Friday 31 August 2012

[cobirds] Crow Valley (Weld) and Jackson Res (Morgan) today

Greetings All,

Sorry, this will need to be brief, as I am lookin' at 4 hours of sleep. Today, Larry Arnold and I birded Crow Valley and Jackson Res, mostly.

Today, there was a MOURNING WARBLER (imm female) -- Jackson State Park, about half way between visitor center and "boat launch" in Russian Olives. Oporornis, with hood broken in center of chest by yellow which bled into throat. Called like Mourning Warbler as well

Large numbers of Wilson's Warblers moving through (nearly 70 at Jackson) + 3 American Redstarts

At Crow Valley: Ovenbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Baltimore Oriole, but races of WB Nuthatch, 3 RB Nuthatches, Pine Siskin, BC Chickadee

At Norma's Grove: Indigo Bunting (and by Joey Kellner and friend -- Ash-throated Flycatcher)

Shorebirds at Jackson: Massive numbers, only rarity being 2 Buff-breasted Sandpipers. Between Jackson and nearby Andrick Ponds (which had 8 BN Stilts, a fairly unusual bird for Morgan) we had 22 species of shorebirds.

At Andrick Ponds SWA, 1 Northern Waterthrush.

Good Birding

Steve Mlodinow

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[cobirds] Today at Crow Valley (Weld) and Jackson Res (Morgan)

Greetings All,

Sorry, this will need to be brief, as I am lookin' at 4 hours of sleep. Today, Larry Arnold and I birded Crow Valley and Jackson Res, mostly.

Large numbers of Wilson's Warblers moving through (nearly 70 at Jackson) + 3 American Redstarts

At Crow Valley: Ovenbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Baltimore Oriole, but races of WB Nuthatch, 3 RB Nuthatches, Pine Siskin, BC Chickadee

At Norma's Grove: Indigo Bunting (and by Joey Kellner and friend -- Ash-throated Flycatcher)

At Andrick Ponds SWA, 1 Northern Waterthrush.

Good Birding

Steve Mlodinow

[cobirds] Barr Banding Station Report, 8/31/12

Another busy day, with 70 birds banded. The Wilson’s Warblers are back and have replaced Yellows and House Wrens as the primary species. The most interesting bird was a Veery, our second of the season and the first since 2006. Here’s the breakdown:

Downy Woodpecker 1

Western Wood-pewee 5

House Wren 3

Veery 1

Yellow Warbler 3

Townsend’s Warbler 3

MacGillivray’s Warbler 2

Wilson’s Warbler 46

Chipping Sparrow 4

Clay-colored Sparrow 1

Song Sparrow 1

The weekend promises to be a HOT one, but the early mornings (say, from 7 to 9!) are very nice and the birds are active. So, come, but come early…….we are likely to start closing nets by 10 or so.

Open all 3 days of this Labor Day weekend. Our closed days for the next 2 weeks are Tuesday, 9/4, and then Wednesday, 9/12.

Meredith

Meredith McBurney

Biologist/Bander

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory

303-329-8091

[cobirds] Lincoln and Washington Counties

Folks,

Loch Kilpatrick and I birded a few spots in these counties. We saw 2 Alder Flycatcher-looking birds, a Summer Tanager and a Veery along with many Yellow and Wilson's Warblers at a private Lincoln County ranch. At Last Chance (Washington Co.) we had an Alder Flycatcher that sang twice (rrrrBEEo), 3 Willow Flycatcher-looking birds, a Virginia's Warbler, a MacGillavry's Warbler, several Wilson's and Yellow Warblers, an Orange-crowned Warbler and a Yellow-breasted Chat along with many spizellas. The Prewitt inlet canal grove (Washington Co.) had a Cassin's and Plumbeous Vireo, a Black-and-White Warbler, 2 Townsend's Warblers and many spizellas. Photos of some of these birds can be viewed at the link below.

Glenn Walbek

Castle Rock, CO

http://www.pbase.com/gwalbek/2012_birds

[cobirds] Re: Fall Count -- Castlewood Canyon SP

OK......revision 2......with a DATE this time!

The DATE for the Fall Count is Sunday, September 9th.

Kirk Huffstater

Castle Rock, CO

303-660-9298 (Home)

From: Kirk Huffstater

Sent: Friday, August 31, 2012 3:45 PM

To: CoBirds Postings ; Dougl Birds

Subject: Fall Count -- Castlewood Canyon SP

Yes, it's that time of year again! Already!

Please come out to join the ASGD/DFO annual Fall Count at Castlewood Canyon State Park. We'll be starting at 6:30am on Sunday, September 9th, at the Old Farmhouse parking lot, which is just inside the north park entrance off Hwy-86 (just west of Franktown). We'll be birding all morning, and well into the afternoon, so dress appropriately and bring plenty to drink and eat.

There have been many interesting birds in the count area recently, including Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Sage Thrashers, Dickcissel, Bobolink, Loggerhead Shrike, both Bluebirds, both Kingbirds, all 3 Nuthatches (4 if you count Creepers), misc. empids, many Sparrows (Vesper, Lark, Song, Chipping, Clay-colored, Savannah, etc.), increasing numbers of Warblers, and many others! And we even had a Red-headed Woodpecker on the 2011 Fall Count!

I hope to see you out there! If you have any questions, feel free to email or call me.

Good Birding,

Kirk Huffstater

Castle Rock, CO

303-660-9298 (Home)

[cobirds] Fall Count -- Castlewood Canyon SP

Yes, it's that time of year again! Already!

Please come out to join the ASGD/DFO annual Fall Count at Castlewood Canyon State Park. We'll be starting at 6:30am at the Old Farmhouse parking lot, which is just inside the north park entrance off Hwy-86 (just west of Franktown). We'll be birding all morning, and well into the afternoon, so dress appropriately and bring plenty to drink and eat.

I hope to see you out there! If you have any questions, feel free to email or call me.

Good Birding,

Kirk Huffstater

Castle Rock, CO

303-660-9298 (Home)

[cobirds] Northern Parula, Cub Lake Trail, Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park, Larimer Co. 8/31

We are continuing a nice visit to Colorado. As we started our hike on the Cub Lake Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park this fine Friday morning, we had great views of a very cooperative, fist-fall female Northern Parula in the willows and alders at the beginning of the trail between the parking lot and the stream. We did not relocate it when we returned from our walk.

This was a very nice surprise since I had a singing male Northern Parula in Estes Park on our spring visit this year.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Red-eyed Vireo - Adams

Diane Carter reports her sighting of a Red-eyed VireoThursday:

A red-eyed vireo was heard and then seen north of 88th and the Platte River. From the 88th street parking lot walk north about a 1/2 mile to the large lake on the left side of the bike path. Continue along the south side of the lake until the path turns north. The bird was seen in the trees on the east side of the path along the short stretch to the end of the lake closer to where the path turns north. It was singing a brief melodious song along with the more common REV call like song. It sang continuously and moved about in the trees. I had a brief glimpse of its triple stripe eye line and vireo like shape.

Chuck Lowrie, Denver

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[cobirds] Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, VanBibber Park, Arvada, Jefferson Cty

The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher just appeared on the north side of the paved path, just to the south of a residential area. It posed very cooperatively on a wire fence just below the power lines. 10:10 am.

Lois Levinson
Greenwood Village, CO

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[cobirds] Colorado Rare Bird Alert, Friday, August 31, 2012

Compiler: Joyce Takamine

Date: August 31, 2012

email: rba AT cfobirds.org

phone: 303-659-8750

This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Friday, August 31, 2012, sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. If you are phoning in a message, you can skip the recording by pressing the star key (*) on your phone at any time. Please leave your name, phone number, detailed directions, including county and dates for each sighting. It would be helpful if you would spell your last name.

Highlight species include: (* denotes that there is new information on this species in this report)

Little Blue Heron (Adams)

Green Heron (Mesa)

Mississippi Kite (Boulder)

Broad-winged Hawk (Adams)

Snowy Plover (Alamosa)

Ruddy Turnstone (Alamosa)

Dunlin (Mesa)

CURLEW SANDPIPER (Morgan)

BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (Morgan, Washington)

Short-billed Dowitcher (Logan/Sedgwick, Morgan, Washington)

LITTLE GULL (Morgan)

Greater Roadrunner (Huerfano)

Black Phoebe (Custer, Fremont)

Eastern Phoebe (Custer, Fremont)

Cassin's Kingbird (Montrose)

SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Jefferson)

Tennessee Warbler (Washington)

Nashville Warbler (La Plata, Montrose, Sedgwick)

Northern Parula (*Adams)

Blackburnian Warbler (Segwick)

Pine Warbler (Washington)

Worm-eating Warbler (*Adams)

Ovenbird (Adams, Sedgwick, Washington)

Northern Waterthrush (Custer, Fremont, Morgan)

Hooded Warbler (Pueblo)

Adams County:

--A Little Blue Heron in transitional phase plumages was reported by Canter at Lowell Ponds on July 19. It was along the shore and on the island of Heron Lake. Lowell Ponds is at 56th and Lowell. On August 13, Gilbert reported that the Little Blue Heron was along the shore of the island in Heron Lake. On August 16 Mlodinow reported the Little Blue Heron was along the shore of Heron Lake. On August 23, Gilbert reported that the Little Blue Heron was at the west end of Lowell Ponds in a pond near the parking lot. On August 24, Canter reported that the Little Blue Heron was at the west end of Heron Lake. On August 27, Hudak reported that the Little Blue Heron was in the pond west of the parking lot. On August 28, Mayfield reported that the Little Blue Heron was in a pond W of the Lowell Parking lot and South of Clear Creek. On August 29, Chavez reported that the Little Blue Heron was in the pond on the left from the parking lot on the S side of the river.

--An Ovenbird was banded by McBurney at the Barr Lake Banding Station on August 26.

--A Broad-winged Hawk was reported by Gilbert at 76th and Zuni on August 28.

--A Worm-eating Warbler and Northern Parula were banded at the Barr Lake Banding Station on August 28 - August 30 as

reported by McBurnery.

Alamosa County:

--At Blanca Wetlands on August 24, Rawinski reported Ruddy Turnstone and Snowy Plovers at pond #16.

--At Blanca Wetlands on August 26, Neldner refound the Ruddy Turnstone at Pond #16; 2 Snowy Plovers at Pond #46, and 3 Snowy Plovers at Pond #114.

Boulder County:

--A Mississippi Kite was reported by Page flying over open space near Coal Creek east of Louisville Golf Course on August 25.

Custer County:

--At Lake DeWeese on August 25, The Arkansas Valley Audubon field trip reported Black and Eastern Phoebes below the dam and 3 Northern Waterthrush at the low end of the lake.

Fremont County:

--A Northern Waterthrush was reported by Moss along the Canon City Riverwalk on August 26.

--Black and Eastern Phoebes were reported by Moss on August 29 along the Canon City Riverwalk between Sell's and Raynolds.

Huerfano County:

--2 Greater Roadrunners were reported by Neldner on the W end of Horsehoe Lake on August 28.

Jefferson County:

--A SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was reported by Faulkner on the VanBibbler Trail in Arvada on August 25. The Trail Parking lot is on the W side of Ward Road about 1/4 mi S of 58th Ave. The SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was refound by Sanders on August 26 and on August 27 by Kilpatrick in the location described by Faulkner. The SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was reported by Wathen and Burt on the Van Bibbler Trail on August 28. On August 29, the Boulder Bird Club and Ira Sanders saw the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at 8:45, then Lowrie et al observed it again at 11:00 to 11:30 on the north side of the Van Bibber Trail east of the yellow hydrant.

La Plata County:

--2 Nashville Warblers were reported by Morris on the Animas River Trail in Durango on August 26. The trail is behind Home Depot.

Logan/Segwick Counties:

--At Jumbo on August 26, the Boulder Bird Club field trip had a Short-billed Dowitcher.

Mesa County:

--A Dunlin was reported by Bradley at the Redlands Parkway North Pond in Grand Junction on August 25.

--A Green Heron was reported by Arnold on August 28 on the Colorado River Trail accessed from 29 Road in Grand Junction.

Montrose County:

--A Cassin's Kingbird and Nashville Warbler were reported by Dexter in Nucla on August 25. The Nashville Warbler was E of the sewer lagoons.

Morgan County:

--A juvenal plumaged CURLEW SANDPIPER was reported by Mlodinow at Jackson Reservoir on August 23. Park by the dam, walk east along the dam face, at about marker "18" scan to north about half mile away. The CURLEW SANDPIPER was with a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. Rubber boots are highly recommended. Mlodinow also reported 2 juv Short-billed Dowitchers at Jackson on August 23. On August 27, Norm Lewis relocated CURLEW SANDPIPER and BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER at Jackson. On August 29 Drummond relocated the CURLEW SANDPIPER after walking out from the west side campground to waters edge. Drummond also reported 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS at the inlet canal and a Short-billed Dowitcher at Jackson on August 29.

--At Jackson Lake SP on August 25, Walbek reported a LITTLE GULL near the dam in the morning, but the BBC field trip did not find it in the afternoon.

--The Boulder Bird Club field trip reported a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER and Northern Waterthrush at Jackson in the SE corner on August 25.

Sedgwick County:

--The Boulder Bird Club Field Trip reported from the Wayside stop S of Julesburg on August 26 the following: Blackburnian Warbler, Nashville Warber, and 3 Ovenbirds.

Washington County:

--At Prewitt on August 24, Erthal reported 1 juv Short-billed Dowitcher and 1 juv Pine Warbler at the inlet canal.

--At Prewitt on August 25, Mlodinow reported 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS and an Ovenbird at the inlet canal.

--At Last Chance on August 29, Leatherman reported a 1st fall f Tennessee Warbler feeding on aphids on the N side in a thisle patch.

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, September 2 will be to Barr Lake State Park led by Paul Slingsby (303-442-3728). Meet the Leader at the Visitors' Center at 0700. Riparian species, raptors and migrating shorebirds are possible on this trip Easy walking of at least a mile (or a few). A scope would be helpful. Plan for a half-day of birding with lunch in Brighton optional. In the afternoon we may drive nearby county roads in search of migrating raptors.

Good Birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder

Thursday 30 August 2012

[cobirds] Aberrant Canada Goose - Stearns Lake, S Boulder County

Hi,

Twice this week I've seen an odd looking Canada Goose hanging with other regular-looking geese at the small pond across 104th St from Stearns Lake.

At first I thought it was a leucistic bird, but on closer inspection it better fits a hybrid:

- Orange bill and legs

- Extensive white on face, from base of bill to back of cheek (perhaps not reaching the crown, but I wasn't able to confirm this)

- Neck as in Canada G.

- Chest particularly dark. Darker than sides and back

- Large bird, slightly larger than the rest of the flock.

A quick image search revealed a similar looking bird described as a Greylag x Canada (http://www.flickr.com/photos/93372558@N00/71244337/). Now, I've not seen domestic geese around the area (but the pond is in a farm and definitely a possibility) and the rest of the birds seem wild.

If you want to look for this bird, I've seen them at said location between 5:30 - 6:30pm both days.

Happy Labor Day birding,

Luis (Beto) Matheus

Erie, CO

[cobirds] Barr Banding Station Report, 8/28-30

Hi Cobirders,

My apologies for this condensed report of the last 3 days – Nancy Gobris and I have been sharing the station while she has been doing training and I took a day off and, well…... Back on track now, and for the rest of the season!

Three good but very hot days. Banded 128 birds of 23 species, including 2 rarities – a Worm-eating Warbler and a Northern Parula:

Western Wood-pewee 6

Willow Flycatcher 1

Dusky Flycatcher 1

Western Flycatcher 1

Warbling Vireo 1

Cassin’s Vireo 1

Red-breasted Nuthatch 1

White-breasted Nuthatch 1

House Wren 18

Veery 1

Swainson’s Thrush 1

Orange-crowned Warbler 2

Northern Parula 1

Yellow Warbler 16

Townsend’s Warbler 5

Worm-eating Warbler 1

Common Yellowthroat 1

Wilson’s Warbler 43

Yellow-breasted Chat 3

Chipping Sparrow 18

Brewer’s Sparrow 1

Song Sparrow 3

Lazuli Bunting 1

This is my 4^th full fall at Barr and so far it is the hottest, both in temperature and birds. Don’t know how long this pace will keep up, so if you can stand the heat you might think about visiting sometime over this Labor Day Weekend. There are no groups scheduled, so it should be relatively peaceful in terms visitors. But, do come early – the last 3 days we have been completely closed by 10:30 because of the heat!

Our next closed is Tuesday, 9/2.

Meredith

Meredith McBurney

Biologist/Bander

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory

303-329-8091

[cobirds] Night Flight Th

Hi COBirders,

Another beautiful, calm night, with my scope watching the moon-crossing migrants. All of a sudden at 830 the pace picked up to now about 200/hr going by. A pretty good show!

Steve Brown
Colorado Springs (Mountain Shadows)

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[cobirds] Canon City Flycatcher

Greetings All,

Identifying the mystery flycatcher is beyond my capability. Indeed, if one goes mark by mark, each character (perhaps) fits within the range of Greater Pewee, but many are at the extreme, making such a combination unlikely.

First of all, initially mistaking a Greater Pewee for an Empid would be like mistaking a Whimbrel for a Dunlin, possible, but rather unlikely. Greater Pewees are long elegant birds of some size and (outside of overall color) are to my eye more similar to a Great-crested Flycatcher in shape than an Empid.

Secondly, I am exceptionally wary of using photos taken at poor lighting and odd angles as a basis for ID. I have all sorts of photos that might lead one to ID a bird as belonging to the wrong family or order, not to mention the wrong genus or species.

So, the quality of the evidence involved here is limited in my estimation, and thus I would be hard pressed to state anything definitive. However, my impression of the bird is that the bill is proportionately too wide, tail proportionately too short for a Greater Pewee. The crest looks funky in shape and position for a Greater Pewee, almost more like that of an Elaenia. I am certain that photos that show any one of these features on a Greater Pewee can be found, but all 3 in the same bird?

Also, this bird's plumage (on the head anyway) looks tattered, which may account for some of its peculiar appearance and can effect bill size as feathers wear away from the base of the bill, exposing more bill, and thus making the bill look larger than it would were the bird in good plumage.

So... do I feel comfortable saying the bird is NOT a Greater Pewee -- NO

Do I feel comfortable saying its not a young pewee or maybe an OS Flycatcher -- NO

Finally, since the bird's bill seems open much of the time, was it vocalizing??? Obviously, vocalizations would make the ID somewhat easier.

Best Wishes

Steven Mlodinow

[cobirds] A NEW YARD BIRD THIS YEAR.

HELLO ALL. I looked out onto the patio about 1:30 pm . There was
a towhee between the picnic table and the Chokecherry . As it moved
up in the
Chokecherry it was a Green-taiied Towhee well seen from the kitchen
window. It kept moving along slowly thru the tree with good views of
its reddish
head patch and the green in the tail. If I had one in the yard
before it was many many years ago. I had not seen one anywhere I
went for birds this year.
Migration is helping to beat the heat.

Good birding

Bob Spencer N.E. of Golden

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[cobirds] Possible Greater Pewee in Canon City: review of established field marks

I have had two emails with some questions about the bird I photographed yesterday fitting field marks established for Greater Pewee. I have excerpted field marks/descriptions from The Sibley Guide to Birds of North America, Cornell's 'All About Birds' online website, National Audubon Society's 'Audubon Birds' website and Birds of North America online and posted them on my Birds and Nature blog in a easier to read columnar format--with my estimation of whether this bird meets the field mark noted to the right of each one. I have added small photos after a few to show where I am getting my view.

I welcome constructive criticism and would ask that you be specific as to which source and which field mark.

Interesting finding: some describe upperparts/plumage as gray and a few say brown. Also several say 'slight crest' while Sibley says 'pointed crest.'

SeEtta Moss
Canon City
Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @ http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/author/seetta-moss/
Personal blog @ http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com

Re: [cobirds] Canon City Contopus

Eastern Wood-Pewee does have a broader bill than Western Wood-Pewee, according to the Pyle guide (Bird-banding manual). My recent photo of a young juv. Eastern Wood-Pewee in Missouri (tail still growing) shows this well, and also shows a white throat. There were many eastern wood-pewees around, and none had obvious wingbars. Nonetheless, the bill on SeEtta's bird still looks too big. Her photo of Greater Pewee in Texas shows a large bill and smudging on undertail coverts. According to Pyle, tail length in Greater Pewee and Olive-sided Flycatcher overlap. Given that the photos clearly show lack of olive sides, the only other feasible explanation I can think of is hybrid, perhaps between Greater Pewee and Olive-sided Fly. Has anybody ever heard of such a thing? Seems like a vagrant Greater Pewee is a more likely explanation.

Nick Komar

Fort Collins CO

From: Mark Peterson

Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2012 10:19 AM

To: CoBirds

Subject: [cobirds] Canon City Contopus

COBirders,
 
Note:    Pewee in this context only refers to Greater and our two Wood-Pewee's, I am not   trying to rule out anything from south of the border.  As I know very   little about those species and I am going to assume it is not one of those   anyhow ;).
 
After   looking at these photos for a while, I personally do not think this is a Greater   Pewee.  To me, the bird looks stocky and short-tailed, it has smudging on   the undertail coverts (GRPE does not show this) and when the bird is "cresting"   its feathers they are not crested in the back of the head like a GRPE would   be.  Also, the bill seems really broad where I believe a GRPE has a much   narrower bill.  Greater Pewee is long and slender and this bird does not   look long and slender to me.

I   personally think this is an Olive-sided Flycatcher.  In most of the   pictures the bird seems very dark backed (could be lighting?).  I don't   really see anything much for wing-bars (can barely see that part of the bird)   but I think with any of the other Pewee's, except maybe Western Wood-Pewee we   would see something, but not positive about that.  If you look at the only   photo where the birds bill is closed, it shows that the bill is not as yellow as   it appears in all the other photos where the light is shining through.    Also in that photo, you can see the throat very well and other than a little   smudging it looks to be very clean white which I don't think any of the other   Pewee's show.  And again, the smudging on the undertial coverts certainly   works for OSFL but also works for both Wood-Pewee's.

I   hope this information is helpful and correct.  This is just my personal   opinion of the bird.
 
-----
Mark Peterson
Colorado   Springs

[cobirds] Hummers, Wheat Ridge Greenbelt, Jefferson County

At sunrise today along the new boardwalk southwest of the Prospect Park bridge, there were many (a couple dozen?) hummingbirds (Black-chinned and Broad-tailed) buzzing around the tops of the bushes and chasing each other! (like Tina's yard) We also saw three Western Kingbirds in one tree and two Gray Catbirds. The usual C. Yellowthroats were thick in the shrubs.

Paula Hansley

Louisville

[cobirds] Canon City Contopus

COBirders,

Note:  Pewee in this context only refers to Greater and our two Wood-Pewee's, I am not trying to rule out anything from south of the border.  As I know very little about those species and I am going to assume it is not one of those anyhow ;).

After looking at these photos for a while, I personally do not think this is a Greater Pewee.  To me, the bird looks stocky and short-tailed, it has smudging on the undertail coverts (GRPE does not show this) and when the bird is "cresting" its feathers they are not crested in the back of the head like a GRPE would be.  Also, the bill seems really broad where I believe a GRPE has a much narrower bill.  Greater Pewee is long and slender and this bird does not look long and slender to me.

I personally think this is an Olive-sided Flycatcher.  In most of the pictures the bird seems very dark backed (could be lighting?).  I don't really see anything much for wing-bars (can barely see that part of the bird) but I think with any of the other Pewee's, except maybe Western Wood-Pewee we would see something, but not positive about that.  If you look at the only photo where the birds bill is closed, it shows that the bill is not as yellow as it appears in all the other photos where the light is shining through.  Also in that photo, you can see the throat very well and other than a little smudging it looks to be very clean white which I don't think any of the other Pewee's show.  And again, the smudging on the undertial coverts certainly works for OSFL but also works for both Wood-Pewee's.

I hope this information is helpful and correct.  This is just my personal opinion of the bird.

-----
Mark Peterson
Colorado Springs

[cobirds] Sorry about post

Cobirds,

I KNOW we are not supposed to send photos with posts. I did not mean to post about the CUSP since I was not sure of the ID.

I thought this was only going to Joyce, not the list.

Apologies,

Cecile Lee

Elbert, CO

[cobirds] picture (poor quality)

Hi Joyce,

Here are the pictures I sent to Norm Lewis; he thought the first one was "suggestive" of the CUSP and he thought the second picture "is the bird", especially since Suke said the legs were black.

I am very interested in your opinion/expertise since you have seen the CUSP before.

Thank you,

Cecile

The bird definitely had a long, curved bill,

wide from top to bottom at the base.

The picture does show this well; bad light.

This picture does not show the bill well

because of the angle but it was long and curved.

[cobirds] Colorado Rare Bird Alert, Thursday, August 230, 2012

Compiler: Joyce Takamine

Date: August 30, 2012

email: rba AT cfobirds.org

phone: 303-659-8750

This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, August 30, 2012, sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. If you are phoning in a message, you can skip the recording by pressing the star key (*) on your phone at any time. Please leave your name, phone number, detailed directions, including county and dates for each sighting. It would be helpful if you would spell your last name.

Highlight species include: (* denotes that there is new information on this species in this report)

Little Blue Heron (*Adams)

Green Heron (Mesa)

Mississippi Kite (Boulder)

Broad-winged Hawk (Adams)

Snowy Plover (Alamosa)

Ruddy Turnstone (Alamosa)

Dunlin (Mesa)

CURLEW SANDPIPER (*Morgan)

BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (*Morgan, Washington)

Short-billed Dowitcher (Logan/Sedgwick, *Morgan, Washington)

LITTLE GULL (Morgan)

Greater Roadrunner (Huerfano)

GREATER PEWEE (*Fremont)

Black Phoebe (Custer, *Fremont)

Eastern Phoebe (Custer, *Fremont)

Cassin's Kingbird (Montrose)

SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER (*Jefferson)

Tennessee Warbler (*Washington)

Nashville Warbler (La Plata, Montrose, Sedgwick)

Blackburnian Warbler (Segwick)

Pine Warbler (Washington)

Ovenbird (Adams, Sedgwick, Washington)

Northern Waterthrush (Custer, Fremont, Morgan)

Hooded Warbler (Pueblo)

Adams County:

--An Ovenbird was banded by McBurney at the Barr Lake Banding Station on August 26.

--A Broad-winged Hawk was reported by Gilbert at 76th and Zuni on August 28.

Alamosa County:

--At Blanca Wetlands on August 24, Rawinski reported Ruddy Turnstone and Snowy Plovers at pond #16.

--At Blanca Wetlands on August 26, Neldner refound the Ruddy Turnstone at Pond #16; 2 Snowy Plovers at Pond #46, and 3 Snowy Plovers at Pond #114.

Boulder County:

--A Mississippi Kite was reported by Page flying over open space near Coal Creek east of Louisville Golf Course on August 25.

Custer County:

--At Lake DeWeese on August 25, The Arkansas Valley Audubon field trip reported Black and Eastern Phoebes below the dam and 3 Northern Waterthrush at the low end of the lake.

Fremont County:

--A Northern Waterthrush was reported by Moss along the Canon City Riverwalk on August 26.

--Black and Eastern Phoebes were reported by Moss on August 29 along the Canon City Riverwalk between Sell's and Raynolds.

--A possible GREATER PEWEE was reported by Moss on August 28 on the Bluff trail portion of the Canon City Riverwalk.

To access this location take 8th St S off of Hwy 50, then go across the Arkansas River to Sell's Ave. Turn left on Sell's and follow it to the end and the parking lot for Riverwalk. Take the trail on bluff side to where it divides, take left trail to trail that begins at vault toilet. Follow this towards sewer district fence. The bird was 50 feet west of the fence and then flew into the fenced area. Take insect repellant.

Huerfano County:

--2 Greater Roadrunners were reported by Neldner on the W end of Horsehoe Lake on August 28.

Jefferson County:

La Plata County:

--2 Nashville Warblers were reported by Morris on the Animas River Trail in Durango on August 26. The trail is behind Home Depot.

Logan/Segwick Counties:

--At Jumbo on August 26, the Boulder Bird Club field trip had a Short-billed Dowitcher.

Mesa County:

--A Dunlin was reported by Bradley at the Redlands Parkway North Pond in Grand Junction on August 25.

--A Green Heron was reported by Arnold on August 28 on the Colorado River Trail accessed from 29 Road in Grand Junction.

Montrose County:

--A Cassin's Kingbird and Nashville Warbler were reported by Dexter in Nucla on August 25. The Nashville Warbler was E of the sewer lagoons.

Morgan County:

--At Jackson Lake SP on August 25, Walbek reported a LITTLE GULL near the dam in the morning, but the BBC field trip did not find it in the afternoon.

--The Boulder Bird Club field trip reported a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER and Northern Waterthrush at Jackson in the SE corner on August 25.

Sedgwick County:

--The Boulder Bird Club Field Trip reported from the Wayside stop S of Julesburg on August 26 the following: Blackburnian Warbler, Nashville Warber, and 3 Ovenbirds.

Washington County:

--At Prewitt on August 24, Erthal reported 1 juv Short-billed Dowitcher and 1 juv Pine Warbler at the inlet canal.

--At Prewitt on August 25, Mlodinow reported 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS and an Ovenbird at the inlet canal.

--At Last Chance on August 29, Leatherman reported a 1st fall f Tennessee Warbler feeding on aphids on the N side in a thisle patch.

Good Birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder

Wednesday 29 August 2012

[cobirds] Williamson's Sapsucker, Eastern, Black and hybrid phoebes also on Canon City Riverwalk

Yesterday I also found a female Williamson's Sapsucker on the Canon City Riverwalk near the location I saw the possible Greater Pewee. I saw one today also and it about a quarter mile east of where I saw one yesterday, may be the same bird.

In the past several days I have seen several Black Phoebes, at least 2 Eastern Phoebes and likely two Black X Eastern hybrid phoebes on the Canon City Riverwalk between the Sell's Lake parking lot and Raynolds Ave.

Today I saw 2 MacGillivray's Warblers, both females. Lots of Wilson's Warblers moving through, seeing adult males more. Still some Yellow Warblers though numbers diminished. And there was a big push of migrating Western Tanagers--I saw 25-30 in less than an hour!

If you come down to look for the possible Greater Pewee, be aware there are a good number of Western Wood-Pewees moving through and many are not calling.

Note: The Canon City Riverwalk from MacKenzie to Ash Street hill is still closed off for sewer replacement.

SeEtta Moss
Canon City
Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @ http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/author/seetta-moss/
Personal blog @ http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com

[cobirds] Re: Greater Pewee

Nick,
Thanks for sticking with me on this one.

As I noted in my first post, I knew this bird was very unusual and took a lot of photos before it flew off. I have gone back through them and found one showing more of a crest, another characteristic of a Greater Pewee, and added it to my Birds and Nature blog.

The bird was on the Canon City Riverwalk near the west side of the sewer district fence and across from the ropes course. Access this location by taking 9th Street south off of H50 (in middle of town), then go across Arkansas River to Sell's Ave. Turn left (only choice) on Sell's Ave and follow it to end which is the parking lot to Canon City Riverwalk. Take trail on bluff side to where it divides, take left trail to trail that begins at vault toilet. Follow this center trail towards sewer district fence. I saw the bird 50 feet west of the fence then it flew inside the fenced area.

Be sure to bring some strong insect repellent. After relatively small numbers of mosquitos all summer, they have increased tremendously in past 3 days.

SeEtta Moss
Canon City
Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @ http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/author/seetta-moss/
Personal blog @ http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com

On Wed, Aug 29, 2012 at 10:49 PM, Nick Komar <quetzal65@comcast.net> wrote:

SeEtta, I am with you on this one. That bill is way too big for a Wood-Pewee. My vote is Greater Pewee. This bird is not on the Colorado list, to my knowledge, but it is long overdue. Is it fairly common not too far away in southeast AZ. Great find. Better share which section of the Riverwalk you were on. Hopefully, it will show up again, especially with many eyes looking for it.

[cobirds] Greater Pewee

SeEtta, I am with you on this one. That bill is way too big for a Wood-Pewee. My vote is Greater Pewee. This bird is not on the Colorado list, to my knowledge, but it is long overdue. Is it fairly common not too far away in southeast AZ. Great find. Better share which section of the Riverwalk you were on. Hopefully, it will show up again, especially with many eyes looking for it.

Nick Komar

Fort Collins CO

From: SeEtta Moss

Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2012 10:17 PM

To: Nick Komar

Cc: cobirds@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: Not empid, then Greater versus Western Pewee

I have a lot of photographs of Western Wood-Pewee since they are common to the Canon City area and I photographed one this morning within 50 feet of where I photographed the other bird. I have added that photo to a post on my blog with one of the other bird's photos. It has a black tip on the lower mandible. I think the bill looks proportionally smaller.

BTW-the Greater Phoebe I photographed in McAllen,Tx was on their Rare Bird Alert and identity had been confirmed by several highly skilled birders from that area.

Didn't say it,but the bird I photographed yesterday did not make a sound, naturally.

SeEtta Moss
Canon City
Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @ http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/author/seetta-moss/
Personal blog @ http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com

On Wed, Aug 29, 2012 at 9:44 PM, SeEtta Moss <seettam@gmail.com> wrote:

I didn't think my bird was a Western Pewee not only because of the size of the bill but because Western Pewee's don't have all organish/yellowish lower mandibles per Birds of North America online (also not in my experience): "Upper mandible is black; lower mandible is mostly black, or black-tipped, pale toward base. Gape yellow"

[cobirds] Re: Not empid, then Greater versus Western Pewee

On Wed, Aug 29, 2012 at 9:44 PM, SeEtta Moss <seettam@gmail.com> wrote:

I didn't think my bird was a Western Pewee not only because of the size of the bill but because Western Pewee's don't have all organish/yellowish lower mandibles per Birds of North America online (also not in my experience): "Upper mandible is black; lower mandible is mostly black, or black-tipped, pale toward base. Gape yellow"

[cobirds] Rose-breasted Grosbeak--Lakewood/Jeffco

Migrants continue to make it through the backyard here in Green Mtn/Lakewood. Today, I had a immature male Rose-breasted Grosbeak, several Western Tanagers, and a possible female Indigo Bunting. The Rose-breasted Grosbeak never visited the platform feeder a few feet away but stayed an hour eating Golden Elder berries. In the afternoon I was able to see the Little Blue Heron at Lowell ponds. If you go looking for thr bird make sure to park in the parking lot that is on the south side of the river. The bird was on the pond on your left. Photos of both the Little Blue Heron and Rose-breasted Grosbeak can be seen in the gallery below:

http://jaeger29.smugmug.com/BIRDS/RARE-AND-UNCOMMON-2012/20954977_HSMsV3#!i=2056079180&k=SkcM762

Mark Chavez
Lakewood-Green Mtn
http://jaeger29.smugmug.com/

[cobirds] Not empid, then Greater versus Western Pewee

I didn't think my bird was a Western Pewee not only because of the size of the bill but because Western Pewee's don't have all organish/yellowish lower mandibles per Birds of North America online (also not in my experience): "Upper mandible is black; lower mandible is mostly black, or black-tipped, pale toward base. Gape yellow"

BNA says the following about Greater Pewee bill that is consistent with the bird I photographed yesterday: "Upper mandible dusky brown to nearly black, lower mandible yellowish to orange, mouth lining vivid orange" BNA also says, "Eastern (C. virens) and Western wood-pewees are smaller with olive-brown plumage, shorter tails, no crest (only slightly peaked crown), and proportionately smaller bills."

SeEtta Moss
Canon City
Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @ http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/author/seetta-moss/
Personal blog @ http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com

On Wed, Aug 29, 2012 at 9:14 PM, SeEtta Moss <seettam@gmail.com> wrote:

Nick,
The only pewee I have seen with that large of a bill is a Greater Pewee that I photographed in McAllen, Texas and this bird reminded me of that one but it seemed very unlikely.

Re: [cobirds] Flycatcher in Canon City with very long and wide bill, a Traill's??

Nick,
The only pewee I have seen with that large of a bill is a Greater Pewee that I photographed in McAllen, Texas and this bird reminded me of that one but it seemed very unlikely.

SeEtta Moss

Canon City
Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @ http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/author/seetta-moss/
Personal blog @ http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com

On Wed, Aug 29, 2012 at 8:55 PM, Nick Komar <quetzal65@comcast.net> wrote:

SeEtta, the photos in your blog document (in my mind) very nicely an Eastern Wood-Pewee. Very long wings, dull wing-bars, all yellow mandible, and uniform pale underparts. The bill is a pewee bill, too large for any empid, I believe. I have a photo of one from Missouri on-line here: http://www.pbase.com/quetzal/image/145449093.