Colorado Rare Bird Alert for January 2.
Joe Roller
Date: January 2, 2019
Compiler: Joe Roller, jrol...@gmail.com
E-mail: RBA AT cobirds.org
This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, January 2, 2019, updated Jan 1 at 9:33 PM, sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists.
Rare, out of place and out of season species include:
(*) indicates new information on this species; CAPITAL LETTERS are used for very rare species, as listed by the Colorado Bird Records Committee,
Observers have been diligent in reporting sightings on COBirds - thanks! Please check there for updates.
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE (*Weld)
Brant (Weld)
Trumpeter Swan (*Jefferson)
Black Scoter (*Arapahoe)
Long-tailed Duck (*Pueblo, *Weld)
AMERICAN WOODCOCK (Larimer)
Black-legged Kittiwake (*Larimer)
Iceland Gull (Larimer)
SLATY-BACKED GULL (Larimer)
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (*Larimer, Weld)
Great Black-backed Gull (Boulder, Larimer, Pueblo)
Williamson’s Sapsucker (*Fremont)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (*Denver, La Plata)
GYRFALCON (*Larimer)
Vermillion Flycatcher (Boulder)
Winter Wren (Jefferson)
SEDGE WREN (Eagle)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (El Paso, *Jefferson)
Black Rosy-Finch (El Paso, *Jefferson)
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (El Paso, *Jefferson)
Common Redpoll (Routt)
Clay-colored Sparrow *Broomfield)
Fox Sparrow (Red) (*Jefferson)
Yellow Warbler (Boulder)
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
---On January 1 at South Platte Reservoir the Black Scoter continued.
BOULDER COUNTY:
---On December 29 the male Vermillion Flycatcher was seen again at Walden Ponds, having been here since mid-November.
---On December 29 at Erie Reservoir, Steve Frye and Boulder Flying Circus Birders Walk reported Great Black-backed Gull.
---On December 29 & 30 at Longmont Wastewater Treatment Ponds, Luke Pheneger reported a Yellow Warbler.
BROOMFIELD COUNTY:
---On January 1 an out-of-season Clay-colored Sparrow was reported by Matt Hofeditz & David Ely at Columbine Meadows Park. It was about 50-70 yards west along the trail, past a yard with a "Beware of Dog" sign. The sparrow was feeding on the ground right along the wooden fences. The closest intersection is 126th Ave & Hazel St. An eBird hotspot is being set up there.
DENVER COUNTY:
---On December 31 a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was reported at Rocky Mountain Lake Park by Matt Gray; seen again on January 1.
EAGLE COUNTY:
---On December 25 at Lake Creek Village Wetlands, Eric Culbertson reported a SEDGE WREN, present for weeks.
EL PASO COUNTY:
---On December 21 at Rainbow Gulch Trail, Terence Berger, David and John Marvin reported 300 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, 5 Black Rosy-Finch and 8 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch on shoreline of Rampart Reservoir. Rosy-Finches have continued there in various numbers through December 30.
FREMONT COUNTY:
---On January 1 three (f) Williamson’s Sapsuckers were reported at Lakeside Cemetery in Fremont by Kara Carragher and others.
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
---On December 28 at Red Rock Trading Post, Myron Gerhard, Paulo and Santiago Tabares reported (Red) Fox Sparrow; seen through January 1.
---On December 29 at Morrison Park, Karen Goetz & Matt Clark reported Winter Wren near the bridge on west end of park.
---On December 31 & January 1 a flock of all 3 species of Rosy-Finch was reported by Kirsten Witherell at her backyard feeders (only visible from inside the home) at 19540 W. 55th Pl. Golden.
For permission to visit, please text her at (720) 372-0833. She and her husband have been very hospitable!
---On January 1 a Trumpeter Swan was seen flying south from South Platte Reservoir toward Chatfield SP by Amy Darling.
LA PLATA COUNTY:
—On December 31 a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was reported at Animas River--Huck Finn Pond & Hatchery area by Ryan Votta, who first reported it there on Dec 2 as the second county record.
---On January 1 a Pacific Wren was reported by Ryan Votta, also at the Hatchery.
LARIMER COUNTY:
—On December 14 through January 1 an imm, dark-phase GYRFALCON has been seen off & on along W Trilby Rd and from Taft Hill Rd (where parking is not safe) & over the Larimer County Landfill. (Check in at a pay window or the main office & park as directed). It was seen briefly at 71st & Franklin on Jan 1.
---On December 18 a Great Black-backed Gull was reported at the Larimer County Landfill by Steve Mlodinow. On December 21 at Larimer County Landfill, David Ely reported SLATY-BACKED GULL (seen through Dec 26), GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL & second-cycle Great Black-backed Gull, both seen thru 12/30.
---On December 24 at Horsetooth Reservoir, Nick Komar and Peter Burke reported juv Black-legged Kittiwake, which continued through January 1.
---On December 28 at Bobcat Ridge NA Kevin DeBoer reported AMERICAN WOODCOCK downstream from the parking lot.
---On December 29 a Glaucous-winged Gull was reported at Warren Lake by Nick Komar and seen by many through January 1.
PUEBLO COUNTY:
---On January 1 a Long-tailed Duck was reported at Pueblo Reservoir--State Wildlife Area (NW side) by Norm Erthal & Dan Brooke.
ROUTT COUNTY:
---On December 27 Tom Litteral passed along a report of a Common Redpoll
south of Clark (Hwy 131/CR 56).
WELD COUNTY:
---On December 12 through January 1 a PINK-FOOTED GOOSE continued at Frederick Lake (Milavec Reservoir) & Recreation Area, where it has been among a diverse gaggle of goose species & hybrids. It was first reported by Steve Mlodinow at Idaho Creek Open Space on Dec 11. This would be a first state record if approved by the CBRC.
---Other waterfowl at Milavec Reservoir seen off and on include Black Brant & Long-tailed Duck (Jan 1).
---On December 29 at Windsor Lake, Steve Mlodinow reported 1st winter GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL and (Black) Brant.
Christmas Bird Counts continue. Sign up for one of these:
Friday (01/04/2019)
Air Force Academy
Flagler
Saturday (01/05/2019)
Black Forest
Dotsero
Eagle Valley
Hotchkiss
Lake Isabel
Sterling
To learn more about Christmas Bird Counts, go to https://www.audubon.org/conservation/…/christmas-bird-count/
To sign up for Christmas Bird Counts, contact the compiler soon.
DFO Field Trips...trip details are at the DFO website DFObirds.org
Aurora Reservoir & Cherry Creek State Park
Wednesday, January 2
6:45 AM - 1:00 PM
David Suddjian (Email: dsuddjian AT gmail.com; 831-713-8659)
First Creek at Rocky Mountain Arsenal
Sunday, January 6
7:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Patrick O'Driscoll (Email: patodrisk AT gmail.com; 303-885-6955)
Elbert County
Monday, January 7
7:30 AM - 1:00 PM
David Suddjian (Email: dsuddjian AT gmail.com; 831-713-8659)
Southwestern Metro Area
Thursday, January 10
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Dale Pate (Email: dalelpate AT gmail.com; 575-706-4584)
Have a Happy and Birdy New Year!
Joe Roller, Denver