Date: July 4, 2018
Compiler: Joyce Takamine
This is the Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, July 4 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.
Snow Goose (Kiowa)
Trumpeter Swan (*Archuleta)
Bufflehead (*Boulder)
Common Goldeneye (Chaffee)
Hooded Merganser (*Arapahoe, Larimer)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (*Larimer, Otero)
Greater Roadrunner (El Paso, Otero)
Black Swift (Pueblo)
Chimney Swift (Jefferson)
Sora (Otero)
COMMON GALLINULE (*Larimer)
American Coot (Phillips)
Black-necked Stilt (Kiowa)
Mountain Plover (Kiowa)
Long-billed Curlew (Kiowa, Larimer)
Baird’s Sandpiper (*El Paso)
Least Sandpiper (*Douglas)
Willet (Kiowa)
Greater Yellowlegs (*Boulder)
Franklin’s Gulls (Kiowa)
Least Tern (Kiowa)
Caspian Tern (*Boulder)
Great Egret (Kiowa)
Little Blue Heron (Boulder)
Cattle Egret (*Jefferson, Pueblo)
Green Heron (Arapahoe, Denver, Kiowa, *Larimer)
White-faced Ibis (*Summit)
Mississippi Kite (*El Paso, Kiowa, Otero)
Northern Goshawk (Jefferson)
Swainson’s Hawk (Otero)
Lewis’s Woodpecker(*Archuleta, La Plata)
Red-headed Woodpecker (Logan, Otero)
Acorn Woodpecker (*La Plata)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Logan)
Williamson’s Sapsucker (Jefferson)
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Otero)
American Three-toed Woodpecker (*Clear Creek, Grand, Larimer)
Peregrine Falcon (Adams)
Least Flycatcher (Jefferson, Larimer)
Hammond’s Flycatcher (Weld)
Gray Flycatcher (Gunnison, Mesa)
Cordilleran Flycatcher (Arapahoe)
Eastern Phoebe (Otero)
Ash-throated Flycatcher (El Paso)
Cassin’s Kingbird (Denver, *La Plata, Otero)
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Weld)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Arapahoe, Yuma)
Yellow-throated Vireo (Weld)
Warbling Vireo (Eastern) (Boulder)
Red-eyed Vireo (Larimer, Weld)
Canada Jay (Gray Jay) (*Clear Creek, El Paso)
Chihuanhuan Raven (Otero)
Bushtit (Gilpin)
Canyon Wren (Otero)
Marsh Wren (Gunnison)
Eastern Bluebird (Larimer, Otero)
Curve-billed Thrasher (El Paso)
Brown Thrasher (Boulder)
Sage Thrasher (Adams)
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (*Clear Creek)
Red Crossbill (*Clear Creek, Jefferson)
Lesser Goldfinch (Adams, Boulder)
Chestnut-collared Longspur (Weld)
McCown’s Longspur (Larimer)
Green-tailed Towhee (Arapahoe)
Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Otero)
Cassin’s Sparrow (Boulder)
Chipping Sparrow (Arapahoe)
Brewer’s Sparrow (Gunnison)
Field Sparrow (Larimer, Weld)
Lark Sparrow (El Paso)
Sagebrush Sparrow (Gunnison)
Lark Bunting (Boulder)
Grasshopper Sparrow (Jefferson)
White-throated Sparrow (Weld)
Yellow-breasted Chat (Kiowa)
Bobolink (Mesa)
Orchard Oriole (Otero)
Baltimore Oriole (Prowers, Yuma)
Ovenbird (Larimer)
Virginia’s Warbler (Park)
American Redstart (Kiowa)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (*Boulder)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Weld)
Grace’s Warbler (Mesa)
Lazuli Bunting (Adams)
Indigo Bunting (Boulder, Otero)
Dickcissel (Douglas, Jefferson, Kiowa, Mesa)
ADAMS COUNTY:
---On June 28 at Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch, G Stacks reported 5 Bushtits.
---On June 29 at Barr Lake—Bird Conservancy of Rockies Office Area and below dam, Santiago Tabares and Gabriel Wiltse reported Peregrine Falcon.
---On June 30 at Lowell Ponds (Clear Creek Valley Park), Diane Roberts reported Sage Thrasher.
---On July 1 at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR, First Creek, John Beitsch reported m Lesser Goldfinch.
---On July 1 at Barr Lake SP, Tricia Van Laar reported f Lazuli Bunting by feeders.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
---On June 28 on High Line Canal Trail – S University Blvd to E Orchard Rd, Jared Del Rosso reported 2 Cordilleran Flycatchers. On June 29 on High Line Canal Trail – S University Blvd to E Orchard Rd, Cynthia Madsen reported 2 Cordilleran Flycatchers. On July 1 on High Line Canal Trail – S University Blvd to E Orchard Rd, Jared Del Rosso reported 2 Cordilleran Flycatchers. On July 2 on High Line Canal Trail –S University Blvd to E Orchard Rd, Cynthia Madsen reported 2 Cordilleran Flycatchers.
---On June 30 at Littleton Cemetery, David Suddjian reported 2 Chipping Sparrows. On June 30 at Littleton Cemetery, David Suddjian reported 5 Chipping Sparrows. On July 1 at Littleton Cemetery, David Suddjian reported 3 Chipping Sparrows.
---On June 28 at Parker Jordan Centennial Open Space, Cynthia Madsen and David Hill reported Green Heron.
---On June 30 at Littleton Lee Gulch Trail – Prince to Windermere – east half, David Suddjian reported Cordilleran Flycatcher.
---On June 30 on Front Range Road (west side of loop), David Suddjian reported 3 Chipping Sparrows.
---On July 1 at Cherry Creek SP, Matt Means reported Green-tailed Towhee.
---On July 1 on Big Dry Creek Trail – S Colorado Blvd, to S University Blvd, Mary O’Connor reported 2 Cordilleran Flycatchers.
---On July 2 at Writers Vista Park in Littleton, Santiago Tabares reported Chipping Sparrow.
---On July 3 at Centennial Park, Crystal Wilson reported Hooded Merganser.
ARCHULETA COUNTY:
---On July 3 at Pinon Lake Reservoir, Justin Bosler reported Trumpeter Swan and 2 Lewis’s Woodpeckers.
BOULDER COUNTY:
---On June 29 at Walden Ponds/Cottonwood Marsh, Sarah Spotten and Alan de Queiroz reported imm Little Blue Heron. On June 30 at Walden Ponds/Cottonwood Marsh, Diane Roberts, David Haskell, and Katie Lehman reported imm Little Blue Heron. On July 2 at Walden Ponds/Cottonwood Marsh, Tanja Britton, Lucas Rot, Ben Sanders, Tracy and Luke Pheneger reported imm Little Blue Heron.
---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. On June 30 at South Mesa Trail, Chris Brown reported Chestnut-sided Warbler. On July 1 at South Mesa Trail, Luke and Tracy Pheneger reported Chestnut-sided Warbler. On July 2 at South Mesa Trail, David Chernack reported Chestnut-sided Warbler. On July 3 at South Mesa Trail Meg Reck reported Chestnut-sided Warbler.
---On June 28 at Rabbit Mountain, Johanna Beam and Ted Floyd reported Brown Thrasher.
----On June 29 at Lagerman Reservoir, John Rutenbeck reported Caspian Tern. On July 2 at Lagerman Reservoir, Ben Sanders, Luke and Tracy Pheneger and Chris Brown reported Caspian Tern; Brown also reported Greater Yellowlegs. On July 3 at Lagerman Reservoir, Leslie S and John Malenich reported Caspian Tern; Leslie s also reported Greater Yellowlegs.
---On June 30, at St Vrain River Crossing at 63rd St, Steve Frye reported 2 Eastern Phoebe.
---On July 1 at Sawhill Ponds, Ted Floyd reported 5 Warbling Vireo (Eastern).
---On July 1 and July 3 at Little Gaynor Lake, John Rutenbeck reported Bufflehead.
CHAFFEE COUNTY:
---On June 28 in San Isabel NF S Cottonwood Drainage, David Olmstead reported f Dusky Grouse.
---On June 30 at Sands Lake SWSA, Samuel Meeker reported f Common Goldeneye.
CLEAR CREEK COUNTY:
---On June 28 at Beaver Meadows TR 44 2c, Chris Wood reported 3 Red Crossbill (Ponderosa Pine, type 2).
---On July 3 on Mt Evans BBS route, David Suddjian reported Canada Jays, American Three-toed Woodpeckers, Brown-capped Rosy-Finch, and Red Crossbills.
DENVER COUNTY:
---On July 1 at Bluff Lake Nature Center, George Ho reported Green Heron; Matt Means reported Cassin’s Kingbird. On July 2 at Bluff Lake Nature Center, Elaine Wagner, Colleen Nunn, and Meg Reck reported Green Heron.
DOUGLAS COUNTY:
---On June 30 at Winkler Ranch, Hugh Kingery reported Dickcissel.
---On July 3 at Parkedr Regional Park (aka Salisbury Equestrian Park), Loch Kilpatrick reported 3 Least Sandpipers.
EL PASO COUNTY:
---On June 29 on 16831 – 16959 Hanover Road, David and Tammy McQuade reported 3 Greater Roadrunners and Curve-billed Thrasher.
---On June 29 on Pikes Peak, Alan and Mary Lynne Ketcham reported Canada (Gray) Jay.
---On July 1 at Hanover Fire Station, Cathy Bondy reported Curve-billed Thrasher.
---On July 2 at Chico Basin Ranch wooded areas, Cathy Bondy reported Curve-billed Thrasher.
---On July 2 at Cheyenne Mountain SP, Rod Schmidt reported Ash-throated Flycatcher.
---On July 3 at Squirrel Creek Road Pond, Aaron Driscoll reported Baird’s Sandpiper.
---On July 3 at Fountain Creek Regional Park, Alan and MaryLynne Ketcham reported Mississippi Kite.
GILPIN COUNTY:
---On July 2 on Lake Gulch Rd, Eric DeFonso reported 3 Bushtits.
GRAND COUNTY:
---On July 2 on Green Mountain Trail, Marcus Roening reported 8 American Three-toed Woodpeckers (3 pairs, 2 young).
GUNNISON COUNTY:
---On June 30 on Hwy 30 S of Gunnison, Gaylee and Richard Dean reported Gray Flycatcher, 2 Brewer’s Sparrows and 2 Sagebrush Sparrows.
---On June 30 at McCabes Lane Wetland, Dave Hawksworth reported 3 Marsh Wrens.
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
---On June 30 at Coal Creek OS, Timo Mitzen reported 3 Grasshopper Sparrows and 2 Dickcissel. On July 1 at Coal Creek OS, Chris Sherry, Santiago Tabares, Jeremiah Trimble reported Dickcissels and Grasshopper Sparrows. On July 2 at Coal Creek OS, Betty Glass, David Chernack, Jack and Ryan Bushong reported Dickcissels and Grasshopper Sparrows.
---On June 30 at Staunton SP, Rebecca Laroche and her DFO Field Trip reported Northern Goshawk, 11 Williamson’s Sapsuckers (4 nests), and 2 Red Crossbills; Christine Alexander also reported Least Flycatcher.
---On July 3 at Majestic View Park, Carol and Carl Trovall reported 4 Cattle Egret.
KIOWA COUNTY:
---On July 1 at Neenoshe Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported Snow Goose, Great Egret, Green Heron, 9 Black-necked Stilts, 2 House Wren, and Yellow-breasted Chat.
---On July 1 at Adobe Creek Reservoir (Blue Lake), Steve Mlodinow reported Mountain Plover, Long-billed Curlew, Willet, 21 Franklin’s Gulls, 3 Least Terns, Yellow-breasted Chat, 3 Dickcissel.
LA PLATA COUNTY:
---On June 29 at Meadow Road, Rafter J Subdivision, David Dunford reported Lewis’s Woodpecker and 2 Acorn Woodpeckers. On July 3 at Meadow Road, Rafter J Subdivision, Kathy Bearden and Ed Rumberger reported Acorn Woodpeckers.
---On July 3 at 12413-13661 CR 136, Hesperus, Kathy Bearden reported Cassin’s Kingbird.
LARIMER COUNTY:
---On June 28 at Soapstone Prairie NA, Andy Bankert reported 2 McCown’s Longspur. On June 30 at Soapstone Prairie NA, John Shenot reported 7 McCown’s Longspsurs.
---On June 28 at Fossil Creek Reservoir and Regional Park, Nick Komar reported 2 f Hooded Mergansers.
---On June 28 at Lorey SP Well Gulch Trail, David Leatherman reported Least Flycatcher.
---On June 29 at Rist Canyon (Miles 6 – 9), Georgia Doyle reported Ovenbird.
---One June 30 On N CR 15 where it crosses Boxelder Creek, John Shenot reported Yellow-billed Cuckoo;
David Wade and Georgia Doyle were able to refind the bird. N CR 15 crosses Boxelder Creek between CR 78 and CR 82.
---On June 30 in Rocky Mountain National Park, ½ mile along trail from Bear Lake to Bierstadt, Bill and Margaret Rowe reported pair of American Three-toed Woodpeckers.
---On July 1 on Bobcat Ridge NA, Caroline Olson and Andy Bankert reported 2 Eastern Bluebirds and Red-eyed Vireo.
---On July 1 at Running Deer and Cottonwood Hollow NA, Robert Beauchamp reported COMMON GALLINULE. On July 2 at Running Deer NA, David Wade, Jim Nachel, Joe Mammoser, and Nick Komar reported COMMON GALLINULE. On July 3 at Running Deer NA, Gary Lefko reported Green Heron and Sean Walters reported COMMON GALLINULE.
---On July 1 at I-25 Frontage Road, Carr, David and Tammy McQuade and Walter Wehtje reported Long-billed Curlew; Nick Komar and Georgia Doyle reported 3 McCown’s Longspur.
---On July 3 at Mariana Butte NA, Cheri Orwig reported Yellow-billed Cuckoo on Hidden Hogback Trail.
MESA COUNTY:
---On June 28 on OE Rd/57 Rd/ME ¾ Rd, Nic Korte and Vic Zerbi reported Bobolink and Dickcissel.
---On June 28 on Divide Road Thimble Pt FR #417, Mike Henwood reported 2 Grace’s Warblers. On June 30 on Divide Road thimble Pt, FR #417, Drew Kelly reported Gray Flycatcher and 4 Grace’s Warblers.
---On June 28 at Jack’s Canyon Area, Mike Henwood reported 2 Grace’s Warblers.
---On June 29 at Molina/Upper Plateau Creek, Connee Moffatt reported Dickcissel.
---On July 1 on 13001 – 14061 57 Rd near Collbran, Rick Harner reported 4 Bobolink.
OTERO COUNTY:
---On July 1 at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, Steve Mlodinow reported Sora.
---On July 1 at Higbee Valley Rd (CR 804), Steve Mlodinow reported 3 Mississippi Kites, 131 Swaninson’s Hawk – one year olds in a single large field, Greater Roadrunner, 4 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 7 Red-headed Woodpecker, 5 Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, 5 Eastern Phoebe, Cassin’s Kingbird, 5 Chihuahuan Raven, 8 Eastern Bluebirds, 7 Curve-billed Thrasher, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, m Painted Bunting, 11 Orchard Oriole, 2 Canyon Wren.
PARK COUNTY:
---On June 28 at Spruce Grove CG, Lane Quinn reported Virginia’s Warbler.
PROWERS COUNTY:
---On July 2 on S 13th in Lamar, Dorothy Russell reported Baltimore Oriole.
PUEBLO COUNTY.
---On June 28 on Swallow’s Road Cemetery, Alan and Mary Lynn Ketcham reported 2 Cattle Egret.
SUMMIT COUNTY:
---On July 3 at Green Mountain Reservoir, Rebecca Laroche reported 3 White-faced Ibis.
WELD COUNTY:
---On July 1 NE of Briggsdale, heading east on CR 100 about ½ mile past CR 83, Kevin Clark reported Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.
---On July 1 at CR 45 just north of CR 114, Gary Lefko reported 12 Chestnut-collared Longspurs.
YUMA COUNTY:
---On July 1 at Wray City Park, Carol and Carol Trovall reported Red-breasted Nuthatch and Baltimore Oriole.
DFO Field Trips
See DFO website for more information
Ken Caryl Valley Area
Thursday, July 5
6:30 PM – 9:30 PM
This trip is FULL
Prospect Park (Wheat Ridge Greenbelt)
Saturday, July 7
8:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Cherry Creek SP Wetlands Loop
Sunday, July 8
8:00AM – 12:00 PM
Good Birding
Joyce Takamine
Boulder