bunting  (*Jefferson)

Dickcissel (Boulder, Chaffee, Douglas, Fremont, *Jefferson, *Larimer, Logan, Washington)

ADAMS COUNTY:

---On June 16 at East Lake Shore Park, Adam Veseley reported Bushtit.

---On June 17 at Barr Lake SP Neidrach Nature Trail, Bethany and Brook Nelson reported Brown Creeper.

---On June 19 at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWAR, Andy Belt reported Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed).

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:

---On June 14 at High Line Canal Trail – S University Blvd to E Orchard Rd, Cynthia Madsen reported Cordilleran Flycatcher.  On June 15 at High Line Canal Trail – S University Blvd, to E Orchard Rd, Cynthia Madsen and Rosanne Juergens reported Cordilleran Flycatcher; Madsen also reported Red-breasted Nuthatch.  On June 18 on High Line Canal Trail – S University Blvd to E Orchard Rd, Cynthia Madsen reported Cordilleran Flycatcher.  On June 19 on High Line Canal Trail – S University Blvd, to E Orchard Rd, Cynthia Madsedn reported 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch.

---On June 15 at St Mary’s Catholic Church, David Suddjian reported Chipping Sparrow and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

---On June 15 at Littleton Cemetery, David Suddjian reported 2 Chipping Sparrows and Red-breasted Nuthatch.  On June 16 at Littleton Cemetery, David Suddjian reported Red-breasted Nuthatch.    On June 17 at Littleton Cemetery, David Suddjian reported 4 Chipping Sparrows.

---On June 15 at Ashbaugh Park, David Suddjian reported Cordilleran Flycatcher and Chipping Sparrow.

---On June 15 at Lee Gulch Trail – Prince to Windermere (east half), David Suddjian reported Cordilleran Flycatcher and 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch.

---On June 17 on Big Dry Creek Trail – S Colorado Blvd to S University Blvd, Mary O’Connor reported Cordilleran Flycatcher.

---On June 17 at Tollgate Creek Trail from Iliff, Cathy Sheeter reported Sharp-shinned Hawk.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---On June 16 at Boulder Creek at 75th St, Sue Riffe and Bez Bezuidenhout reported 2 Eastern Phoebe near White Barn.  On June 18 at Boulder Creek at 75th St bridge, Peter Gent and Bob Andrews reported Eastern Phoebes who are nesting at the white barn.

--On June 15 at Crane Hollow Road, Sue Riffe reported Brown Thrasher and Dickcissel.  On June 18 at 63rd St Bridge over St. Vrain, Peter Gent and Bob Andrews reported 3 Singing Dickcissels on west side of Crane Hollow Road.

---On June 9 at Walden Ponds/Cottonwood Marsh, Brian and Kimberly Tavernia spotted a TRICOLORED HERON about 0700 which was seen by many birders; around 1100 James McCall reported both TRICOLORED HERON and Little Blue Heron at Cottonwood and many birders got to see both birds sometime in the same field of view.  Chuck Hundertmark reported both herons  were gone by 1930.  On March 14 at Walden/Sawhill Ponds Susan Rosine, Emil Yappett, Barbara Baring, Ted Floyd, Scott Somershoe, and Alan Bell reported TRICOLORED HERON and 2 Little Blue Herons.  On June 15 at Walden Ponds/Cottonwood Marsh, Paula Hansley and several other birders reported TRICOLORED HERON and 2 Little Blue Herons.  On June 16 at Walden Ponds/Cottonwood Marsh, Lorrain Lanning and Ron Podhajsky and many other birders reported TRICOLORED HERON and 2 Little Blue Herons.  On June 17 at Walden Ponds/Cottonwood Marsh, Tess Rudd, Frank Farrel, David Tonnessen, and Nick Moore reported TRICOLORED HERON and juv Little Blue Heron; Rob Cassady reported TRICOLORED HERON.  On June 18 at Walden Ponds/Cottonwood Marsh, Peter Gent, Bob Andrews, Joey Negreann, Jared Kidder, Al Clark, Betty Glass, and Joey Angstman reported TRICOLORED HERON and Little Blue Herons; both Little Blues were not seen by everybody.

---On June 16 on 8203 – 8407 Lookout Road, Christian Nunes reported Cassin’s Sparrow and EASTERN MEADOWLARK (Lilian’s).  On June 17 on Lookout Road pull off, Luke Pheneger reported 2 Cassin’s Sparrows and EASTERN MEADOWLARK.  On June 19 on Gunbarrel Hill, Steve Mlodinow reported 5 Lark Bunting and EASTERN MEADOWLARK (Lilian’s); Gabriel WIltse reported EASTERN MEADOWLARK.

---On June 16 at Hecla Lake, Bob Muckle reported m Hooded Merganser.  On June 18 at Hecla Lake, Rob Cassady reported m Hooded Merganser.

---On June 16 at South Mesa Trail Parking Lot, Dan Zmolek and Leslie S reported m Chestnut-sided Warbler, pair of Indigo  Bunting and 4 Lesser Goldfinch; John Rutenbeck, Cole Sage, and  Bill Kaempfer also reported Chestnut-sided Warbler.  On June 17 at South Mesa Trail Parking Lot, Luke Pheneger, Alex Brown, Eric DeFonso, Frank Farrell, and David Tonnessen reported Chestnut-sided Warbler.  On June 19 at South Mesa Trail, Steve Mlodinow reported Chestnut-sided Warbler.  Mlodinow said that the parking lot was closed so he birded from the road.  

---On June 16 at Waneka Lake/Greenlee Preserve, Ted Floyd reported m Hooded Merganser.

---On June 18 on east side of Cherryvale Road opposite Open Space headquarter, Bob Andrews and Peter Gent reported Bobolinks; Bob Fiehweg reported 2 male Bobolinks.

---On June 19 at Melody Park on Kalmia between Broadway and 16th, Bob Fiehweg reported singing Northern Cardinal.

BROOMFIELD COUNTY:

---On June 15 at Big Dry Creek OS, Eric Zorawowicz reported m Orchard Oriole.

---On June 19 at w 134TGH Place, Matt Hofeditz reported American Redstart.

CHAFFEE COUNTY:

---On June 17 at 8740 CR 175, Jeff Guy reported 3 Dickcissel.

DELTA COUNTY:

---On June 17 at Overland Reservoir, Dennis Garrison reported basic plumaged Common Loon.

DENVER COUNTY:

----On June 14 at 1598 18th St, Megan Miller reported 2 Peregrine Falcons circling tall brown building west of Xcel energy perching on ledge near top floor.  On June 18 at 1361 18th St, Megan Miller reported 2 Peregrine Flancons flying in and out of upper window of tall brown building west of Xcel energy.

---On June 17 at First Creek at DEN OS, Patrick O’Driscoll and his DFO Field Trip reported 2 Least Flycatchers and Brewer’s Sparrow.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

---On June 16 at Chatfield SP – Highline Canal Trail near Roxborough Rd, David Suddjian and his DFO Field Trip reported Dickcissel.

EAGLE COUNTY:

---On June 19 at Gypsum Ponds, JoAnn Riggle reported Least Flycatcher.

EL PASO COUNTY:

---On June 17 on E Missouri Ave in Fountain, Christine Alexander reported 2 Mississippi Kites.

---On June 18 at Cheyenne Mountain SP, Alan and MaryLynne Ketcham reported Ash-throated Flycatcher.

---On June 18 at Chico Basin Ranch, Jack Rogers reported 5 Curve-billed Thrashers.

---On June 18 at 92 Fontaine Blvd, Colorado Springs, Gloria Nikolai reported Mississippi Kite.

---On June 18 at Ute Valley Park, David and Cheryl Hubbard reported 2 Ash-throated Flycatchers.

---On June 19 at Ramah Reservoir SWSA, Alan Ketcham reported Red-headed Woodpecker, m Eastern Bluebird, and f Indigo Bunting.

---On June 19 at Hanover Fire Station, David and Cheryl Hubbard reported Curve-billed Thrasher.

---On June 19 at Hanover Road, David and Cheryl Hubbard reported Greater Roadrunner.

FREMONT COUNTY:

---On June 18 along MacKenzie Ave in Canon City, SeEtta Moss reported over a dozen Dickcissel.

GARFIELD COUNTY:

---On June 15 at ponds near Rifle Garfield Airport (View from road), JoAnn Riggle reported Common Goldeneye.

GUNNISON COUNTY:

---On June 16 at The Gate Campground, Joe Gyekis reported Gray Flycatcher.

---On June 16 at Red Bridge Campground, Joe Gyekis reported 2 Gray Flycatcher.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

---On June 16 on Stony Pass Rd at Wigwam Creek, Christine Alexander and Ginny Bergstrom reported 6 Lewis’s Woodpeckers, Red-headed Woodpecker and Lesser Goldfinch.

---On June 15 at Plainview Road, Eric DeFonso reported Grasshopper Sparrow and Dickcissel.  On June 16 at Coal Creek Open Space (Plainview Road), Joe Roller, Tim Smart, Norm Lewis. Bez Bezuidenhout, Steven Snyder and Bill Kaempfer reported Dickcissel and Grasshopper Sparrow.  On June 17 at Coal Creek OS, Max Miller reported Dickcissel and 2 Grasshopper Sparrows; Eric DeFonso reported 2 Dickcissel and 2 Grasshopper Sparrows.  On June 18 at Coal Creek OS Wendi Fisher, Myhrfon Gerhard, and John Malenich reported Dickcissel; Gerhard reported Grasshopper Sparrow; Fisher photographed BAIRD’S SPARROW.  On June 19 at Coal Creek Open Space, Maureen Blackford, Lindsay Purifoy, Timo Mitzen, Phil Lyon, Frank Farrell, Gabriel Wiltse, and Tracy Rackauskas  reported Dickcissels and Grasshopper Sparrows.

---On June 15 at 20950 S. Buffalo Creek Rd in Pine, Lane Quinn reported Grace’s Warbler and Red Crossbill.

---On June 15 at Majestic View Park, Barbara Baring reported Cattle Egret.

---On June 17 at Beaver Ranch in Conifer, Michael Kiessig reported Willow Flycatcher.

---On June 17 at 21963 Coal Creek Canyon Rd, Bill Kaempfer reported 4 Cattle Egret.  On June 9 at 21600 – 21946 Coal Creek Canyon Dr, Gabriel WIltse reported 6 Cattle Egret.

---On June 17 at Chatfield SP Audubon Center and Trails, Matt Clark, Susan Bonfiglio, and Karen Goetz reported Rufous Hummingbird.

---On June 18 at Chatfield SP, Wes Donnell reported ad m Painted Bunting in wooded area NW of Kingfisher Bridge.

---On June 19 at Clear Creek Trail – Indian Gulch to Clear Creek History Park, Santiago Tabares reported m Lark Bunting.

--On June 19 at Staunton SP Brian Johnson reported N Goshawk.

---On June 19 at Chatfield SP downstream of Kingfisher Bridge W, C ole and Beth Sage reported Rufous Hummingbird.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

---On June 14 at Pastorius Reservoir, Susan Allerton reported 2 Cassin’s Kingbirds.

LARIMER COUNTY:

---On June 14 at Bobcat Ridge NA, Nick Komar and David Wade m Eastern Bluebird, Red-eyed Vireo.

---On June 16 at CSU Environmental Learning Center, Caroline Olson reported Ovenbird, Indigo Bunting and Lesser Goldfinch.

---On June 16 at Prospect NA, Bez Bezuidenhout reported 3 Green Heron.

---On June 16 at Laramie River Ranch (view from road), Nick Komar reported 2 Sandhill Cranes.

---On June 16 on Laramie River Road near Wyoming border, Nick Komar reported 2 Sandhill Cranes.

---On June 17 at River Bluffs OS, Nick Komar, Walter Wehtje, and Jay Breidt reported Ovenbird.

---On June 17 at Fossil Creek Reservoir and Regional Open Space, Kit Gray reported m Hooded Merganser.

---On June 18 at Reservoir Ridge NA, Robert Beauchamp reported 2 Dickcissel.

---On June 19 at Wellington SWA Gary Lefko reported Dickcissel, Cassin’s Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow.

---On June 19 at Backcountry Happy Grass, Joel Such reported Ovenbird.

LAS ANIMAS COUNTY:

---On June 18 at North Lake SWA, Anna Troth and Gregg Goodrich reported 1st summer Common Loon.

---On June 19 at CR 76.8, Sue Riffe reported Gray Vireo.

LOGAN COUNTY:

---On June 16 at Tamarack ranch SWA, Steve Mlodinow reported 11 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 18 Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, 2 Eastern Phoebe, 9 Great Crested Flycatcher, 4 Bell’s Vireo, 9 Field Sparrow, 1 m EASTERN TOWHEE, 2 Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, 34 Dickcissel, 7 Baltimore Oriole.

---On June 16 at Red Lion SWA, Steve Mlodinow reported 15 Marbled Godwit, White-rumped Sandpiper, Red-headed Woodpecker, 4 White-faced Ibis.

MESA COUNTY:

---On June 16 at Highline Lake SP, Drew Kelly reported 2 Black-necked Stilts at Mack Mesa Pond.

---On June 17 on ME3/4 and 57 Rd, Rodene Harwood, Rhonda Woodward, and Deb Stegall reported 3 Bobolink.

OURAY COUNTY:

---On June 16 at Billy Creek SWA, Coen Dexter and Brenda Wright reported Black Phoebe.  On June 17 at Billy Creek, CR 2, Betty Fenton reported Black Phoebe.

PARK/SUMMIT COUNTIES:

---On June 18 on her BBS route, Paula Hansley reported 2 Fox Sparrows at top of Boreas Pass and 2 Fox Sparrows between top of pass and Como.

PUEBLO COUNTY:

---On June 16 at Mineral Palace Park, Van Truan reported Yellow-throated Warbler.  On June 17 at Mineral Palace Park, Alan and MaryLynne Ketcham reported Yellow-throated Warbler.  On June 18 at Mineral Palace Park, Gloria Nikolai, Linda Hodges, Diana Beaty, and Cole Sage reported Yellow-throated Warbler.  On June 19 at Mineral Palace Park, Jacqueline Heyla reported Yellow-throated Warbler.

---On June 17 at Pueblo Reservoir Swallows area, Tim Leppek reported 4 Cattle Egret.  On June 18 at Pueblo Reservoir Swallows area, Gloria Nikolai, Linda Hodges, and Diana Beatty, Jim and Tracy Zervos reported 2 Cattle Egret.  On June 19 at Pueblo Reservoir Swallows area, Tanja Britton reported 7 Cattle Egret.

WASHINGTON COUNTY:

---On June 14 on B Road N of US 36, Doug Kibbe and Jeff Dawson reported Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Cassin’s Kingbird, and 3 Dickcissel.

WELD COUNTY:

---On June 2 at Lower Latham Reservoir Marsh on S side of CR 48 western end just east of out-of-service Gas Facility, Doug Faulkner reported calling Black Rail.  On June 16 at Lower Latham Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported 2 Black Rail.

---On June 19 at Glenmere Park in Greeley, Ben Sampson reported Bushtit.

DFO Field Trips

Genessee Park (Denver Mountain Parks)

Saturday June 23

6:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Karen Drozda (drozforte AT AOL.com; 303-388-0891)

This trip is FULL

Fort Morgan/Brush

Saturday, June 23

6:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Chuck Hundertmark (chundertmark8 AT gmail.com; 303-604-0531)

Denver City Park

Sunday, June 24

6:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Patrick O’Driscoll (patodrisk AT gmail.com; 303-885-6955 (cell))

Rocky Mountain National Park 

Sunday, June 24

8:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Candice Johnson and Mary Cay Burger (candice.johnson AT childrenscolorado.org; 303-329-8131)

Good Birding

Joyce Takamine

Boulder