Date: December 28, 2018
Compiler: Joyce Takamine
This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Friday, December 28, sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists.
Rare, out of place and out of season species include:
(*) indicates new information on this species; CAPITAL LETTERS are used for very rare species, as listed by the Colorado Bird Records Committee,
Observers have been diligent in reporting sightings on COBirds - thanks! Please check there for updates.
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE (Weld)
Snow Goose (Adams, Arapahoe)
Ross's Goose (Arapahoe)
Brant (Weld)
Wood Duck (*Montrose)
Black Scoter (*Arapahoe, Jefferson)
Long-tailed Duck (Weld)
Barrow's Goldeneye (*Eagle, Mesa, Pueblo)
Greater Roadrunner (*El Paso)
Black-legged Kittiwake (*Larimer)
Bonaparte's Gull (Pueblo)
Mew Gull (Adams)
Iceland Gull (Adams, Arapahoe, Kiowa, *Larimer)
SLATY-BACKED GULL (Larimer)
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Larimer)
Glaucous Gull (*Larimer)
Great Black-backed Gull (Adams, Araphaoe, Larimer, *Pueblo)
Green Heron (Pueblo)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Pueblo)
Northern Goshawk (*Arapahoe, El Paso)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Boulder)
GYRFALCON (*Larimer)
Lewis's Woodpecker (La Plata)
Vermillion Flycatcher (Boulder)
Bushtit (Mesa)
Winter Wren (Jefferson, *Teller)
SEDGE WREN (Eagle)
Hermit Thrush (La Plata)
Gray Catbird (Yuma)
Northern Mockingbird (Boulder)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (El Paso)
Black Rosy-Finch (El Paso)
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (El Paso)
Common Redpoll (*Routt)
Pine Siskin (Kiowa)
Lapland Longspur (Arapahoe)
Field Sparrow (El Paso)
Fox Sparrow (Red) (Kiowa, Yuma)
Lincoln's Sparrow (Mesa)
Swamp Sparrow (Kiowa, Weld)
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Yuma)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Larimer)
Palm Warbler (Boulder)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (La Plata)
ADAMS COUNTY:
---On December 22 at Barr Lake SP, Ira Sanders and Reed Gorner reported 1-st yr Great Black-backed Gull. On December 24 at Barr Lake SP, Steve Mlodinow reported Snow Goose, Mew Gull, and Iceland (Thayer's) Gull.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
---On December 24 at Aurora Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow and Sean Walters reported 5 Snow Geese, 2 Ross's Geese, 3 Iceland (Thayer's) Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, and Lapland Longspur.
---On December 27 at South Platte Reservoir, Charlie Chase reported Black Scoter which was first seen on December 20.
---On December 27 at S Platte River – Northern Wildlife Area to West Bowles Ave, Brian Johnson reported juv Northern Goshawk.
BOULDER COUNTY:
---On December 21 a Palm Warbler was reported by Luke Pheneger at Longmont Wastewater Treatment Ponds. On December 22 at Longmont Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ron Podhajsky reported Palm Warbler.
---On December 18 the male Vermillion Flycatcher was seen again at Walden Ponds, having been here since mid-November. On December 22 at Cottonwood Marsh, Chris Friedman reported Vermilion Flycatcher. On December 24 at Walden Ponds, Kevin Rutherford reported Vermilion Flycatcher. On December 26 at Walden Ponds/Cottonwood Marsh, Chris Owens and Chris Gilbert reported Vermilion Flycatcher.
---On December 23 on Centennial Trail—Dimmitt Drive to Old Tale Road, Leslie S reported Northern Mockingbird.
---On December 24 on Coal Creek on E side of Dutch Creek Park near Chestnut in Louisville, Ryan Bushong reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
EAGLE COUNTY:
---On December 25 at Lake Creek Village Wetlands, Eric Culbertson reported continuing SEDGE WREN.
---On December 27 at Seven Castle in Basalt, Louise Glaser reported 8 Barrow's Goldeneyes (2m, 6 f).
EL PASO COUNTY:
---On December 19 through December 21 at Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Jim Merritt reported Field Sparrow.
---On December 21 at Rainbow Gulch Trail, Terence Berger, David and John Marvin reported 300 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, 5 Black Rosy-Finch, and 8 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch on shoreline of Rampart Reservoir. On December 25 at Rainbow Gulch Trail, James McCall reported Northern Goshawk and Tyler Stewart reported 150 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, 1 Black Rosy-Finch, and 3 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch. On Decemeber 26 at Rainbow Gulch Trail, Tyler Wilson reported 39 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, 6 Gray-crowned (Hepburn's) Rosy-Finch, 7 Black Rosy-Finch, 20 Brown-caped Rosy-Finch.
---On December 27 on Hanover Road, David Marvin reported Greater Roadrunner.
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
---On December 20 at Bear Creek Greenbelt – S Kipling Pkwy to S Wadsworth, Tom Wilberding reported Winter Wren about .5 mile east of Estes, 300 ft east of beaver dam. On December 21 at Bear Creek Greenbelt, Timothy Burkhardt reported Winter Wren. On December 22 at Bear Creek Greenbelt, Michael Lester reported Winter Wren.
---On December 25 at South Platte Reservoir Southwest Bay, Joey Kellner and Crystal Wilson reported Black Scoter.
KIOWA COUNTY:
---On December 22 at Neegronda Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported 3 Iceland (Thayer's) Gulls, and 22 Pine Siskins.
---On December 22 at Upper Queens/Neeskah Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported Swamp Sparrow and Fox (Red) Sparrow.
LA PLATA COUNTY:
—On December 23 at Animas River – Huck Finn Pond & Hatchery area, Susan Allerton reported 2 Lewis's Woodpeckers, Hermit Thrush, and Yellow-rumped Warbler. On December 24, on Animas River – Huck Finn Pond & Hatchery area, Ryan Votta reported Lewis's Woodpecker and Hermit Thrush. On December 25 on Animas River –Huck Finn Pond & Hatchery Area, Ryan Votta reported Hermit Thrush.
LARIMER COUNTY:
—On December 14 through 18 an (imm) dark-phase GYRFALCON was seen off and on along W Trilby Rd and from Taft Hill Rd (where parking is not safe) & over the Larimer County Landfill. On the 13th it was reported at the landfill by Nick Komar. If you visit the landfill, be sure to check in at one of the pay windows (or the main office) & park as directed. On December 20 the GYRFALCON was seen on W Trilby on S side of road on brown metal pole between Shields and Taft Hill Rd by Ray and Joan Galbach. On December 21 the GYRFALCON was reported by Sarah Spotten, Sue Riffe, and Tom Hall flying over Trilby Rd close to Hidden Springs Rd and heading SW over the ridge. On December 22 the GYRFALCON was see by Walter Wehtje and Nick Komar on tall power poles along Triby east of Taft Hill and it later flew to a low post east of Taft Hill and found by Komar. On December 23 the GYRFALCON was reported by Georgia Goyle and Chery Teuton near Trilby and Taft but it flew. Peter Burke managed to get a flight shot but did not tell us the location. On December 24 from gate of Larimer County Landfill, Deb Carstensen and Ed Secor reported scoping the GYRFALCON eating prey. On December 27 at Larimer County Landfill, Andy Bankert reported that the GYRFALCON flew by and then perched on one of the tall power poles on Trilby.
---On December 18 a Great Black-backed Gull was reported at the Larimer County Landfill by Steve Mlodinow. On December 20 a Great Black-backed Gull was reported by Scott Somershoe and Alec Hopping at 2751 – 2889 W Trilby Road. On December 21 at Larimer County Landfill, David Ely, Matt Hofeditz, and Dave Leatherman reported 8 Iceland (Thayer's) Gull, SLATY-BACKED GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, Glaucous Gull, and imm Great Black-backed Gull. On December 22 at Larimer County Landfill, Doug Kibbe, Elaine Wagner, and Mackenzie Goldthwaite reported Iceland Gull (Thayer's) and Great Black-backed Gull. On December 23 at Larimer County Landfill, David Ely and Loch Kilpatrick reported SLATY-BACKED GULL. On December 24 at Larimer County Landfill, Andy Bankert reported Glaucous Gull. On December 26 at Larimer County Landfill, Sue Riffe, Shawn Ashbaugh, and Josh Bruening reported SLATY-BACKED GULL, Glaucous Gull, 3 Iceland (Thayer's) Gulls, and Great Black-backed Gull. On December 27 at the Larimer County Landfill, Andy Bankert reported Glaucous Gull.
---On December 23 in afternoon, Nick Komar and Tim Smart reported ad SLATY-BACKED GULL at Horsetooth Reservoir opposite Dixon Dam.
---On December 23 at Four Corners Bison Pens, Nick Komar and Tim Smart reported Brown-headed Cowbird.
---On December 24 at Horsetooth Reservoir opposite Spring Canyon Dam, Nick Komar and Peter Burke reported juv Black-legged Kittiwake and many other birders were able to see it. On December 25 at Horsetooth Reservoir opposite Spring Canyon Dam, Nick Komar reported that the juv Black-legged Kittiwake continues and many birders were able to see it. On December 26 at Horsetooth Reservoir, opposite Spring Canyon Dam, Joe Mammoser, Dave Leatherman, and Sue Riffe reported Black-legged Kittiwake and Alec Hopping and Ira Sanders reported the kittiwake at 3105 Centennial Dr. On December 27 at Horsetooth Reservoir, Marcel Such, Nick Komar, Josh Bruening, Christine Sparks and Irene Fortune reported Black-legged Kittiwake.
---On December 26 at 2401 W Trilby Rd, Ira Sanders reported Iceland (Thayer's) Gull, Glaucous Gull, and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls.
---On December 26 at Gyrfalcon Stakeout, Chris Gilbert reported Great Black-backed Gull.
---On December 26 at Warren Lake, Nick Komar reported SLATY-BACKED GULL, 3 Iceland (Thayer's) Gull, and Glaucous Gull.
MESA COUNTY:
---On December 23 at Grand Junction Wildlife Area, Mike Henwood reported pair of Barrow's Goldeneye, 10 Bushtit in SE corner, and Lincoln's Sparrow.
MONTROSE COUNTY:
---On December 25 at Baldridge and Ute Parks, Betty Fenton reported Wood Duck. On December 27 at Baldridge and Ute Parks, Betty Fenton Reported m Wood Duck.
PUEBLO COUNTY:
---On December 22 on Arkansas River Trail – east of Pueblo Blvd, Pueblo, David Fries reported 2 Barrow's Goldeneye, and flyby Black-crowned Night-Heron.
---On December 24 on Arkansas River Trail – East of Pueblo Blvd, Pueblo, David Fries reported Green Heron foraging on N shore of river before flying off.
---On December 25 at Pueblo Reservoir South Marina, Alan Ketcham reported Great Black-backed Gull and 3 Bonaparte's Gull. On December 27 at Pueblo Reservoir, South Marina, David and John Marvin reported Great Black-backed Gull.
ROUTT COUNTY:
---On December 27 south of Clark, Hwy 131/CR 56, Tom Litteral passed along a reported of Common Redpoll.
TELLER COUNTY:
---On December 23 at Manitou Lake, Scott Shaum reported Winter Wren. On December 27 at Manitour Lake, Scott Shaum reported Winter Wren.
WELD COUNTY:
---On December 12 through 18 the PINK-FOOTED GOOSE continued at Frederick Lake (Milavec Reservoir) & Recreation Area, where it has been among a diverse gaggle of goose species and hybrids. It was first reported by Steve Mlodinow at Idaho Creek Open Space on Dec 11. This would be a first state record if approved by the CBRC. On December 19 at Frederick Lake (Milavec Reservoir) & Recreation Area, the PINK-FOOTED GOOSE and Long-tailed Duck were reported by several birders. On December 20 at Frederick Lake (Milavec Reservoir) & Recreation Area, the PINK-FOOTED GOOSE and Long-tailed Duck were seen again by several birders. On December 21 at Frederick Lake (Milavec Reservoir) & Recreation Area, the PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, Long-tailed Duck, and Brant were seen by several birders. On December 22 an eagle scatter the geese early on Frederick Lake so it was found at a field SW of intersection of CR 17 and CR 16 by Paul Hurtado and at 7000-7998 CR 19 by Mike Hearell and Taylor Abbot. The PINK-FOOTED GOOSE returned to Frederick Lake later and also seen were Long-tailed Duck and 2 Swamp Sparrows. On December 23 at Frederick Lake (Milavec Reservoir) & Recreation Area, Michelle Puplava, Alison Hixon and Andy Bankert reported Long-tailed Duck and Swamp Sparrow. On December 24 at Frederick Lake (Milavec Reservoir) & Recreation Area, Riley and Heather Morris and many other birders reported PINK-FOOTED GOOSE and Long-tailed Duck. On December 25 at Frederick Lake (Milavec Reservoir) & Recreation Area, Steve Mlodinow and others reported Long-tailed Duck. On December 26 at Frederick Lake (Milavec Reservoir) & Recreation Area, Scott And Andrew Schaum reported PINK-FOOTED GOOSE and Long-tailed Duck.
---On December 22 at CR7 gravel pits, Phillip McNichols reported 4 Long-tailed Duck.
YUMA COUNTY:
---On December 21 at CR-2 between CR-C and US 385, Joey Kellner and Kathy Mihm Dunning reported 2 Yellow-headed Blackbird on Bonny CBC.
---On December 21 at Bonny SWA, Berm Area, Joey Kellner and Kathy Mihm Dunning reported Fox Sparrow (red) and Gray Catbird on Bonny CBC.
DFO Field Trips...trip details are at the DFO website: DFObirds.org
No DFO trips are scheduled until December 27, but the Christmas Bird Count season is upon us, through Jan 5, 2019.
Saturday (12/29/2018)
Cortez
Douglas County
Great Sand Dunes NP
Greeley
Westcliffe
Monday (12/31/2018)
Barr Lake
Rawhide Energy Station
Tuesday (01/01/2019)
Denver (Urban)
Grand Mesa
Loveland
Friday (01/04/2019)
Air Force Academy
Flagler
Saturday (01/05/2019)
Black Forest
Dotsero
Eagle Valley
Hotchkiss
Lake Isabel
Sterling
To sign up for Christmas Bird Counts, contact the compiler soon.
Good birding,
Joyce Takamine
Boulder
