[cobirds] COLORADO RARE BIRD ALERT, February 26, 2020

Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Email: RBA AT Cobirds.org

Compiler: Dave Leatherman, daleatherman@msn.com

Phone: (970) 690-2257 (cell)

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First off, my apologies for not getting an update out yesterday.  Had this ready to go the night before and just spaced it out this morning.  Luckily, because of the wind and cold today, very few new bird reports on 2/25.  Asterisk (*) for "new information" below in the summary applies to both 2/24 and 2/25.  DAL

Birders have been helpful by reporting updates to COBIRDS. Thanks!

CAPITAL LETTERS denote very rare species, as listed by the Colorado Bird Records Committee at the CFO website.

(*) indicates new information on a species.

For more information on birds seen today, go to cobirds.org and scroll to the bottom for "Recent eBird Sightings."

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Rare, out-of-place and out-of-season species include: 

 

Swan (Multiple counties reporting, with some listed below.  For other locations please check COBIRDS and eBird)

Trumpeter Swan (Larimer, *Logan)

Tundra Swan (*Eagle, Rio Grande)

Barrow's Goldeneye (*Denver)

Sharp-tailed Grouse (*Weld)

Dunlin (Pueblo)

Red-necked Phalarope (Boulder)

Mew Gull (*Adams, *Pueblo)

GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (*Larimer)

Glaucous Gull (Adams)

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL (*Larimer, Pueblo) 

Red-throated Loon (Pueblo)

Pacific Loon (Pueblo)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Larimer)

Red-naped Sapsucker (Garfield)

GYRFALCON (Larimer)

PACIFIC WREN (Jefferson)

Winter Wren (*Jefferson)

Eastern Bluebird (Eagle)

SNOW BUNTING (*Weld)

White-throated Sparrow (*Pueblo, Weld)

Rusty Blackbird (Eagle)

Common Yellowthroat (Jefferson)

Western Tanager (*Pueblo)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Archuleta)

 

Note, for locations listed below you are not familiar with, go to the Colorado Field Ornithologists' (CFO) website. Select the "Birding Resources" header and toggle down to "County Birding", and indicate county of interest. Site info is then available. https://coloradocountybirding.org/County/BySite.aspx. 

 

ADAMS COUNTY:

—On Feb 22 a Glaucous Gull was reported at Mann-Nyholt Lake in Henderson. First reported on Feb 20.by Susan Rosine.  Note, a Mew Gull has also been seen at this location on several occasions as recently as Feb 23.

—On Feb 17 a Glaucous Gull was reported on the shore of the north pond at 124th Ponds near Brighton Road by Susan Rosine.

 

ARCHULETA COUNTY:

—On Feb 21 a Rose-breasted Grosbeak was reported at Pagosa Springs by Ben Bailey.

 

DENVER COUNTY:

—On Feb 23 two Barrow's Goldeneyes were reported at DenverCity Park /Duck Lake by Anita Denboske.

 

EAGLE COUNTY:

—On Feb 25 a Tundra Swan was reported at Dostero Ponds by JoAnn Potter Riggle. 

On Feb 22 an Eastern Bluebird was reported at Dotsero W Frontage Road in Eagle by JoAnne Potter Riggle.

—On Feb 21 two Rusty Blackbirds were reported at Daggett Lane. First reported on Feb 12 by JoAnn Potter Riggle.

 

GARFIELD COUNTY:

—On February 20 two Trumpeter Swans were reported at Devereux Road and Two Rivers Park in Glenwood Springs by Jonalyn Yancey.

—On Feb 19 a Red-naped Sapsucker was reported at CentennialPark in Carbondale. First reported on Jan 20 by Dick Filby.

 

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

—On Feb 23 a Rusty Blackbird was reported at Bear Creek Lake Park by Amanda Spears.

—On Feb 25 a Winter Wren was reported at Wheat Ridge Greenbelt - West Lake by Stephen Johnson

—On Feb 22 a Winter Wren reported on Clear Creek Trail (Golden to I -70) by Robert Raker.

—On Feb 22 the wintering Common Yellowthroat on Clear Creek Trail (Golden to I-70) was reported as continuing.

—On Feb 20 the wintering PACIFIC WREN was reported at BearCreek LakePark in Lakewood.  From the Whitetail Deer parking area walking to the creek, it has often been reported as close as 50-100 ft downstream.  This 1^st JeffCo eBird record first reported on Dec 22 by Chris Wood.  Note, this location requires a fee via Daily or AnnualPass (not covered by State Park Pass).

 

LARIMER COUNTY:

—On Feb 22 two Trumpeter Swans at Aggregate and Bella Rosa by Kelly Ormesher.

—On Feb 18 a GYRFALCON was seen on the big poles west of Taft on W Trilby Rd, near the Larimer County Landfill in Fort Collins. There is a new stake-out eBird hotspot near its favorite perch. This winter's first report was on Nov 3 by Robert Beauchamp. Please post updates to COBirds.   

—On Feb 22 a wintering adult male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was reported at Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins.  Favorite haunts are: (1) two Austrian pines just e of the portapotty midway along the road that divides the s edge of the cemetery' from City Park 9 golf course, and (2) the first large deciduous tree (linden) sw of a small "Christmas tree" that sits just s of the cemetery road dividing Sections 8 and G.  Note, this bird is VERY wary and spends time in places besides the above.  First reported in November 2019 by Dave Leatherman.

---On Feb 25 a Great Black-backed Gull (1st winter) was reported at Warren Lake.  On Feb 22 a Great Black-backed Gull (1st winter) and Glaucous-winged Gull (1st winter) were reported late in day at Boyd Lake State Park by Doug Ward.  These and other uncommon gulls at same site are probably individuals seen earlier this winter at Warren Lake in Fort Collins.  A first-winter Great Black-backed Gull, probably same as above, was reported earlier on Feb 22 by Josh Bruening on Horsetooth Res s of Spring Creek Dam.

 

LOGAN COUNTY:

—On Feb 22 two Trumpeter Swans were reported at Red Lion SWA by Sue Riffe.

 

PUEBLO COUNTY:

—On Feb 22 a Red-throated and a Pacific Loon were reported at Pueblo Reservoir by Brandon Percival. These birds first reported earlier this winter.

—On Feb 22 the Great Black-backed Gull known as "Murray" was reported at Pueblo Reservoir. Murray has spent 20-plus years as a winter resident at Lake Pueblo SP.

—On Feb 22 two wintering Dunlins continue at Pueblo Reservoir-South Marina.  Probably the same individuals were also seen at Pueblo West Gravel Pit on Feb 22.

---On Feb 22 the amazing wintering Western Tanager continues in Russian-olives along the Arkansas R e of Pueblo Res Dam at Pueblo West Gravel Pit area.

---On Feb 22 a second-cycle Mew Gull was at Pueblo West Gravel Pit, reported by CU Bird Club.  Along the river nearby were four White-throated Sparrows, also by CU Bird Club.

 

[Various trails along the Ark R in Pueblo between the Nature Center, Valco Ponds and the recreation areas e of the Pueblo Res Dam have a number of other bird species that are certainly noteworthy but not quite RBA or blimp-worthy.  See COBIRDS or eBird alerts}.

 

RIO GRANDE COUNTY:

—On Feb 17 three adult Tundra Swans were reported on the Monte Vista Refuge auto tour loop on the south end pond by John Rawinski.  Other birds of note include thousands of Sandhill Cranes and several interesting hybrid geese.

 

WELD COUNTY:

—On Feb 23 a SNOW BUNTING  reported at Weld CR 134 e of Weld CR 111 by Sue Riffe.

—On Feb 21 a White-throated Sparrow  reported at Banner Lakes SWA by James McCall.

---On Feb 23 a flock of 14 Sharp-tailed Grouse by Sue Riffe n of CR134 just e of CR111.

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 Upcoming Denver Field Ornithologists field trips (details at dfobirds.org)

 

Dawson Butte Ranch Open Space (Douglas County)

Saturday, February 29

7:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Chris Gilbert (Email: chrisgee9 AT gmail.com; 804-214-1508) Percent 

 

Littleton

Monday, March 2

6:30 AM - 12:00 PM

David Suddjian (Email: dsuddjian AT gmail.com; 831-713-8659)

 

Good birding,

Dave Leatherman, Fort Collins

daleatherman@msn.com

970(690-2257) cell