[cobirds] Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Compiler: Mary Driscoll
Date: February 19, 2014
email: rba AT cfobirds.org
phone: 303-659-8750
 
This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, February 19, 2014 sponsored  by the 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 (* indicates new information on this species in this report).
 
BRANT (Douglas)
TRUMPETER SWAN (Morgan)
TUNDRA SWAN (Boulder*)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Jefferson)
GYRFALCON (Larimer)
AMERICAN WOODCOCK (El Paso)
MEW GULL (Pueblo)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Arapahoe, Pueblo)
Thayer's Gull (Pueblo)

GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Pueblo)
Glaucous Gull (Arapahoe, Pueblo)
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL (Arapahoe, Pueblo)

Northern Pygmy-Owl (Larimer)
Winter Wren (El Paso)
VARIED THRUSH (Huerfano)
Fox Sparrow (Douglas)

Swamp Sparrow (El Paso)

White-throated Sparrow (Montrose)
Harris's Sparrow (Boulder, Huerfano)
Lapland Longspur (Adams)
Rusty Blackbird (Adams, El Paso)
Rosy-Finch (Boulder, Jefferson)
Common Redpoll (Douglas)
 
ADAMS COUNTY:
--2 Rusty Blackbirds were reported by the DFO Field Trip led by Hundertmark at Barr Lake SP below the dam on January 26.  Walbek reports that 6 continue at this location as of February 7.
--Lapland Longspurs were reported by Breitsch on the DIA Owl Loop which starts .5 mile east of Tower Rd on 96th Ave.  On February 3, he found them on Trussville Rd between 114th and 120th Aves. On February 7, Walbek reports a flock of 75 longspurs near 128th and Pohawton Rd.
 
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
--On February 5, Suddjian reported a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL at McLellan Reservoir.
--Dowell reports the following at Aurora Reservoir (fee area $10.00):  3 immature Glaucous Gulls and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were present on February 7.
 
BOULDER COUNTY:
--On February 1, Wilberding reported a TUNDRA SWAN at Cottonwood Marsh, the swan was seen again on 2/16 at Cottonwood Marsh by Dunning.  On February 17, Pine reports the TUNDRA SWAN continues at Cottonwood Marsh.
--On February 15,  Piombino reports the return of Harris’s Sparrows to her yard.  On 2/16, Dunning reports seeing one Harris’s Sparrow at Piombino’s. Birders are welcome to visit, she lives near the little hamlet of Hygiene. Call her for directions at 303-776-1939. Park at the end of her driveway, tapes not necessary.
--2 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches were reported by Starace at the Lyons cemetery on February 14.
--On February 8, at Fawn Brook Inn in Allenspark, Hill reports a flock of several hundred Rosy-Finches at the feeders. 95+% Brown-capped, with at least one adult Black, and at least a couple Gray-crowned.

  

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

-- Stachowiak reports seeing the BRANT, on February 15, at the southeast corner of Redstone Park located in Highlands Ranch. Access the parking lot located on the west side of S Foothills Canyon Blvd approximately 2/10's of a mile south of W Town Center Drive.  Look straight ahead as you enter the parking lot or to the left towards the houses on the edge of the park.  I have located the bird in this area in the past as well. The Brant was seen by McConnell on February 16.

--A BRANT was reported by Kellner at Chatfield State Park at the south marina with 1200 Cackling Geese on February 2.
--About 12 Common Redpolls were reported by Crews in the parking area at Roxborough State Park February 5.
--On February 7, Kingery reports a Fox Sparrow at the feeders at his home in Franktown.  It has not been seen again.
 
EL PASO COUNTY:
--An AMERICAN WOODCOCK was found by Teuton and Brooke at Fountain Creek Regional Park on February 9.  It was seen again on Feb 10 at the same location but apparently not on Feb 11.  Directions: go south on the trail from the Willow Springs parking area (at north end of the park) past mile marker 18 to the concrete gazebo.  It was in the little creek to the right of the trail.
--A Winter Wren was seen on February 10 in the cattails on the west side of the creek adjacent to Trail Marker 18 (concrete, 3 feet tall) on the left (east) side of the trail.
--On February 12, Jones reports 1 male Rusty Blackbird below the Fountain Creek Regional Park Nature Center. Take the trail south of the Nature Center and the bird was at the first bridge you come to. A Swamp Sparrow  was at this location. A WINTER WREN was also at this same area.

--On February 16, Percival reports seeing a Swamp Sparrow at Fountain Creek Regional Park.

HUERFANO COUNTY:

--A VARIED THRUSH has been visiting a private yard in La Veta.  The owners welcome visitors but the bird is best seen from inside the home.  If you would like to try to see the bird please contact Polly Neldner at pollywren AT gmail.com and she will help you make arrangements to see the bird.   On February 14, Nelder reports the VARIED THRUSH continues in La Veta. The Harris's Sparrow is last reported on February 2.
 
JEFFERSON COUNTY:

--On February 18, Hackos reports seeing a Barrow’s Goldeneye at Chatfield Reservoir over the weekend.  It was in the open water near the dam and west of the tower.

--On February 6, Moore reported there were 8 Rosy-Finches at Red Rocks Trading Post.  

LARIMER COUNTY:

--On February 16, Rashid reports hearing a Northern Pygmy-Owl at 4:45 pm east of his house in Estes Park. He is right on time, as male Northern Pygmy-Owls begin vocalizing on territory about the middle of February. 

--On February 13, Todd reports seeing a beautiful white morph Gyrfalcon over the open land between Fort Collins and Horsetooth Reservoir. It has likely flown many miles since then, but birders along the front range may want to keep an eye peeled for it. John states the bird was too large and stocky to be a Northern Harrier, and flight pattern was unlike a Northern Harrier.

MONTROSE COUNTY:

--On February 16, Wright reports a White-throated Sparrow one mile southeast of Nucla. 

MORGAN COUNTY:
--On February 8, Kellner reports 2 imm TRUMPETER SWANS at Boyd Ponds SWA at Log Lane Village near Ft. Morgan.  Directions: Take Exit 79 off I-76, take Elm St. in Log Lane Village north to the parking lot near the river.  From the parking lot walk the "road" east and cross the canal.  Head further east along the canal.  The swans were in the open water of the pond on the south side of the canal.
 
PUEBLO COUNTY:

--On February 17, C. Smith reports seeing the MEW GULL below Pueblo Reservoir dam, flying around the pond, in the middle of Rock Canyon, which is on the North side of the Arkansas River. The pond is closest to the Kestrel and Red-tailed Picnic Area parking lots.

--On February 16, Percival reports a Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st yr.) at Runyon Lake, in Pueblo.

--On February 9, Teuton reports the following seen below the Visitors Center at Pueblo Lake State Park: 2 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS, several Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and an imm Glaucous Gull.
--On February 15, Percival reports seeing a first year GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL at the South Shore Marina at Pueblo Reservoir. A  GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, and Juvenile Thayer’s Gull were also in the same area.

--On February 16, Percival reports a first yr. Glaucous Gull, first yr. Lesser Black-backed Gull at the South Shore Marina in Pueblo.
--On February 14, Percival reports 1 adult GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, and 1 first year Thayer's Gull in the SE corner of Pueblo Reservoir.
 
 
Upcoming DFO Fieldtrips:

Saturday, February 22 Chatfield State Park

Leader: Ed Holub, 303-979-2194 Meet leader at 8 a.m. inside west entrance of park off S. Wadsworth, 1.5 miles south of C-470. This will be a half-day trip so lunch is optional. Call leader if going.

Sunday, February 23 Barr Lake State Park

Leader: Gregg Goodrich, 303-655-9135 Meet leader at Barr Lake Visitors’ Center at 8 a.m. Bring scopes, binoculars, water, and dress for the predicted weather. Walk between 3 and 4 miles looking for waterfowl, and resident birds surviving winter. Lunch is optional. State parks pass required. Call only if you have questions.

 
 
Good Birding,
Mary Driscoll
Unincorporated Arapahoe Co.
 

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