Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 12 March 2017

[Ira Sanders]

Compiler:           Ira Sanders
e-mail:                RBA AT cobirds.org
Date:                   March 12, 2017
This is the Rare Bird Alert for  Sunday, March 12 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 using the new AOU checklist and the order of
families has changed.

BRANT (Jefferson)
Trumpeter  Swan (Douglas)
Tundra Swan (Pueblo)
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK (Weld)
Long-tailed Duck (Larimer)
Sharp-tailed Grouse (Larimer)

Virginia Rail (Jefferson)

Greater Yellowlegs (*Park)
Thayer’s Gull (Adams, *Arapahoe)

ACORN WOODPECKER (Pueblo)
Williamson’s Sapsucker (Boulder, Pueblo)

American 3-toed Woodpecker (Boulder)

Carolina Wren (*Arapahoe)

Winter Wren (El Paso)
Lincoln‘s Sparrow (Denver)

Harris's Sparrow (*Denver)
Rusty Blackbird (Arapahoe)
Great-tailed Grackle (Weld)

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
---On March 5 at Cherry Creek SP, Christine Alexander reported Rusty Blackbird.

---On March 11 at Cherry Creek SP, Pheneger reports a Carolina Wren and Thayer's Gull. 

BOULDER COUNTY:
---On March 4 at Heil Valley Ranch, Wapiti Trail, Kathy Mihm Dunning
reported Williamson’s Sapsucker.

---On March 7, Thomas Heinrich reports an American 3-toed Woodpecker at Heil Ranch.

DENVER COUNTY:

---On March 9, Cheryl Teuton re-found a Harris's Sparrow at Westerly Creek, first reported by Jason Bidgood, in roughly the same area that he originally found it.  A Brown Thrasher was also seen.  Adam Vesely saw the Harris's Sparrow later in the day.  Both were seen again on March 11.

 ---On March 5, Tueton had a Lincoln's Sparrow associating with a small flock of juncos in the same area.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:
---On February 27 Brandon Percial reported Trumpeter Swan at Chatfield
SP on pond viewed from High Line Canal Trail, accessed from Titan
Road.  On March 3, Gregg Goodrich and Ben Lagasse reported Trumpeter
Swan in SE Pond at Chatfield, best viewed from Highline Canal Trail on
Rampart Range Rd.
On March 4, Joy and Leonard Lake reported Trumpeter Swan viewed from
High Line Canal Trail accessed from W Titan Road.

EL PASO COUNTY:
---On March 6 at Sondermann Park,
Kim Mauritz reported Winter Wren.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:
---On February 28, Heidi Retherford reported BRANT at
Indian Tree Golf Course.  On March 7, Tyler Stuart reported the BRANT continues at Indian Tree Golf Course.

---On March 9 at Bass Lake in the Wheat Ridge Greenbelt, Walt Combs reports 2 Virginia Rails.

LARIMER COUNTY:
---On March 3 at Lory State Park, Cheryl Teuton and Dan Brooke
reported Long-tailed Duck viewed from North Eltuck Bay.  On March 4,
Joe Mammoser reported Long-tailed Duck at Lory State Park, North
Eltuck Bay.
---On March 5 at Douglas Reservoir, David Wade reported Sharp-tailed Grouse.

---On March 12, Bankert reports the following at Timnath Reservoir: 3 Greater White-fronted Geese, an early Franklin's Gull, and a weird looking first-cycle Mew Gull.

PARK COUNTY:

---On March 11, Mlodinow reports 3 Greater Yellowlegs at Elevenmile Reservoir.

PUEBLO COUNTY:
---On March 4, Christine Alexander and Renee Casias reported ACORN
WOODPECKER at Pueblo Mountain Park.  On March 5 at Pueblo Mountain
Park, Kara Carragher and Mark Chavez reported ACORN WOODPECKER and Williamson’s Sapsucker.
---On March 5 at Chico Basin Ranch (fee area), John Drummond reported
5 Tundra Swans.

WELD COUNTY:
---On February 25, Glenn Walbek reported AMERICAN BLACK DUCK at Woods
Lake.  On March 4 at Woods Lake, Kara Carragher,
Lisa Edwards, and Tim Smart reported AMERICAN BLACK DUCK.  On March 4,
Frank Farrel, Matt Clark, Susan Bonfiglio, and Gene Rutherford
reported AMERICAN BLACK DUCK at Woods Lake.    On March 5 at Woods
Lake, Joey Kellner and Adam Vesely reported Great-tailed Grackles.

Denver Field Ornithologists Field Trips:

The DFO Field Trip for Tuesday, March 14, is to Southwest Metro Area Ponds and Lakes from 7:30 AM - 1:00 PM David Suddjian (Email: dsud...@gmail.com Phone: 831-713-8659) Trail Difficulty: Moderate Maximum Participants: 12 Directions: Meet at parking lot for Harriman Lake Park off South Kipling St. From Hwy 285, take S Kipling St south and turn right into the parking lot a short way south after crossing W Quincy Ave. We will visit several lakes and ponds seeking a variety of waterbirds. Stops will be decided the day of the trip, but may include an entrance fee at Chatfield SP. Scopes will be helpful. Bring liquids and snacks. Register online or contact leader.  THIS TRIP IS PRESENTLY FULL.

The DFO Field Trip for Thursday, March 16, is to Westerly Creek Park from 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM Chris Rurik (Email: chris...@gmail.com Phone: 253-225-7104) Trail Difficulty: Easy Directions: Park on the east side of Beeler Street between 25th Drive and East 24th Place. From I-70 take Central Park Blvd south. Turn left on MLK Drive, then right on Beeler Street. This is in the Stapleton neighborhood of Denver. Come take an evening ramble through Westerly Creek Park, another urban hotspot that has been discovered in the last few years as a place with great birds. We'll mosey around looking for early migrants (for the past few years it has hosted some of the state's earliest returning Cinnamon and Blue-winged Teal) and residents. Expect a mix of waterfowl and land birds. Bring binoculars, water, and snacks. Dress for the weather. Register online or contact leader.

The DFO Field Trip for Saturday,  March 18, is at Chatfield State Park from 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM. Edmund J Holub (Email: edmund...@gmail.com Phone: 303-979-2194) Trail Difficulty: Easy Directions: Meet at swim beach by entering west entrance of park off S Wadsworth, 1.5 miles south of C-470. State Parks pass or day pass required. Bring water, snacks, scope if you have one. Dress for the weather Looking for waterfowl, raptors, resident birds. Parks pass required. Register online or contact leader. 

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday,  March 19, is to Golden Gate Canyon State Park from 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM Chris Goulart (Email: cgoul...@comcast.net Phone: 586-764-2126) Trail Difficulty: Moderate Maximum Participants: 11 Directions: Meet at Park-n-Ride on west side of Ward Road, just north of I-70. State Parks pass or day pass required. Late winter romp in the mountains. We will walk several trails (as available) and look for what late winter or early spring birds may be active. Three-toed Woodpeckers, Mountain Bluebirds, and more. Winter time in the mountains can be slow or magical. Register online or contact leader. 

Good Birding,
Ira Sanders

Golden, CO