Thursday, 25 February 2016

[cobirds] Juncos on Colorado Christmas Bird Counts


Since there were a discussion about Juncos on cobirds recently, I thought I'd give you the Christmas Bird Count data for this past winter (Dec 14-Jan 5).  Here are the totals for Colorado Christmas Bird Counts this past winter for Juncos sub-species for 45 counts around Colorado. 

Dark-eyed Junco (form species unknown) - 11,813
Slate-colored form - 1,446
cismontanus (aka Cassiar form) - 47
Oregon form - 2,647
Pink-sided form - 2,151
White-winged form - 28
Gray-headed form (which is the one that breeds in Colorado) - 1111
Pink-sided x Gray-headed - 2
Total number of juncos - 19,245



Brandon Percival
Colorado CBC Regional Editor
Pueblo West, CO

[cobirds] Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 25 Februrary 2016

Compiler:   Joyce Takamine
e-mail:     RBA AT cobirds.org
Date:  February 25, 2016
This is the Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, February 25, sponsored by Denver Field
Ornithologists and the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies.

Highlight species include: (* indicates new information on this species).
 
Mute Swan (Weld)
Tundra Swan (Park)
Long-tailed Duck (Arapahoe, *El Paso, Mesa, Moffat)
Barrow's Goldeneye (Garfield)
Sharp-tailed Grouse (Weld)
Red-necked Grebe (Weld)
AMERICAN WOODCOCK (Larimer)
Thayer's Gull (*Douglas/Jefferson, Larimer, Weld)
ICELAND GULL (Arapahoe, Larimer, Weld)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Bent, *Crowley, *Douglas/Jefferson, Larimer)
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Larimer)
Glaucous Gull (*Bent)
Great Black-backed Gull (Bent)
Greater Roadrunner (Baca, Bent)
Burrowing Owl (*El Paso)
ACORN WOODPECKER (El Paso)
Red-belllied Woodpecker (*Baca, *Bent, Prowers)
Williamson's Sapsucker (*El Paso)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Boulder, Prowers)
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (*Baca)
American Three-toed Woodpecker (Park, Summit)
Carolina Wren (Jefferson)
Winter Wren (Douglas)
Gray Catbird (El Paso)
Curve-billed Thrasher (*Baca)
Lapland Longspur (Lincoln, *Weld)
Chestnut-collared Longspur (*Weld)
McCown's Longspur (Lincoln)
Yellow-throated Warbler (*Larimer)
Canyon Towhee  (Baca, Otero)
Sagebrush Sparrow (*Mesa)
Northern Cardinal (Prowers)
Rusty Blackbird (El Paso)
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (Grand, Park, Pitkin)
Black Rosy-Finch (Grand, Pitkin)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Grand, Jefferson, Park, Pitkin)
PURPLE FINCH (El Paso)
Common Redpoll (El Paso, Grand, Jefferson, Summit)
 
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
-- On February 9, David Suddjian reported 3 Long-tailed Ducks. On February 12, Niyo reported seeing the Long-tailed Ducks at South Platte Reservoir.  On February 18, Chuck Aid, Michael Kiessig, and Kate Frost reported 3 Long-Tailed Ducks at South Platte Reservoir.  On February 19, David Suddjian reported 2 Long-tailed Ducks at South Platte Reservoir.  On February 20, Ben Sampson reported 3 Long-tailed Ducks at South Platte Reservoir.  On February 21, Gene Rutherford and Ben Sampson reported 3 Long-tailed Ducks at South Platte Reservoir.

BACA COUNTY:
--3 Canyon Towhees were reported by Chip Clouse in Picture Canyon on February 19.
--A Greater Roadrunner was reported by Mark Amershek on February 19 at Comanche National Grasslands.
--At Two Buttes SWA on February 20, Ted Floyd reported Curve-billed Thrasher and Red-bellied and Ladder-backed Woodpecker in same tree.
 
BENT COUNTY:
--At John Martin Reservoir on February 4, Duane Nelson reported 1 1-st winter Glaucous Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls (1 ad, 1 1st cyc), and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  On Feb 14, Nelson reports a Lesser Black-backed Gull at Adobe Creek Reservoir.
--On February 21, Ted Floyd reported 2 Greater Roadrunners at Hasty Campground and Red-bellied Woodpecker.
--On February 21, Ted Floyd reported Glaucous Gull at John Martin Reservoir at far east side of dam.
 
BOULDER COUNTY:
--An ad m Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was reported by Christian Nunes at Bohn Park in Lyons on January 31.  The bird was in pine trees in the SW corner of the park.  On February 12, Bushing reports seeing the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Bohn Park in Lyons in the pine trees in the SW corner of the park.  On February 18, Sue Riffe reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Bohn Park.

CROWLEY COUNTY:
--At Lake Henry on February 21, Ted Floyd reported 2-3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:
--A Winter Wren was reported by High Kingery in Castlewood Canyon SP on February 19.

DOUGLAS/JEFFERSON COUNTIES:
--At Chatfield SP on February 24, David Suddjian reported Lesser Black-backed Gull and Thayer's Gull.
 
EL PASO COUNTY:
-- On February 3, Bill Maynard reported PURPLE FINCH at Fountain Creek RP.
--On February 12, Teuton reported seeing the Rusty Blackbird on Birdsall Road, hanging out with some Brewer's and Red-winged Blackbirds over the livestock pens on the left side of the road, before the top of the hill.
--Nikolai reports a Common Redpoll has come to her feeder in NE Colorado Springs on Bell Drive.  The feeders are not visible from the street but if you are in the area you may be able to find the bird.
--On February 20, Mel Goff reported ACORN WOODPECKER in Willow Cricle Neigbhorhood of Colorado Springs.
--A Gray Catbird was reported by Tyler Stuart at Sinton Pond in Colorado Springs on February 22.
--At Big Johnson on February 24, Mark Peterson and Alan Versaw reported Long-tailed Ducks and Burrowing Owl.
--On February 24 at Garden of Gods Park, Tyler Stuart reported a pair of WIlliamson's Sapsuckers.

GARFIELD COUNTY:
--On February 19, Louise Glaser reported about 100 Barrow's Goldeneyes in Glenwood Spring on Satank Road by the pond.
 
GRAND COUNTY:
--On February 18, Carol Hunter reported 1 Black Rosy-Finch, 100 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches, and 12 Common Redpolls on CR 64.
--On February 23, Cath Craig that all 3 Rosy-Finches have returned to her feeders in Granby.  Contact her at PioneerCSC AT aol.com.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:
--Ira Sanders has feeders which attract Common Redpoll and Rosy-Finches.  His address is 314 Defrance Ct, Golden.  He usually posts to CoBirds if birds show up.  If ELK are going after his feeders, or are in his yard, please chase them off, per Ira.  On February 19, Sanders reports the Common Redpoll at his residence, but less frequent visits.  On February 20, Carlos Ross reported Common Redpoll at DeFrance Ct in Golden. On February 23 Ira Sanders reported 14 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches at his feeders.              
--On December 31, Gwen Moore reported a Carolina Wren at 2695 Newland St in Lakewood at the residence of Patty Echelmeyer.  Patty first saw this bird in November.  On February 12, Gwen Moore reports the Carolina Wren continues at the feeders.  The owners invite you to come in the yard and go to the feeder behind the house on the west and a suet feeder on the south side of the house.  Please be respectful of the bird and do not try to approach too closely.  You may park on Newland.  
 
LARIMER COUNTY:
--On December 11, Jeff Birek reported Yellow-throated Warbler in Fort Collins.  The warbler is visiting the feeders in the backyard of Luke Caldwell at 1520 W Mountain.  Caldwell welcomes birders to enter his yard through the front and proceed along the east side.  The bird spends most of the time visitng the feeder in the pine trees along the east fence line near the alley.  On February 2, Dave Leatherman reported that the home owners at 1520 W. Mountain Ave saw the Yellow-throated Warbler.  On February 23, Dave Leatherman reported that the homeowners reported that the warbler has been very irregular in its visits, most likely to come on cold mornings.  On Februrary 24, Robert Beauchamp reported Yellow-throated Warbler at 1520 W Mountain.
-- On February 5, Norm Erthal reported the AMERICAN WOODCOCK at Bobcat Ridge N.A.  On February 7, Gwen Moore reported 2 AMERICAN WOODCOCK.  They were feeding together. This is the same area where there was an AMERICAN WOODCOCK last year.  Parking is very limited because of mud.  On February 23, Dave Leatherman reported that Ranger Karl says that the Woodcocks have not been seen for 3 days.
--At Douglas Reservoir on February 20, John Shenot reported 2 ad Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
--On February 21, Mark Peterson reported ad ICELAND GULL and 1-st cyc GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL at Boyd Lake SP.
--At Lake Loveland on February 21, Mark Peterson reported 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 2 Thayer's Gulls.  
--On February 22, Joe Mammoser reported 1-st cyc GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL at Lake Love in the middle of the lake with
Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneey and Ring-billed Gull.

LINCOLN COUNTY:
--On February 20, Tom Behnfield reported McCown's and Lapland Longspurs south of Arriba and Lapland Longspurs south of Genoa.

MESA COUNTY:
--Carol Ortenzio reported a Long-tailed Duck on the Redlands Parkway Ponds in Grand Junction on February 19.
--A Sagebrush Sparrow was reported by Carol Ortenzio near Mack on February 22.
--On February 24, Mike Henwood reported 10 male Sagebrush Sparrows singing on top of Sagebrush near the Colorado/Utah state line.

MOFFAT COUNTY:
--On February 18, Forrest Luke reported a Long-tailed Duck on the gravel pit pond off Hwy 13 between southern city limit of Craig and the bridge over the Yampa River.  It is a male in transition plumage.  On February 20, Vic Zerbi reported the Long-tailed Duck on the gravel pit pond.  On February 21, Jan Leonard reported the Long-tailed Duck with photos on eBird on the gravel pit pond.

PARK COUNTY:
--An American Three-toed Woodpecker was reported by David Suddjian in the Lake George area on CR 61 on February 22.
--At Eleven Mile Reservoir viewed from Cross Creek CG, David Suddjian reported 5 Tundra Swans on February 22.
--In Fairplay at feeders, David Suddjian reported 30 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches and 2 Brown-Capped Rosy-Finches on February 22.
--In Jefferson at feeders, David Suddjian reported 52 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches on February 22.
  
PITKIN COUNTY:
--On February 14, Filby reports that in the Snowmass village area, he and others saw 300+Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches – many of them Hepburns, 200+Brown-capped Rosy-Finches, 1 Black Rosy-Finch, 5 Pine Grosbeak, 20 Evening Grosbeak and 1 Northern Pygmy Owl.
 
PROWERS COUNTY:
--On February 9, Leatherman reports Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (ad. m), north end of Willow Creek Park, Lamar, in pines se of outhouse building; Northern Cardinal (1m, 1f) & 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker at LCC Woods, Lamar.  On February 19, Adam Vesely reported Northern Cardinal and Red-bellied Woodpecker at Lamar Community College (LCC) Woods.  On February 19, Ted Floyd reported 2 red-bellied Woodpeckers in Willow Creek neighborhood of Lamar and 3 Northern Cardinal (2m, 1f) at LCCW.
 
SUMMIT COUNTY:
--On February 8, Bushong reported an American Three-toed Woodpecker in the same area, as a flock of Common Redpolls foraging in Water Birch on the south side of Rainbow Lake.
 
WELD COUNTY:
--On February 6, Nick Komar reported 25 Sharp-tailed Grouse and 1 Lapland Longspsur in Grover at CR 136 and CR 99.
--On February 6, Glenn Walbek reported 2 Sharp-tailed Grouse near Raymer on CR 125.
--On February 6, Glenn Walbek reported 2 Sharp-tailed Grouse on CR 136 W of CR 129.
--On February 14, Mlodinow reports and ad ICELAND GULL at Windsor Lake.  It has not been reported as refound. 
--On February 21, Mlodinow reported Mute Swan at Bittersweet Park in Greeley.
--On February 22, Mlodinow reported Red-necked Grebe, Thayer's Gull, and Lesser Black-backed Gull at Black Hollow Reservoir.  On February 23, Sue Riffe repeorted Red-necked Grebe at Black Hollow Reservoir.
--On February 24, Sue Riffe reported Chestnut-collared Longspur and Lapland Longspur near Grover in Pawnee NG.

DFO Field Trips:
The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, February 27 will be to Beebe Draw in Weld County led by Chris Goulart (cgoulart001 AT comcast.net; phone:  586-764-2126)   This trip is full.

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, February 28 will be a Chase Trip led by Chris Rurik (chrisrurik ATgmail.com;  Phone:  253-225-7104).   This trip is full. 

Good Birding,
Joyce Takamine
Boulder

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[cobirds] Interesting Hawk - Ft Collins (Larimer)

Greetings birders,

While driving to work this afternoon, I was on Mountain Ave, close to  the traditional Turkey Vulture roost  of Ft Collins when I briefly saw a large, dark and raptor-like bird with lighter colored secondaries swoop through some trees. I only had glimpse of it but I was certain it was a Turkey Vulture, it looked right, right place, definitely too early but yeah, TV.  Wow! Turkey Vulture! that's crazy, it's still February isn't it, I thought to myself, I quickly pulled over to safely enter an ebird list. There, I saw it again flying to the north being harassed by some Crows. I had a lousy view due to the angle and all the tree tops but it was enough to tell that I was looking at a hawk and not a Turkey Vulture. It's probably just a dark morphed Red-tailed Hawk but I can't get over how much it looked like a Turkey Vulture - I was certain it was - could it have been a Zone-tailed Hawk?

I'm throwing that out there on the slim chance a tropical Zone-tailed Hawk is flying around northern Colorado in February - at least a few more eyes will be looking for it.

David Wade
Ft Collins

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Wednesday, 24 February 2016

[cobirds] SOLD OUT!! Sandhill Crane trip, wrong description

Sorry, I pasted in the description of our JE Canyon Ranch trip, which does not have any room on the wait list.  However, I will take up to 6 on a wait list for the Sandhill Crane trip below. 

I have half-heimers...................Send me an email if you want a place on the wait list:  piombino.pam@gmail.com

CALL OF THE CRANES

SANDHILL CRANE MIGRATION IN KEARNEY, NEBRASKA

 

LEADER:  ALISON HOLLORAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AUDUBON ROCKIES

MARCH 24-MARCH 26.  LIMITED TO 20

Join us to witness and be awed by the mass migration of over 600,000 magnificent Sandhill Cranes.  We have reserved a private blind for our group at the Lillian Rowe Sanctuary on the Platte River in Kearney, NE for Friday morning, at the very height of this iconic bird's passage through their primary staging grounds.  With some luck, we will also find one or more of the 300 Whooping Cranes that also migrate through Nebraska.

On Friday morning, we will make our way in the dark to the blind for an intimate early morning viewing of thousands of Cranes as they leave the Platte River to forage for the day.  Afterwards, we will retreat to our hotel for a hot gourmet breakfast provided by BCAS, a quick rest and then a tour of the Kearney area where as many as 10,000,000 waterfowl of different species, resplendent in their breeding plumages blanket the surrounding ponds and lakes.  Huge flocks of Snow Geese are regularly flushed into a panic by the abundant Bald Eagles.  Wild Turkey are common as are several owl species and we will almost certainly hear the "peenting" call of the American Woodcock.   

Alison's graduate and professional field work has been steeped in the life of the prairie and sage landscapes.  She is a superb birder and a consummate activist.  The base price of $90 includes a gourmet breakfast on Friday morning, blind fees and a donation to Boulder County Audubon.   We will be carpooling from Boulder and staying at the Rodeway Inn in Kearney.  Single king beds are about $75+tax, two queen beds are $71+tax.  I have a block of rooms being held, so the final price will be calculated on whether or not you are sharing a room.

 

 


 


 


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[cobirds] SOLD OUT!! Sandhill Crane trip to Kearney

 I will take 6 people on a wait list.

Thanks to all for their support, Pam

JE CANYON RANCH: 

TWO NIGHTS AT THE NEWEST NATURE CONSERVANCY (TNC) PROPERTY IN SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO

 

Friday- Sunday, MAY 13-15, 2016

 

The nearly 50,000 acre JE Canyon ranch was recently purchased by TNC and the Terra Foundation.  It is bordered on three sides by more than 55 miles of 700 foot deep canyons, including 9 miles of the Purgatoire River and 6 miles of the remote Chacuaco Creek.  The ranch includes important short grass prairie habitat, upland mesas (5,400 feet), red rock canyons, as well as numerous springs and pools.  The ranch includes juniper and pinon forests, with ancient patches of aspen and ponderosa pine.

 

More than 850 species of flora & fauna have been identified, making it one of the most biodiverse ranches in the state which has been well documented by TNC, the Colorado Natural Heritage Program and Denver Botanic Gardens.  JE is one of the most iconic ranches in Colorado, featured in John Fielder's "Ranches of Colorado" and in "Colorado: Lost Places and Forgotten Words."  It is critical habitat for the state's largest population of bighorn sheep as well as elk, mule deer, mountain lion and numerous bird species including a highly important population of the long-billed curlew.

 

$160 per person.  Limited to 14 people, DOUBLE OCCUPANCY ONLY, OR $160 SINGLE PREMIUM.  We will have a pot-luck the first evening and you will be responsible for 3 lunches.  We will provide dinner on Saturday night and two breakfasts.  Please carpool!!  The ranch is a 4.5 hour drive via I-25, then 1 hour on dirt and gravel roads.  Please plan on carpooling!


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[cobirds] Chatfield (Douglas / Jefferson) and a few other notes

The best birding action at Chatfield Reservoir this morning 2/24 was in the South Platte arm of the reservoir, which was roughly half open water, with the ice edge sitting about parallel to the Swim Beach. There was very nice morning viewing from the top of the slope just past the parking lot at the end of the main campground road that leads in past the campground registration building. No real rarities, but it was fun birding and looking at and listening to the weakening ice shelf. A good number of gulls included at least 9 California Gulls (my 1st this season), 1 Lesser Black-backed, 1 Thayer's, about 12 Herring, and over 1000 Ring-billed. Three to five Horned Grebes were new for me at the reservoir this season. A young Bald Eagle flew in and landed on the ice.  A pair of Cinnamon Teal flushed from a pond at the Swim Beach, and a Horned Lark near the parking lot there was a bit out of place. More Horned Larks were at the model air field, where expected, and a male Northern Harrier foraging south of the airfield road was my 1st at Chatfield this season.




Elsewhere in JeffCo...An adult Greater White-fronted Goose continued at Blue Heron Park yesterday 2/23. A handful of Greater Scaup were with Lessers at Hine Lake in Robert A. Easton Regional Park yesterday and today. I looked at Marston Reservoir (Denver) today. It was quite full and had all of just three waterbirds not counting some Canada Geese: 1 Common Goldeneye, 1 Common Merg and 1 Ring-billed Gull. An adult Bald Eagle looked on from its cottonwood perch at the north side.

David Suddjian
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Goldeneye ID

Primarily for Marcia, but as a refresher for others, you might check out the In The Scope entry concerned with ID of some goldeneyes.

http://cobirds.org/CFO/ColoradoBirds/InTheScope/16.pdf

Also as a reminder, the whole In The Scope series can be accessed here.

http://cobirds.org/CFO/Resources/Columns.aspx?id=2

Tony Leukering
Largo, FL

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