Compiler: Joyce Takamine
Date: April 19, 2018
This is the Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, April 19 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 (Arapahoe)
Ross’s Goose (Fremont, Kiowa)
Greater White-fronted Goose (*Arapahoe, Fremont, Jackson, Larimer, Rio Grande)
Mallard (Mexican intergrade) (*Adams, Pueblo)
Greater Scaup (Jackson, Montrose)
White-winged Scoter (Pueblo)
Barrow’s Goldeneye (Gunnison, Summit)
Red-breasted Mergaser (Kiowa, Moffat, *Montrose)
CALIFORNIA QUAIL (Moffat)
Chukar (*Douglas)
Sharp-tailed Grouse (Weld)
Greater Roadrunner (Kiowa)
Red-necked Grebe (*Boulder)
Clark’s Grebe (Summit)
Common Nighthawk (Pueblo)
White-throated Swift (Pueblo)
ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD (Larimer)
Broad-tailed Hummingbird (El Paso)
Virginia Rail (Chaffee)
Sandhill Crane (Kiowa, Larimer)
Black-necked Stilt (La Plata)
Snowy Plover (Kiowa)
Semipalmated Plover (*La Plata)
Mountain Plover (El Paso, Kiowa, Weld)
Marbled Godwit (Boulder, Montezuma)
Baird’s Sandpiper (Kiowa)
Least Sandpiper (Kiowa, *La Plata)
Western Sandpiper (*La Plata, Mesa, *Montrose)
Spotted Sandpiper (Montrose)
Solitary Sandpiper (Mesa)
Greater Yellowlegs (Summit)
Iceland Gull (Kiowa)
Red-throated Loon (Kiowa)
American White Pelican (Douglas)
American Bittern (Mesa)
Great Egret (Kiowa)
Snowy Egret (Kit Carson, La Plata)
Cattle Egret (Mesa)
White-faced Ibis (Kiowa)
Turkey Vulture (Douglas)
Northern Goshawk (Larimer)
Rough-legged Hawk (Logan, Weld)
Ferruginous Hawk (Mesa)
Burrowing Owl (Kiowa)
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (El Paso)
Western Wood-Pewee (Boulder)
Dusky Flycatcher (Denver)
Black Phoebe (Conejos)
Eastern Phoebe (Boulder, El Paso, Jefferson)
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Arapahoe)
Great Crested Flycatcher (*Jefferson)
Western Kingbird (*Montrose)
Violet-green Swallow (Adams, Archuleta, Jefferson, Weld)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Moffat)
Bank Swallow (Adams, Chaffee)
Cliff Swallow (Moffat)
Bushtit (Weld)
Rock Wren (Weld)
House Wren (La Plata, Pueblo)
Blue-gray Gnatchatcher (Archuleta)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Denver, Weld)
Eastern Bluebird (Weld)
Gray Catbird (El Paso)
Curve-billed Thrasher (El Paso, Kiowa, Weld)
Brown Thrasher (Weld)
Sage Thrasher (Boulder)
Northern Mockingbird (*Boulder, Broomfield, El Paso)
Bohemian Waxwing (Clear Creek, Grand)
American Pipit (Jefferson, Kiowa)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (*San Miguel)
Black Rosy-Finch (*San Miguel)
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (*San Miguel)
Red Crossbill (Denver)
Chestnut-collared Longspur (Kit Carson, *Weld)
American Tree Sparrow (Boulder, Larimer, Logan)
Chipping Sparrow (Logan)
Vesper Sparrow (Archuleta, Kiowa, Weld)
Lark Sparrow (El Paso, Weld)
Sagebrush Sparrow (Boulder)
Lark Bunting (El Paso)
Savannah Sparrow (Kiowa, Logan)
Fox Sparrow (*Boulder, *Jackson, *San Miguel)
Lincoln’s Sparrow (Kiowa, Logan)
Harris’s Sparrow (Denver, El Paso)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Jefferson, Kiowa, Yuma)
LUCY’S WARBLER (El Paso)
Common Yellowthroat (Chaffee)
Northern Parula (Kit Carson)
Northern Cardinal (Pueblo)
ADAMS COUNTY:
---On April 14 at McKay Lake, Matt Hofeditz reported Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, 2 Bank Swallow and Lincoln’s Sparrow.
---On April 18 at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR, Chuck Aid and Michael Kiessig reported Mallard (Mexican intergrade).
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
---On April 14 at Willow Creek Park, Cynthia Madsen reported 16 Red Crossbills in NE Corner of park.
---On April 14 at Ketring Park and Lake, Edward Donnan reported Ash-throated Flycatcher.
---On April 17 at Exposition Park, G Stacks reported Greater White-fronted Geese.
ARCHULETA COUNTY:
---On April 14 at Navajo SP and Reservoir, Susan Allerton, Brenda Wright, and Coen Dexter reported Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 3 Vesper Sparrows, and 3 Violet-green Swallows.
BOULDER COUNTY:
---On April 14 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Christine Alexander Cheri Phillips, Renee Casias, and Chris Brown reported Eastern Phoebe. On April 15 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Ron Podhajsky, Tom Behnfield, Gwen Moore, and Art Hudak reported Eastern Phoebe. On April 16 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Holden Maxfield reported Eastern Phobe.
---On April 14 at Boulder Reservoir Complex, Paul Barchilon and several other birders reported Marbled Godwit; Andy Jordan reported Sage Thrasher.
---On April 14 at Walden/Sawhill Ponds, David Tonnessen, Jim Merritt, Leslie S and Chris Brown reported Bank Swallow and 3 Cliff Swallows.
---On April 14 at Boulder creek and 109th, Chris Brown reported Bank Swallow.
---On April 14 at Hecla Lake, Bob Muckle reported 2 Western Wood-Pewee.
---On April 15 in 7400 block of N 49th St, Longmont, Maikel Wise reported 3 Eastern Phoebe.
---On April 18 on Skunk Canyon Trails, David Dowell reported Fox (Slate-colored) Sparrow.
---On April 18 at Valmont Overlook Legion Park, R Knapp reported Red-necked Grebe.
---On April 18 at Stearns Lake, Ted Floyd reported Northern Mockingbird.
CHAFFEE COUNTY:
---On April 14 at Mt Shavano Fish Hatchery, Luke Pheneger and Boulder Audubon Field Trip reported Bank Swallow
---On April 15 on CR 210 S of Hwy 50, Caleb Frome reported 2 Bank Swallows.
---On April 15 at Buena Vista Ice Pond (view from road), Christian Hagenlocher reported Common Yellowthroat.
CLEAR CREEK COUNTY:
---On April 15 at Mount Evans Chicago Creek Road area, Ben Lagasa reported 36 Bohemian Waxwings.
CONEJOS COUNTY:
---On April 15, in Rio Grande Gorge S of Lobatos bridge, John Rawinski reported Black Phoebe.
DENVER COUNTY:
---On April 14 at First Creek at DEN OS, Alison Hixon and John Breitsch reported Harris’s Sparrow. On April 16 at First Creek at DEN OS, John Breitsch reported Harris’s Sparrow.
---On April 15 at Denver Botanic Gardnes and Cheesman Park, Rebecca Laroche reported 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets.
---On April 16, Pratyayadipta Rudra reported a big flock of Red Crossbills in Denver and Sveemala Das Majumder reported 63 Red Crossbills in the 4600 block of Paris Street.
---On April 16 at Westerly Creek Park, Rebecca Laroche reported Dusky Flycatcher.
DOUGLAS COUNTY:
---On April 18 at 12564 South Beaver Creek Way, Loch Kilpatrick reported Chukar.
EL PASO COUNTY:
---On April 14 at Sinton Ponds OS, David Tonnessen and Jim Merritt reported LUCY’S WARBLER. On April 15 at Sinton Ponds OS, Steve Rash and Robb Hinds and many other birders reported LUCY’S WARBLER at Sinton Ponds OS. On April 16, Gregg Goodrich and many other birders reported LUCY’S WARBLER at Sinton Pond OS; Bonnie Morgan reported Lark Sparrow. On April 17 at Sinton Ponds OS, Rebecca Laroche, Richard Bunn, and Dan Stringer reported LUCY’S WARBLER.
---On April 15 at Loop Road, Andreas Winnem reported Curve-billed Thrasher.
---On April 15 at DeGroot Road, Andreas Winnem reported 2 Curve-billed Thrashers.
---On April 16 at Hanover Fire Station, Monday Birders reported 2 Curve-billed Thrashers.
---On April 16 at Chico Basin Ranch, Monday Birders reported 3 Curve-billed Thrashers, Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, and Lark Bunting.
---On April 17 at Fountain Creek Regional Park Nature Center/Cattail Marsh, Alan Ketcham reported Gray Catbird.
---On April 17 at Bear Creek Canyon Park, David Tonnessen reporte Eastern Phoebe in section 3 parking lot.
FREMONT COUNTY:
---On April 15 at Canon City Valco Pond, Joel and Dale Adams reported 6 Greater White-fronted Geese and Ross’s Goose.
GRAND COUNTY:
---On April 14 on CO 125 W of Willow Creek Reservoir, Wesley Honoya reported 61 Bohemian Waxwings.
GUNNISON COUNTY:
---On April 14 at Blue Mesa Reservoir eastern End, Marcel Such and Megan Miller reported 3 Barrow’s Goldeneyes (2m, 1f)
JACKSON COUNTY:
---On April 14 at Walden Reservoir, Michael O’Brien, Sean Walters, Jerry and Kevin DeBoer reported Greater white-fronted Goose. On April 15 at Walden Reservoir, Tresa Moulton reported 2 Greater Scaup.
---On April 18 at Colorado State Forest Moose Visitor Center, Chuck Hundertmark reported Fox Sparrow.
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
--- On April 14 at Harriman Lake Park, Jim Arnett and Scott Somershoe reported Brown-headed Cowbird.
---On April 14 at Arvada Blunn Reservoir, Lorrain Lanning and Matt Clark reported American Pipits.
---On April 15 at Clement Park in Littleton, Scott Somershoe reported 2 Western Kingbirds.
---On April 16 at Deer Creek near South Valley Park southern parking lot, David Suddjian reported Eastern Phoebe.
---On April 18 at Wheat Riddge Greenbelt West Lake, Gwen Moore reported Great Crested Flycatcher.
KIOWA COUNTY:
---On April 15 at Adobe Creek Reservoir (Blue Lake), Steve Mlodinow reported Red-breasted Merganser, 2 American Pipits, Vesper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, and Brown-headed Cowbird.
---On April 15 at Neenoshe Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Ross’s Geese, Red-throated Loon, Great Egret, 85 Sandhill Cranes, 3 Snowy Plovers, Semipalmated Plover, Mountain Plover, 8 Baird’s Sandpiper, 23 Least Sandpiper, Iceland Gull, Greater Roadrunner, Curve-billed Thrasher, and 10 Brown-headed Cowbirds.
---On April 15 at Upper Queens/Neeskah, Steve Mlodinow reported 4 American Pipits, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Red-breasted Merganser, White-faced Ibis, 65 Sandhill Cranes, 101 Baird’s Sandpiper, 2 Least Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpiper, 3 Burrowing Owls, Brown-headed Cowbird.
KIT CARSON COUNTY:
---On April 16, Glenn Walbek reported Chestnut-collared Longspur and Northern Parula.
---On April 16 at Flagler Reservoir SWA, Christopher Burney reported Snowy Egret.
LA PLATA COUNTY:
---On April 14 at Pastorius Reservoir, Susan Allerton, Brenda Wright, and Coen Dexter reported Black-necked Stilt and Western Sandpiper. On April 17 at Pastorius Reservoir, Susan Allerton and Ryan Votta reported Semipalmated Plover, Snowy Egret, 11 Least Sandpipers, and 3 Western Sandpipers. On April 18 at Pastorius Reservoir, Susan Allerton reported Semipalmated Plover, 9 Least Sandpipers, and 3 Western Sandpipers.
---On April 16 on Animas River Trail – Huck Finn Pond and Hatchery area, Ryan Votta reported House Wren.
LARIMER COUNTY:
---On April 12 at 1721 Cottonwood Pt Dr in Fort Collins, Rachel Hopper reported a f ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD coming to her feeders. Many birders were able to see this bird thanks to Rachel. On April 15 Rachel Hopper reported that the ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD continues to visit her feeders and many birders got to see the bird. On April 16, Rachel Hopper reported seeing the ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD around 6:48 am but she has not seen the hummer since about 8:30 am.
---On April 15 at Warren Lake in Fort Collins, Bob Righter reported 30 Greater White-fronted Geese flying south.
---On April 16 at Running Deer and Cottonwood Hollow NA, Ken Duncan reported 16 Sandhill Cranes.
---On April 16 at North Shield Pond NA, Brad Biggerstaff reported American Tree Sparrow.
LOGAN COUNTY:
---On April 15 at Jumbo Reservoir, Diane Roberts reported Rough-legged Hawk, 2 American Tree Sparrows, 2 Savannah Sparrows, Lincoln’s Sparrow, and Chipping Sparrow.
MESA COUNTY
---On April 14 at Connected Lake SP, Nic Korte and group reported American Bittern.
---On April 14 at Grand Valley Audubon Nature Center, Diane Trappet and Mike Henwood reported American Bittern.
---On April 14 at 10 Rd Hudson Ranch Ponds, David Price and Hank Schoch reported Cattle Egret.
---On April 14 Mack Mesa Airport to Highline Lake SP, Mike Henwood reported 4 Solitary Sandpipers.
---On April 17 at 891-937 M 8/10 Rd, Jeff Lemons and Nicole Koeltzow reported Ferruginous Hawk.
MOFFAT COUNTY:
---On April 9 Dinosaur National Monument Canyon Area Visitor Center, Kenny Frisch photographed a CALIFORNIA QUAIL a first time in Colorado. On April 14 at Dinosaur National Monument Canyon Area Visitor Center, Bez Bezuidenhout reported CALIFORNIA QUAIL. On April 15 at Dinosuar National Monument Canyon Area Visitor Center, Tim Smart and Dean Shoup reported CALIFORNIA QUAIL.
---On April 13 at Bitter Bush SWA, Joey Kellner and Kathy Mihm Dunning reported 2 Burrowing Owls.
---On April 17 at Good Spring Creek Lake, Andreas Winnem reported Red-breasted Merganser.
MONTEZUMA COUNTY:
---On April 16 at Totten Reservoir, Eric Hendrickson reported Marbled Godwit.
MONTROSE COUNTY:
---On April 15 at Otter Pond, Betty Fenton reported Red-breasted Merganser. On April 12 at Otter Pond, Coen Dexter and Brenda Wright reported Red-breasted Merganser. On April 18 at Otter Pond, Doug Gochfeld reported Red-breasted Merganser.
---On April 16 at Nucla Domestic Reservoir, Coen Dexter and Brenda Wright reported Spotted Sandpiper.
---On April 18 at Nucla Sewer Lagoons, Coen Dexter and Brenda Wright reported Western Kingbird and Western Sandpiper.
PUEBLO COUNTY:
---On April 14 at Pueblo Reservoir Rock Canon below dam N or river, David Dowell and Brandon Percival reported Mallard (Mexican intergrade) and 3 House wrens; Diana Beatty reported Common Nighthawk.
---On April 14 at Pueblo Reservoir, Sailboard Area, Diana Beatty reported Northern Cardinal.
---On April 14 at Lake Beckwith in Colorado City, David Dowell reported White-winged Scoter.
SAN MIGUEL COUNTY:
---On April 18 at Mountain Village, Doug Gochfeld and Field Guides Grouse tour reported Fox (Slate-colored) Sparrow, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Hepburn’s), 2 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, 2 Black Rosy-Finch, 48 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch.
SUMMIT COUNTY:
---On April 16 at ponds near Hwy 9 & CR 1870, Jack and Ryan Bushong reported Greater Yellowlegs.
---On April 16 at Angler Lakes, Jack and Ryan Bushong reported m Barrow’s Goldeneye.
---On April 17 at pond on Fly Line Drive in Silverthorne, Lyle Hamilton reported Clark’s Grebe.
WELD COUNTY:
---On April 14 at Glenmere Park in Greeley, Shawn Mason reported 2 Bushtits.
---On April 15 at CR 134 W of CR 135, Robert Beauchamp reported 8 Sharp-tailed Grouse and Rough-legged Hawk.
---On April 15 on CR 107 must past O-9 missile silo, Shawn Mason reported 3 Sharp-tailed Grouse.
---On April 15 on CR 115 N of CR134, Robert Beauchamp reported Rough-legged Hawk.
---On April 15 on CR 130 W of CR 105, Robert Beauchamp reported Sharp-tailed Grouse and Rough-legged Hawk.
---On April 15 at Cozzens Lake, Gene Rutherford reported Western Kingbird.
---On April 15 at Loloff Reservoir, Kevin and Jerry DeBoer reported Rough-legged Hawk.
---On April 15 on CR 104 E of CR 57, Lyle Hamilton reported 2 Eastern Bluebirds.
---On April 15 at Crow Valley CG, Shawn Mason reported Brown Thrasher.
---On April 15 Gary Lefko reported Mountain Plovers at CR 96 .6m west of CR 61, CR 96.4m west of CR 61, and CR 100 1.5 m west of intersection with Hwy 390.
---On April 16 on CR 106 W of CR 83, John W Cobb reported Rough-legged Hawk.
---On April 16 at Pawnee NG, Dave Leatherman reported 4 Sharp-tailed Grouse, 5 Rough-legged Hawks, Vespers Sparrows, 2 Mountain Plover, 10 Chestnut-collared Longspurs; at Crow Valley CG, Rock Wren and f Golden-crowned Kinglet. For details see his post on CoBirds.
---On April 17 at Union Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported Curve-billed Thrasher.
---On April 17 at Murphy Reservoir, SK Burroughs reported Lark Sparrow.
---On April 18 in Briggsdale area (40.705, -104.199), Joachim Bertrands reported 150 Chestnut-collared Longspur.
DFO Field Trips:
The DFO Field Trip for Saturday , April 21 will be to McCabe Meadows Trailhead led by Wendy Wibbens & Sue Summers (wibbwj AT
aol.com;
303-330-1175) This trip is FULL.
The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, April 22 will be to First Creek at RM Arsenal led by Patrick O’Driscoll (patodrisk AT
gmail.com;
303-885-6955(cell)). This trip is FULL.
The DFO Field Trip for Monday, April 23 will be to Aurora Reservoir and Cherry Creek SP led by David Suddjian (dsuddjian AT
gmail.com;
831-713-8659). This trip is FULL.
Good Birding,
Joyce Takamine
Boulder