Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Email: RBA AT cobirds.org
Compiler: Joe Roller jroller9@gmail.com
Phone: (303) 204-0828
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The Colorado Rare Bird Report is an informational service.
Because of statewide coronavirus "Stay at Home" and "Safer at Home" orders (depending on where you live), the purpose of this report is to keep homebound readers abreast of rare bird sightings across the state during spring migration.
It does NOT endorse or encourage illegal travel to see or "chase" rare birds beyond your own permitted area.
We urge readers to respect state and local restrictions on non-critical travel and limits on outdoor activities that include birding.
Please bird ONLY at or close to home and ONLY with universally promoted safety precautions, including "social distancing" and face coverings.
Or, as Dave Leatherman noted this week, "Be like a Cedar Waxwing . . . very compliant in wearing their masks."
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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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Spring migration notes:
Shorebirds are passing through, with 23+ species reported to eBird recently, including multiple Whimbrel sightings, large flocks of curlews and godwits. It's Caspian Tern time too. Reports of Gray Flycatchers and Black Phoebes were widespread.
Some Cassin's Finches continue to be reported, but fewer than last week.
Hummingbirds are starting to show at feeders. Sparrows and longspurs continue to move through.
Warbler migration is picking up, with both returning Colorado breeders and
"overshoots" from the southeast like Louisiana Waterthrush, Yellow-throated and Hooded Warblers. Highly prized "Eastern" warblers are flowing into SE Colorado, and soon we'll find them farther north. Exciting!
What's in your yard or near your home? Let us know on COBirds.
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Rare birds and some out-of-place or out-of-season birds are listed below.
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Baca)
Red-necked Grebe (Arapahoe)
Pectoral Sandpiper (Montezuma)
Glaucous-winged Gull (Larimer)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (*Bent)
Glossy Ibis (El Paso, Logan, Pueblo)
Black Phoebe (Douglas, El Paso)
Vermilion Flycatcher (Otero)
White-eyed Vireo (Bent, *Fremont)
Yellow-throated Vireo (Jefferson, Pueblo)
Bewick's Wren (Larimer)
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Denver)
LeCONTE'S SPARROW (Larimer)
Baltimore Oriole (Arapahoe)
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH (Larimer)
Prothonotary Warbler (Baca)
Tennessee Warbler (Baca)
Lucy's Warbler (*Mesa)
Hooded Warbler (*Jefferson)
Magnolia Warbler (Baca)
Yellow-throated Warbler (Pueblo)
Palm Warbler (*Denver)
Summer Tanager (*Pueblo)
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ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
—On April 26 a Baltimore Oriole was reported near Aurora Reservoir by Jeanette Bowman.
—On April 25 a Red-necked Grebe was reported at Cherry Creek SP-Pelican Point to Swim Beach by Joey Negreann.
BACA COUNTY:
—On April 25 four BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS were seen at Two Buttes SWA by Jesse Casias, and when the report appeared on eBird on April 27 two local birders rushed there, scoured the area, but no dice, no ducks. This is probably the same quartet seen last week in La Junta. If you live in far SE Colorado, you might check your local lakes for this rarity. Who knows, they might stick around Colorado and whistle for months.
—On April 25 at Two Buttes SWA Prothonotary, Tennessee and Magnolia Warblers were seen by Jesse Casias. The report appeared on eBird on April 27.
BENT COUNTY:
—On April 26 a White-eyed Vireo was reported at John Martin SWA by Duane Nelson.
—On April 28 a Neotropic Cormorant continues at John Martin Reservoir at Lake Hasty; first seen on March 31 by Duane Nelson.
DENVER COUNTY:
—On April 28 a Palm Warbler was reported from Westerly Creek (MLK Jr Blvd to Sand Creek) by Jake Shorty.
—On April 28 a Golden-crowned Sparrow was reported at Sand Creek— Havana St to Westerly Creek. First reported on April 19 by Jake Shorty. There are no previous eBird records for Denver County.
DOUGLAS COUNTY:
—On April 25 a Black Phoebe was reported on the south side of South Platte River on Waterton Road by Doug Kibbe and Mackenzie Goldthwait.
EL PASO COUNTY:
—On April 27 a Black Phoebe was reported at Mary Kyer & Stone Falls Parks. First reported on April 23 by Terrence Berger.
—On April 23 a Glossy Ibis was reported at Clear Spring Ranch. First reported on April 18 by Tyler Stewart.
NOTE: Chico Basin Ranch is closed until at least May 31 because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
FREMONT COUNTY:
—On April 28 a White-eyed Vireo was reported from the Canon City Riverwalk (Sell Lake to S Reynolds Ave) by Jerry DeBoer.
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
—On April 28 a Hooded Warbler was reported at Harriman Lake by Ginny Bergstrom.
—On April 27 a Yellow-throated Vireo was reported at Harriman Lake Park. First reported April 21 by Kevin DeBoer.
NOTE: Red Rocks Park is closed indefinitely because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
LARIMER COUNTY:
—On April 24 a LeCONTE'S SPARROW was heard in SE Ft. Collins at Topminnow Natural Area by Nick Komar. (NOTE, birding at Topminnow Natural Area is RESTRICTED, and only permitted from the fence line along East Horsetooth Rd). Reported by Nick Komar. There is just one previous eBird record for Larimer County, from April 25, 1998.
—On April 23 a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH was reported at Spring Creek Park, at the bridge and surrounding area. First reported April 22 by Jessie Reese & Matthew DeSaix. There are no previous Larimer eBird records.
—On April 23 a Bewick's Wren was reported at Colorado State University Environmental Learning Center by Lori Zabel.
—On April 23 a Glaucous-winged Gull was reported at Horseshoe Reservoir. First reported on April 20 by Joshua Smith.
LOGAN COUNTY:
—On April 23 a Glossy Ibis was reported in Iliff at 19220 Co Rd 55 by Glenn Walbek.
MESA COUNTY:
—On April 28 five Lucy's Warblers were reported (some carrying nesting material) at the hotspot, "Gateway Cottonwoods" west of Gateway (town) by Brenda Wright. First found here on April 26 by Kathleen McGinley.
MONTEZUMA COUNTY:
—On April 25 a Pectoral Sandpiper was reported at Puett Reservoir State Wildlife Area by James Beatty.
OTERO COUNTY:
—On April 27 a male Vermilion Flycatcher was reported on Higbee Valley Rd by David Tønnessen. This is a favored spot for this glowing ember of a flycatcher.
PUEBLO COUNTY:
—On April 28 a Summer Tanager was reported from Nature and Raptor Center of Colorado by Brandon Percival.
—On April 26 a Glossy Ibis was reported at Pueblo Reservoir—N Picnic Rd by Brandon Percival.
—On April 24 a Yellow-throated Warbler was reported at Roselawn Cemetery by Brandon Percival.
—On April 22 a Yellow-throated Vireo was reported at Pueblo City Park, singing above the Frisbee Golf Course creek area, on the west side of the park. First reported April 21 by Brandon Percival
NOTE: Chico Basin Ranch is closed until at least May 31 because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
WELD COUNTY:
Crow Valley Campground is closed to all human activity (per Forest Service District Office). Sad, but true.
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PLEASE NOTE: Because of COVID-19 pandemic precautions, Denver Field Ornithologists has suspended all field trips scheduled for April, May and June. Other birding clubs have also canceled activities, and the annual Colorado Field Ornithologists convention, set for Pueblo in May, has been reset for. May, 2021.
Please share interesting and/or unusual birds and behavior observations on COBirds.
Good birding,
Joe Roller
Denver, CO
303 204-0828
