[cobirds] Barr Banding Station Report, 9/1/12

Another hot and birdy day at Barr.  About 20 happy birders joined us for a great morning of interesting birds.  Perhaps the most intriguing was a probable Alder Flycatcher, ID’d thanks to Doug Faulkner………heaven only knows how long I would have spent pondering this bird that I was describing as a Willow that “didn’t look right”.  I say probable only because after getting home I read about everything I should have measured and formulas I should have applied before making the call.  Doug and Bill Eden took photos.  (A really great crew of visitors this morning!)

 

We also had our FOS Green-tailed Towhee and Western Tanager and more Townsend’s Warblers than I’ve caught in one day.  Here’s the breakdown of the 49 new captures:

 

Western Wood-pewee 2

Willow Flycatcher             2

Alder/Traill’s Flycatcher 1

House Wren       6

Gray Catbird       1

Yellow Warbler 2

Townsend’s Warbler      8

MacGillivray’s Warbler   1

Common Yellowthroat  1

Wilson’s Warbler              18

Western Tanager             1

Green-tailed Towhee    1

Chipping Sparrow            4

Song Sparrow    1

 

Weather predictions were correct – by 10:30, bird activity was dropping off and we were closing nets due to the heat.  So, if you are coming out this weekend, I encourage you to come early.   We should have the first birds at the station by 7:30 a.m. both Sunday and Monday.

 

Our closed day this coming week is Tuesday (9/4); the following week it is Wednesday (9/12).

 

Meredith

 

Meredith McBurney

Biologist/Bander

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory

303-329-8091

 

[cobirds] Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Van Bibber Trail, Jefferson Co.

The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher continue to be seen was found around 7:30am on the fence, as earlier post location.

 

Tim Smart

Broomfield, CO.

[cobirds] N.Parula, Lake County

A female plumage Northern Parula at Twin Lakes village was a new Lake
County species this morning. Any mountain records for this species?
Got one identifiable but fuzzy photo before it vanished.

--
Tim Kalbach
Cutting Edge Woodworking
Leadville, Colorado

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[cobirds] Blackburnian Warbler - BCLP - Jeffco

Fairly birdy at Bear Creek Lake Park (BCLP)this morning. More
migrants than I have seen earlier.

Got 3 glimpses of a male Blackburnian Warbler (still very brilliantly
colored with flaming orange & yellow) as he fed in the upper half of a
large cottonwood tree before taking off high in the area going south.
This is a new bird for the BCLP checklist. The bird was seen in the
area where Bear Creek enters into the lake and can be accessed from
either the Boat Launch area or from Pelican Point with the low water
levels.

Other migrants of note:

Pelican Point - both Eastern & Western Kingbirds, a first winter
female Yellow-rumped Warbler (FOS), and both Wilson's and Yellow
Warblers.

Inlet area where Bear Creek empties into the lake - Besides the
Blackburnian Warbler, had a male Common Yellowthroat, and both
Wilson's and Yellow Warblers and a Gray Catbird.

Around Fitness # 1 and in all directions had 4 Sage Thrashers, a
female Orchard Oriole, 2 Clay-colored Sparrows, a Brewer's Sparrow,
Chipping sparrows, and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

Mike Henwood
Morrison
Jefferson County

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[cobirds] Prewitt, Jackson Friday

Good morning- I decided to have a look at the migration turnover northeast, and had time for a fairly thorough look at Prewitt followed by a quick stop at Jackson.  First, for those who haven't made it out to Prewitt, you really should have a look.  The place is jumpin' with many different families of birds- warblers, sparrows, blycatcher, woodpeckers, shorebirds, waders.....  My "landbirding" was confined to a long walk from the "west" (Washington County) parking lot up to the Logan County lot and back.  In the open woodlands there are clouds of chipping sparrows, accompanied by lots of lark and a few clay-colored and Brewer's and several Townsend's warblers.  I found one female Baltimore oriole there, too. As usual, the olive marsh area (just past the first cottonwood grove, working east from the outlet canal) was excellent, with many Wilson's and yellow warblers, plus orange-crowned, yellowthroat and one Nashville (western).  There were lots of blue-gray gnatcatchers and one Cassin's vireo.  The next cottonwood grove had a woodpecker "fourfecta": flicker, red-headed, downy and hairy.  Also in that area were two willow flycatchers and nice worn dusky.  The "mystery miss"?  Robin.  Didn't have a single one all day.

Out on the mudflats there are great numbers of sandpipers, including most of the usual suspects: pectoral, peeps, stilt sandpipers, avocets, both yellowlegs, etc. There was a small group of dowitchers, with one short-billed. For whatever reason, a single juvenile ibis had wandered in.  There was also a single Wilson's phalarope and fifteen red-necked.  the real show here was the black terns- there were around 200.  A quick survey indicated about 80% juveniles.  This is by far the most I have even seen anywhere. 

A quick stop at Jackson SWA (north end of reservoir) yielded the mountain plover flock that has been previously reported, a large flock of bank swallows perched on the fences, and a lone wild turkey that wandered across the road.  I tried the east side of the reservoir in hopes of turning up the curlew sandpiper, but the northeast corner was mostly deserted except for a few peeps, yellowlegs, and stilt sp's.  There was a good-sized flock of Wilson's phals a little further out, and around a hundred white-faced ibis (too far out to check for glossy).  There are thousands of shorebirds out there but the water is so shallow that they can wander hundreds of yards from the closest viewing points, making observations, ahem, challenging.

It was a fantastic day on the eastern plains.  Get out there and enjoy!

Norm Lewis

Lakewood

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[cobirds] Yard Birds -- Douglas County

This morning is very birdy in my yard, possibly as a result of some of the watering I've been doing over the past 24 hours.  In addition to all my usual birds, there are several other species around today, including:

MacGillivray's Warbler – 1, very active in Virginia Creepers

Wilson's Warbler – 3, in Russian Olives, but also around other areas too

Orange-crowned Warbler – 2, in raspberry patch

Plumbeous Vireo – 1, in tall Gambel's Oaks

Western Tanager – 1, female, in Russian Olives

Western Wood-Pewee – 1, in tall Gambel's Oaks

Gray Catbird – 2, in Virginia Creepers

Green-tailed Towhee – 3, doing the "towhee thing" on the ground around some junipers and a crabapple tree

Lincoln's Sparrow – 1, in raspberry patch

Vesper Sparrow – 3, on ground in weedy area near pond

Calliope Hummingbird – 2, feeders, butterfly bush, Russian sage, honeysuckle vine, etc.

Rufous Hummingbird - 1, feeders, butterfly bush, Russian sage, honeysuckle vine, etc.

Common Poorwill – 2 or 3, calling everyday at both dusk & dawn

Great Horned Owl – 2, calling back & forth early this morning

 

The "usuals" around the yard this morning include Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Lesser Goldfinch, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, House Wren, House Finch, Morning Dove, Spotted Towhee (20+), Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Western Scrub-Jay (many), Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, American Robin, and I'm sure I've forgotten a few others.

 

Get out there and enjoy it!  Fall migration will be over sooner than you might think.

 

Good Birding,

 

Kirk Huffstater

Castle Rock, CO

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirkh1/sets/

(In the middle of being reorganized)

 

[cobirds] Colorado Rare Bird Alert, Saturday, September 1, 2012

Compiler:     Joyce Takamine

Date:           September 1, 2012

email:          rba AT cfobirds.org

phone:         303-659-8750

This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Saturday, September 1, 2012, sponsored by 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: (* denotes that there is new information on this species in this report)

Little Blue Heron (Adams)

Green Heron (Mesa)

Broad-winged Hawk (Adams)

Snowy Plover (Alamosa)

Ruddy Turnstone (Alamosa)

CURLEW SANDPIPER (Morgan)

BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (*Morgan, Washington)

Short-billed Dowitcher (Logan/Sedgwick, Morgan)

Greater Roadrunner (Huerfano)

ALDER FLYCATCHER (*Washington)

Black Phoebe (Fremont)

Eastern Phoebe (Fremont)

SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Jefferson)

Tennessee Warbler (Washington)

Nashville Warbler (La Plata, Sedgwick)

Northern Parula (Adams, *Larimer)

Blackburnian Warbler (Segwick)

Black-and-white Warbler (*Washington)

Worm-eating Warbler (Adams)

Ovenbird (Adams, Sedgwick, Washington, *Weld)

Northern Waterthrush (Fremont, *Morgan)

MOURNING WARBLER (*Morgan)

Hooded Warbler (Pueblo)

Indigo Bunting (*Weld)

Adams County:

--A Little Blue Heron in transitional phase plumages was reported by Canter at Lowell Ponds on July 19.  It was along the shore and on the island of Heron Lake.  Lowell Ponds is at 56th and Lowell.  On August 13, Gilbert reported that the Little Blue Heron was along the shore of the island in Heron Lake.  On August 16 Mlodinow reported the Little Blue Heron was along the shore of Heron Lake.  On August 23, Gilbert reported that the Little Blue Heron was at the west end of Lowell Ponds in a pond near the parking lot.  On August 24, Canter reported that the Little Blue Heron was at the west end of Heron Lake.  On August 27, Hudak reported that the Little Blue Heron was in the pond west of the parking lot.  On August 28, Mayfield reported that the Little Blue Heron was in a pond W of the Lowell Parking lot and South of Clear Creek.   On August 29, Chavez reported that the Little Blue Heron was in the pond on the left from the parking lot on the S side of the river.

--An Ovenbird was banded by McBurney at the Barr Lake Banding Station on August 26.

--A Broad-winged Hawk was reported by Gilbert at 76th and Zuni on August 28.

--A Worm-eating Warbler and Northern Parula were banded at the Barr Lake Banding Station on August 28 - August 30 as

reported by McBurnery.

Alamosa County:

--At Blanca Wetlands on August 24, Rawinski reported Ruddy Turnstone and Snowy Plovers at pond #16.

--At Blanca Wetlands on August 26, Neldner refound the Ruddy Turnstone at Pond #16; 2 Snowy Plovers at Pond #46, and 3 Snowy Plovers at Pond #114.

Fremont County:

--A Northern Waterthrush was reported by Moss along the Canon City Riverwalk on August 26.

--Black and Eastern Phoebes were reported by Moss on August 29 along the Canon City Riverwalk between Sell's and Raynolds.

Huerfano County:

--2 Greater Roadrunners were reported by Neldner on the W end of Horsehoe Lake on August 28.

Jefferson County:

--A SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was reported by Faulkner on the VanBibbler Trail in Arvada on August 25.  The Trail Parking lot is on the W side of Ward Road about 1/4 mi S of 58th Ave.  The SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was refound by Sanders on August 26 and on August 27 by Kilpatrick in the location described by Faulkner.  The SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was reported by Wathen and Burt on the Van Bibbler Trail on August 28.  On August 29, the Boulder Bird Club and Ira Sanders saw the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at 8:45, then Lowrie et al observed it again at 11:00 to 11:30 on the north side of the Van Bibber Trail east of the yellow hydrant.

La Plata County:

--2 Nashville Warblers were reported by Morris on the Animas River Trail in Durango on August 26.  The trail is behind Home Depot.

Larimer County:

--A first fall f Northern Parula was reported by Nelson at the beginning of the Cub Lake Trail in Rocky Mt NP on August 31.

Logan/Segwick Counties:

--At Jumbo on August 26, the Boulder Bird Club field trip had a Short-billed Dowitcher.

Mesa County:

--A Green Heron was reported by Arnold on August 28 on the Colorado River Trail accessed from 29 Road in Grand Junction.

Morgan County:

--A juvenal plumaged CURLEW SANDPIPER was reported by Mlodinow at Jackson Reservoir on August 23.  Park by the dam, walk east along the dam face, at about marker "18" scan to north about half mile away.  The CURLEW SANDPIPER was with a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER.  Rubber boots are highly recommended.  Mlodinow also reported 2 juv Short-billed Dowitchers at Jackson on August 23.  On August 27, Norm Lewis relocated CURLEW SANDPIPER and BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER at Jackson.  On August 29 Drummond relocated the CURLEW SANDPIPER after walking out from the west side campground to waters edge.  Drummond also reported 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS at the inlet canal and a Short-billed Dowitcher at Jackson on August 29.

--An imm f MOURNING WARBLER was reported by Mlodinow at Jackson Lake SP on August 31.  It was halfway between the Visitor Center and boat launch in Russian Olives.  Mlodinow also reported 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS at Jackson on August 31.

--A Northern Waterthrush was reported by Mlodinow at Andrick Ponds SWA on August 31.

Sedgwick County:

--The Boulder Bird Club Field Trip reported from the Wayside stop S of Julesburg on August 26 the following:  Blackburnian Warbler, Nashville Warber, and 3 Ovenbirds.

Washington County:

--At Prewitt on August 25, Mlodinow reported 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS and an Ovenbird at the inlet canal.

--At Last Chance on August 29, Leatherman reported a 1st fall f Tennessee Warbler feeding on aphids on the N side in a thistle patch.

--At Last Chance on August 31, Walbek reported ALDER FLYCATCHER.

--At Prewitt at the inlet canal on August 31, Walbek reported Black-and-white Warbler.

Weld County:

--An Ovenbird was reported by Mlodinow at Crow Valley on August 31.

--An Indigo Bunting was reported by Mlodinow at Norma's Grove on August 31.

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, September 2 will be to Barr Lake State Park led by Paul Slingsby  (303-442-3728).  Meet the Leader at the Visitors' Center at 0700.  Riparian species, raptors and migrating shorebirds are possible on this trip  Easy walking of at least a mile (or a few).  A scope would be helpful.  Plan for a half-day of birding with lunch in Brighton optional.  In the afternoon we may drive nearby county roads in search of migrating raptors.

Good Birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder

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