Date: February 26, 2019
Compiler: John Drummond, jxdrummo AT aol.com
Phone: (703 ) 629 1151
This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, February 26, sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists.
Observers have been diligent in reporting sightings and updates on CoBirds. Thanks!
CAPITAL LETTERS are used for very rare species, as listed by the Colorado Bird Records Committee.
(*) indicates new information on this species.
Rare, out of place and out of season species include:
Trumpeter Swan (*Pueblo)
Black Scoter (Pueblo)
Long-tailed Duck (*Larimer, Pueblo)
Horned Grebe (*Garfield )
Glaucous-winged Gull (Arapahoe)
HARRIS'S HAWK (Larimer)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (*Denver, Larimer, La Plata)
Winter Wren (Pueblo)
Carolina Wren (Pueblo)
Varied Thrush (Boulder)
Field Sparrow (*El Paso, Kiowa)
Fox Sparrow (Red) (Jefferson)
White-throated Sparrow (El Paso, Kiowa, Pitkin)
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Jefferson)
Northern Cardinal (Larimer)
Rusty Blackbird (Arapahoe)
Pine Warbler (Larimer)
Gull species: several winter/very early spring gulls are being seen, primarily in Pueblo, Larimer, Arapahoe and Adams Counties (e.g. Iceland Gull (Thayer's), Glaucous Gull, California Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Great Black-backed Gull).
For more information on these Gull species, as well as other birds not on RBA list, please check cobirds.org, scroll down to the very bottom "Bird Trax" and click on "sightings". It will list ALL birds reported on e-bird for the day.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
—On February 22 a Glaucous-winged Gull was reported at Aurora Reservoir. First reported by Steve Mlodinow on Jan 12.
—On February 18 the overwintering Rusty Blackbird continues at Cherry Creek SP at Swim Beach/Smoky Hill Shelter area.
BOULDER COUNTY:
—On February 17 a Varied Thrush was reported on Bosque Ct in Boulder. First reported by Ernest Crvich Jan 23.
DENVER COUNTY:
—On February 25 a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was reported in Rocky Mountain Lake Park. First reported in January.
EL PASO COUNTY:
—On February 25 the overwintering Field Sparrow continues at Red Rock Canyon Open Space.
—On February 21 a White-throated Sparrow was reported at Rock Island Trailhead by David Tonnessen.
GARFIELD COUNTY:
--On February 25 a Horned Grebe was reported in the white water rapids observed from 2307 Devereux Rd, Glenwood Springs by Gregg Goodrich.
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
—On February 22 the overwintering Fox Sparrow (Red) continues at Red Rock Trading Post.
—On February 18 the overwintering Golden-crowned Sparrow continues in Morrison on 2nd Street. This bird is on PRIVATE PROPERTY. Visitors are REQUIRED to stay on the road and not wander onto the private parking lot just south of his house
KIOWA COUNTY:
—On February 17 a White-throated Sparrow was reported at Neenoshe Reservoir by Steve Mlodinow.
—On February 17 a Field Sparrow was reported at Neenoshe Reservoir by Steve Mlodinow.
LA PLATA:
—On February 18 the overwintering Yellow-bellied Sapsucker continues at Animas River -Huck Finn Pond & Hatchery.
LARIMER COUNTY:
—On February 24 a Pine Warbler was reported in Fort Collins south of E Harmony Rd and east of S Lemay Ave. First report on February 6 by Nick Komar.
—On February 25 a Long-tailed Duck was reported at Fossil Creek Reservoir & Regional Open Space. First reported by David Farmer on Feb 16.
—On February 22 a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was reported from Grandview Cemetery on the adjacent golf course midway along the cemetery's southern border that runs east-west; approx. 50 yds east of the port a potty. First reported by David Leatherman on Jan 8.
—On February 21 a HARRIS'S HAWK was reported in Fort Collins near La Farge Pond by Robert Beauchamp.
—There has been a (f) Northern Cardinal visiting the feeders at the home of Steve Martin SW of Wellington since July. Email for current status and directions: falconridge AT cowisp.net.
PITKIN COUNTY:
—On February 18 a White-throated Sparrow was reported at the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. First reported by Matt Kuhn on Feb 15.
PUEBLO COUNTY:
—On February 24 the overwintering Winter Wren continues at Valco Ponds SWA.
—On February 25 (2) Trumpeter Swans were reported at Valco Ponds SWA. There have been 1-2 Swans reported over the past few weeks, moving between locations at Pueblo Reservoir, the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, Rock Canyon Rd. in Pueblo, Mosquito Alley, and Valco Ponds SWA.
—On February 23 a Carolina Wren was reported on the Arkansas River Trail, East of Pueblo Blvd. First reported by Jerry De Boer on Jan 16.
—On February 22 (4) Black Scoters were reported at Pueblo Reservoir. Various large flock numbers have been present at Pueblo Reservoir and other Pueblo locations since (22) were first reported by Brandon Percival on Feb 3.
—On February 22 (1) Long-tailed Duck was reported at Pueblo Reservoir SWA-Turkey Creek. 2 birds first reported by Brandon Percival on Jan. 19.
—Note, a Great Black-backed Gull, "Murray" is often reported at Pueblo Reservoir, where it has wintered for many years.
Ken Caryl Valley Area
Tuesday, February 26
7:00 AM - 12:00 PM
David Suddjian (Email: dsuddjian AT gmail.com; 831-713-8659)
Second Creek Open Space (CommerceCity/Adams County)
Sunday, March 3
6:45 AM - 11:00 PM
Patrick O'Driscoll (Email: patodrisk AT gmail.com; 303-885-6955)
John Drummond
Colorado Springs
backpacking for 10 days at a time in the Cabinet Wilderness Area, without adults. His parents gave him the greatest gift–figuring life out in the outdoors without adults hovering over his every move. Almost all of his exploration during childhood was off-trail.