Compiler: Joyce Takamine
Date: December 31, 2017
This is the Rare Bird Alert for Sunday, December 31 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.
Greater White-fronted Goose (Arapahoe, Boulder, El Paso,*Montezuma, *Montrose, Weld)
BRANT (*Douglas)
Trumpeter Swan (*Boulder, Garfield, Larimer)
Tundra Swan (*Boulder, Larimer)
Wood Duck (*Montezuma)
Eurasian Wigeon (Fremont)
Mallard (Mexican Intergrade) (Boulder)
Greater Scaup (Delta, El Paso, Jefferson, *Montezuma)
White-winged Scoter (*Arapahoe)
Long-tailed Duck (*Arapahoe, Weld)
Barrow's Goldeneye (*Chaffee, Fremont, Garfield, Pueblo)
Greater Prairie-Chicken (Yuma)
Red-necked Grebe (Boulder)
American Avocet (*La Plata)
Mew Gull (*Arapahoe)
Iceland Gull (*Arapahoe, Boulder, Kiowa, Pueblo)
Glaucous Gull (*Boulder)
Great Black-backed Gull (Pueblo)
Pacific Loon (Boulder, Denver, Pueblo)
HARRIS'S HAWK (*Larimer)
Ferruginous Hawk (*Montezuma)
Snowy Owl (Jefferson, Lincoln)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (El Paso)
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER (*El Paso)
Black Phoebe (*Adams)
Say's Phoebe (Broomfield, Jefferson, Pueblo)
Pinyon Jay (Jefferson)
Steller's Jay (Baca, *Denver, Mesa, Otero)
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay (Baca)
Chihuahuan Raven (Bent, Boulder, Otero)
Common Raven (Adams)
Mountain Chickadee (Baca)
Bushtit (Baca)
Pygmy Nuthatch (Arapahoe, Morgan, Phillips)
Carolina Wren (Pueblo)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Boulder, Pueblo)
Western Bluebird (Bent, Otero)
Mountain Bluebird (Kit Carson)
Hermit Thrush (*Arapahoe)
Varied Thrush (Larimer, Pueblo)
Gray Catbird (Larimer)
Sage Thrasher (Bent)
American Pipit (Boulder)
Gray-crowned Rosy- Finch ( Mesa)
Black Rosy-Finch (Mesa)
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (Mesa)
Cassin's Finch (Baca, Bent)
Common Redpoll (Jefferson, Larimer, Pueblo)
Red Crossbill (Arapahoe, Baca)
Pine Siskin (Huerfano)
Lesser Goldfinch (Bent)
Lapland Longspur (El Paso, Kit Carson, *Larimer)
Chestnut-collared Longspur (Kit Carson)
Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Baca)
Fox Sparrow (Baca, Delta)
Lincoln's Sparrow (Jefferson, Pueblo)
Swamp Sparrow (Weld)
White-throated Sparrow (Arapahoe, Baca, Boulder)
Harris's Sparrow (*Denver, Larimer)
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Logan)
Dark-eyed Junco (White-winged) (Baca)
Brown-headed Cowbird (El Paso)
Yellow Warbler (Mesa)
Pine Warbler (*Larimer)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Jefferson, Pueblo)
Yellow-throated Warbler (Jefferson)
Prairie Warbler (Pueblo)
Black-throated Green Warbler (Boulder)
Northern Cardinal (Logan)
ADAMS COUNTY:
---On December 29 on S. Platte River at sewage treatment plant near 64th and York, Bob Canter reported Black Phoebe. This would be a new county record if accepted. On December 30 at 64th and York, Bob Canter and Eric DeFonso reported Black Phoebe.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
---On December 23 at Blackmer Lake Highline Canal Trail, Jared Del Rosso reported Hermit Thrush and Pygmy Nuthatch.
---On December 26 at Aurora Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow and Sean Walters reported Greater White-fronted Goose.
---On December 28 on Highline Canal Trail from Quincy Ave to Three Ponds Park, Jared Del Rosso reported Pygmy Nuthatch. On December 30 and 31 on Highline Canal Trail from Quincy Ave to Three Ponds Park, Jared Del Rosso reported Hermit Thrush.
---On December 29 at Hollow Park, Cherry Hills Village, Gregg Goodrich reported Pygmy Nuthatch, Hermit Thrush, and White-throated Sparrow.
---On December 30 at Aurora Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow and Alec Hopping reported 2 White-winged Scoters, 4 Long-tailed Ducks, Mew Gull and 7 Iceland (Thayer's) Gulls.
BACA COUNTY:
---On December 26 at Comanche NG, Jessie Barry and Chris Wood reported 4 Bushtit, White-winged Dark-eyed Junco, 3 Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, Steller's Jay.
---On December 26 at Cottonwood Canyon Chris Wood and Jessie Barrie reported Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Red Fox Sparrow (W of where road from Kim enters the lowlands), White-winged Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Cassin's Finch, 2 Red Crossbill, 13 Mountain Chickadees.
BENT COUNTY:
---On December 26 at CO 109 between CR 1 and CR 90, Chris Wood and Jessie Barry reported 5 Chihuahuan Ravens, f Western Bluebird, sage Thrasher, Cassin's Finch, and 2 Lesser Goldfinch.
BOULDER COUNTY:
---On December 25 at Valmont Reservoir Complex, Ted Floyd reported Pacific Loon and 2 Red-necked Grebes. On December 26 at Valmont Reservoir Complex , Bob Spencer reported Pacific Loon.
---On December 23 at 28 and 29th St in Boulder, Nick Moore and John Malenich reported Black-throated Green Warbler. Addresses were 777 29th St and 770 28th St.
---On December 23 at Stearn's Lake, Chuck Hundertmark reported Greater White-fronted Goose.
---On December 27 at Valmont Reservoir Complex, Ted Floyd reported Tundra Swan, Iceland (Thayer's) and Iceland (Kumlieni) Gulls.
---On December 29 on S St Vrain, south of Lyons, Ben Sampson reported Chihuahuan Raven.
---On December 30 at Valmont Reservoir Complex, Paul Bonfils reported 3 Trumpeter Swans; Donald Jones reported 3 Trumpter Swans, Tundra Swan and Glaucous Gull; Jeff Parks reported 3 Trumpeter Swans and Tundra Swan.
BROOMFIELD COUNTY:
---On December 29 at Interlocken East Park, Nick Moore reported Say's Phoebe.
CHAFFEE COUNTY:
---On December 29 at Sands Lake SWA Chris Brobin reported 12 Barrow's Goldeneyes. On December 30 at Sands Lake SWA, Chris Brobin reported 4 Barrow's Goldeneyes.
DELTA COUNTY:
---On December 19 at FS office in Paonia on Rio Grande, Dennis Garrison reported Slate-colored Fox Sparrow at the office feeders. On December 27 at FS office in Paoania, Dennis Garrison reported Fox Sparrow continues to visit.
DENVER COUNTY:
---On December 20 at First Creek at Denver Open Space, Doug Kibbe and Elain Wagner reported Harris's Sparrow. On December 24 at First Creek at DEN Open Space, Alison Hixon reported Harris's Sparrow. On December 30 at First Creek at DEN Open Space, Georgiah Hartman reported Harris's Sparrow.
---On December 29 at Marston Reservoir Complex, West end, Doug Kibbe reported Pacific Loon.
---On December 30 on Bear Creek Greenbelt from S Wadsworth Blvd, to S Sheridan Blvd, Chris Wood reported Steller's Jay.
DOUGLAS COUNTY:
---On December 30 at Parker regional Park aka Salisbury Equestrian Park, Loch Kilpatrick reported BRANT.
EL PASO COUNTY:
---On December 21 and 22, David Tonnessen reported RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER (ruber) on Miranda Road in Colorado Springs. This is a new state record if accepted. The sapsucker has been seen on Broadmoor property. If you want to photograph the bird on Broadmoor property you need to obtain a photo permit. On December 22 Aaron and Pati Driscoll reported the RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER on a tree next to Mirada Road. On December 22 Kevin Ash, and Glenn Walbek reported the RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER at Broadmoor. On December 23, Loch Kilpatrick and many other birders reported RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER on Miranda Road and Broadmoor. John Drummond reported that a photo permit is not needed. On December 24 on Miranda Road, Nick Komar reported RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER before 0900, then the sapsucker disappeared for a few hours and was then seen in the afternoon by several birders. On December 25 Doug Faulkner and several other birders reported RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER on Miranda Road. On December 26 Thomas Heinrich reported that the RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER was seen at the trio of pines where it was first reported. Several other birders reported the sapsucker from the Broadmoor Golf Course. The bird apparently goes back and forth from the residence side to the golf course side of Miranda Road. On December 27 the RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER was reported at the Broadmoor Golf Course by Bruce Snyder in the morning and in the afternoon the Sapsucker was reported by Brad Benter, Janice and Paul Sweet, and Norm Lewis by its preferred pine next to house 13 on Miranda Road. On December 28, the RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER was first reported by David Ely and by many other birdes. The Sapsucker spend most of the day near its favorite tree, only one report mentioned seeing it at the Golf Course. On December 29, the RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER was reported by Bez Bezuidenhout at the Austrian Pines and the sapsucker was seen at the pines and the nearby Cottonwood by several birders. On December 30, the RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER was reported by Sue Riffe and several other birders at the Austrian Pines and Cottonwood at 13 Miranda Road.
---On December 25 at Double tree Hotel Pond, David and John Marvin reported Greater White-fronted Goose.
---On December 26 at Fountain Creek RP Nature Center/ Cattail Marsh, Alan Ketcham reported f Greater Scaup.
---On December 26 on Squirrel Creek Road, David and John Marvin reported 7 Lapland Longspur and Brown-headed Cowbird a farm feedlot.
---On December 26 at Ute Valley Park, Chris Brobin reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
FREMONT COUNTY:
---On December 23 at Canon City Valco Ponds, Rich Miller reported m Eurasian Wigeon on east pond.
---On December 26 at Canon City Valco Ponds, Matt Clark reported Barrow's Goldeneye.
GARFIELD COUNTY:
---On December 28 at 2 -12 Brown Court in Carbondale, Ted Robertson and Dick Filby reported 6 juv Trumpeters Swans and 2 Barrow's Goldeneyes.
HUERFANO COUNTY:
---On December 28 at Wahatoya Creek and CR 358, Chris Wood reported Pink Siskin (green morph).
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
---On December 23 at One Belmar Place, Norm Lewis, Tim Ryan, Doug Kibbe and Mackenzie Goldthwaite reported 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers, Yellow-throated Warbler, and Say's Phoebe. On December 24 at One Belmar Place, Chris Wood and Jessie Barry reported 6 Say's Phoebes and 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers. On December 27 at One Belmar Place, JoAnn Riggle reported Yellow-rumped Warbler.
---On December 23 near Stanley Lake on light pole at 88th and Queen, Bars Moore reported Snowy Owl. On December 24 near Standley Lake (south) at 88th Pkwy and Newcombe, Victoria Baldwin reported Snowy Owl. Please view from a distance. On December 25, the Snowy Owl was reported by Bez Bezuidenhout at Colorado Hill Open Space which is NW of Standley Lake, then many birders reported Snowy Owl on 100th Ave on the north side of Standley Lake. Last report of the Snowy Owl on December 25 was from South Shore of Standley Lake by Timo Mitzen. On December 26, the Snowy Owl was reported sitting on the dam in the afternoon by Paul Hurado and several other birders. It was best viewed from the parking lot of the middle school on 100th Ave. Around 5 pm the owl took off from the dam. On December 27, Peter Gent and others reported Snowy Owl on roof of wayne Carle Middle School on 100th Ave around 10 am. Norm Erthal reported that 2 Crows harassed the Snowy Owl around 10:42 causing it to fly south. Paul Hurtado and many other birders reported the Snowy Owl on the South Shore near 86th and Queen in the afternoon. Kevin De Boer reported the Snowy Owl on a park bench at 4:30. On December 28 the Standley Lake Snowy Owl was seen perched on a rooftop on a house NE of the middle school on 100th Ave by David Tonnessen and many other birders. On December 29 the Snowy Owl was first reported on South Shore by Joseph Hartman, then in a tree on west side of lake by a red barn by Chris Wood, then the Snowy Owl spent the most time at a house at 99th Place and Independence Dr near the middle school on a chimney top reported by Brian Johnson and several other birders.
---On December 24 at Belmar Park, Jessie Barry and Chris Wood reported 2 Greater Scaup and Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler.
---On December 25 at Chatfield SP Audubon Center and Trails, Jessie Barry and Chris Wood reported Common Redpoll.
---On December 25 at 2739 Shaffer Pkwy in Littleton, Mike Henwood reported Say's Phoebe perched on top of entry at Homewood Suites.
---On December 29 at Mount Falcon Park, Chris Wood reported 6 Pinyon Jays.
---On December 29 at Coors Ponds, Chris Wood and Jessie Barry reported Red-necked Grebe.
KIT CARSON COUNTY:
---On December 26 at Flager Reservoir SWA, Doug Kibbe and Jeff Dawson reported 31 Lapland Longspurs, Chestnut-collared Longspur and m Mountain Bluebird.
---On December 26 at Mossland Memorial Golf Course ponds, Bill Kaempfer reported 2 m Mountain Bluebirds.
LA PLATA COUNTY:
---On December 26 at Zink's Pond, Adrian Johnson and Jim Beatty reported American Avocet. On December 27 at Zink's Pond, Jason St. Pierre reported American Avocet. On December 30 at Zink's Pond, David Dunford reported American Avocet.
LARIMER COUNTY:
---On December 15 the HARRIS'S HAWK was reported by Walter Wehtje at Running Deer NA Parking Lot perched in a tree about 250 m away, later perched in a tree on S side of Hageman's Recycling. Later Robert Beauchamp reported the HARRIS'S HAWK perched in a tree behind Hageman's Recycling Center in a tree behind the main building. On December 16 the HARRIS'S HAWK was reported by Kevin DeBoer and several other birders at Hagerman Recycling Center. On December 17 behind Hagerman's Recycling Center, Tom Behnfield, Mark Chavez, Art Hudak, David Starbuck and Frank Farrell reported HARRIS'S HAWK. On December 18 Tom Heinrich and several other birders reported HARRIS'S HAWK around Hagerman Recycle Center and Welcome Center. On December 19 Kevin Keirn reported the HARRIS'S HAWK on the largest tree at the farmhouse N of Prospect Rd N of Welcome Center. Many other birders reported HARRIS'S HAWK in the area around Prospect and the Welcome Center. On December 20 in tree in middle of Hagerman Recycle Center Scott Somershoe reported HARRIS'S HAWK and Mark Amershek reported HARRIS'S HAWK at Visitor Center. On December 22, from Welcome Center, John Shenot, Paul Hurtado, Rob Sparks were able to view HARRIS 'S HAWK. The hawk was seen by several birders. On December 23, Dave Leatherman and several other birders reported HARRIS'S HAWK in the area around Visitor Center and Recycle center. On December 25, Diane Roberts reported HARRIS'S HAWK in area near Visitors Center. On December 26, the HARRIS'S HAWK was by Bob Spencer at the Welcome Center, by Paul Ode in ditch S of Visitor Center, and by Brad Denter at Running Deer/Cottonwood Hollow; Gary Lefko reported the hawl near a motorcycle business N of Prospect Road on Frontage road. On December 29 the HARRIS'S HAWK was reported by Robert Beauchamp, Susan Rosine, Glenn Walbek, Loch Kilpatrick, and Alec Hopping in the vicinity of the Welcome Center. On December 30, Adam Veseley, Maggie Boswell, and Sandy Arnesen reported HARRIS'S HAWK at recycle center; Jim Thomspon reported HARRIS'S HAWK east of visitor center. There were several birders who saw the HARRIS'S HAWK on December 30 but there were no e-Bird reports.
---On December 22 at Lee Martinez Park in Fort Collins, Andy Bankert reported Gray Catbird. On December 24 at Lee Martinez Park, Caroline Olson and Andy Bankert reported Gray Catbird.
---On December 24 at Hamilton Reservoir, Dave Leatherman reported Tundra Swan.
---On December 27 at 3645 Wild Horse Ct in Loveland, Joe Mammoser reported Pine Warbler which was also seen by David Wade, Nick Komar, and Walter Wehtje. On December 29, Dave Leatherman reported Pine Warbler at Wild Horse Ct. in Loveland. On December 30 at W 37th St, Joey Angstman reported Pine Warbler.
---On December 27 on Cub Lake Trail in Estes Park, Alyssia Church and Kris McDaniel reported 12 Common Redpoll.
---On December 28 at Rawhide Energy Station/Hamilton Reservoir, Nick Komar reported 3 Trumpeter Swans and 16 Lapland Longspurs.
---On December 28 at CSU Oval in Fort Collins, Sean Walters hear Varied Thrush.
---On December 30 on N CR 9 between CR 76 and CR 82, Austin Hess, David Wade and Nick Komar reported Lapland Longsppur.
LINCOLN COUNTY:
---On December 28 on I-70 - between Genoa and Limon on a telephone pole, Aaron Driscoll reported Snowy Owl.
LOGAN COUNTY:
---On December 23 at CR 93 just north of S Platte River bridge, Bill Kaempfer reported Golden-crowned Sparrow on the Crook CBC. This is 1 mile N of I-76 on CR 93. It was associating with Juncos, American Tree Sparrows, and White-crowned Sparrows.
MESA COUNTY:
---On December 23 at Powderhorn Ski Area, Denise and Mark Vollmar reported 35 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch, 110 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, and 8 Black Rosy-Finch.
MONTEZUMA COUNTY:
---On December 29 in Cortez near City Park, Brenda Wright reported 1 f Wood Duck.
---On December 29 at Dolores Sewage Pond, Coen Dexter and Brenda Wright reported f Greater Scaup.
---On December 30 at Parque de Vida, Jason St. Pierre and Ryan Votta reported 3 Greater White-fronted Geese on Cortez CBC.
---On December 30 at Centennial Park, Jason St. Pierre reported f Wood Duck on Cortez CBC.
---On December 30 at Totten Reservoir, Eric Hynes reported Ferruginous Hawk.
MONTROSE COUNTY:
---On December 26 at Otter Pond in Montrose, Betty Fenton reported Greater White-fronted Goose. On December 27 at Otter Pond in Montrose, Vic Zerbi and Betty Fenton reported Greater White-fronted Goose. On December 30 at Otter Pond Jon Horn reported Greater White-fronted Goose.
OTERO COUNTY:
---On December 26 at Higbee Cemetery and environs, Chris Wood and Jessie Barry reported Steller's Jay and Western Bluebird.
---On December 26 at Villegreen Road, Chris Wood and Jessie Barry reported Chihuahuan Raven.
PUEBLO COUNTY:
---On December 26 at Pueblo Reservoir, South Shore Marina, Steve Mlodinow reported Iceland (Thayer's Gull) and Great Black-backed Gull. On December 27 at Pueblo Reservoir, Kevin Ash reported Great Black-backed Gull. On December 28 at Pueblo Reservoir South Marina, JoAnn Andrews and Nate Kauffman reported Great Black-backed Gull. On December 29 at Pueblo Reservoir, David Tonnessen reported Pacific Loon, 2 Iceland (Thayer's) Gulls and Great Black-backed Gull.
---On December 23 at Pueblo Reservoir below the dam, Brandon Percival reported Prairie Warbler. On December 24 at Pueblo Reservoir below Dam on Juniper Road, Doug Kibbe and Mackenzie Goldthwaite reported Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Prairie Warbler. On December 26 at Pueblo Reservoir Rock Canon below dam n of river, Steve Mlodinow reported Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Varied Thrush, and Prairie Warbler. On December 28 at Pueblo Reservoir below dam, Brandon Percival, Nate Kauffman, and Nick Moore reported Prairie Warbler; Nick Moore also reported Yellow-rumped Warbler.
---On December 23 on Arkansas River Trail east of Pueblo Blvd, Robb Hinds reported Carolina Wren.
---On December 28 Pueblo Reservoir Cottonwood Picnic Area to Valco Pond, Brandon Percival reported Common Redpoll, 2 Lincoln's Sparrows and Say's Phoebe.
DFO Field Trips:
The DFO Field Trip for Monday, January 1 will be to Pueblo and Canon City Areas led by Joey Kellner (Vireo1 AT
comcast.net; 303-978-1748) Directions: Meet at the Safeway on Lincoln at 0615 Ave and Yosemite (1 mile west of I-25 on the north side of Lincoln), Lone Tree CO.
This will be an intensive, fast-paced tri to start off the new Year. Will bird various locations from Colorado Springs to Canon City to Pueblo through a series of "surgical strikes" to maximize our success at finding new birds for the year. Will carpool, in four vehicles of four people each, from Safeway parking lot at Lincoln Ave and Yosemite. Bring your own breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks for an all day trip. Register online or contact leader.
The DFO Field trip for Tuesday, January 2 will be to Southwestern Metro Area led by David Suddjian (dsuddjian AT
gmail.com; 831-713-8659). Directions: Meet at 0800 at Home Depot at 4277 S. Eldridge St, Morrison, From C-470 take the Quincy exit. Cross over the bridge on W Quincy Ave and park at the far end of the Home Depot parking lot that face an open field to the south.
Specific birding spots will be selected the day of the trip based on what is around and the weather. As we begin the Big Year we will add a number of species this day and will try for local rarities found over the recent weeks. Plan for some walking. Register online or contact leader.
Good Birding,
Joyce Takamine
Boulder
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