Compiler: Mary Driscoll Date: January 17, 2012 e-mail: [email protected] phone: 303-659-8750 This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, January 17, 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) TRUMPETER SWAN (Boulder, Larimer) TUNDRA SWAN (Boulder, Larimer) White-winged Scoter (Pueblo) Long-tailed Duck (Denver) Barrow's Goldeneye (Adams, Garfield, Morgan, Summit) Turkey Vulture (Montezuma) Thayer's Gull (Boulder, Broomfield, Jefferson, Larimer, Morgan) ICELAND GULL (*BROOMFIELD) Lesser Black-backed Gull (Boulder, Broomfield, Morgan) GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (*Broomfield) Glaucous Gull (*Broomfield, Douglas/Jefferson, Morgan) GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL (*Broomfield) Greater Roadrunner (Jefferson) SNOWY OWL (Adams) Swamp Sparrow (Mesa) White-throated Sparrow (El Paso) Harris's Sparrow (El Paso, *Jefferson) GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (*Jefferson) Lapland Longspur (El Paso, Weld) Snow Bunting (Pueblo) Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (*Jefferson, Teller, Weld, Summit) Black Rosy-Finch (Huerfano,*Jefferson, Montrose, Teller) PURPLE FINCH (*BOULDER) Common Redpoll (Logan) Please note, detailed directions to most of the following locations can be found on the Colorado County Birding Website:http://www.coloradocountybirding.com/index.php Adams County: --A drake Barrow's Goldeneye was reported by Trinker on the Platte River just south of 88th Ave. in Thornton, January 15. Use parking area at Colo. Blvd. and 88th. --A SNOWY OWL was found by Peter Plage on the Barr Lake CBC on January 2. Directions: Take Bromley Lane (152nd) east from I-76 and go 2 miles past Piccadilly to Harvest Road. Turn right and go south to 144th. On January 15, Gonder reported the young SNOWY OWL could be seen from 138th Ave and Harvest Rd, it was well camouflaged against the grass along a fence line. Boulder County: --A TRUMPTER SWAN was reported by Mlodinow at Valmont Reservoir on January 15. --A TUNDRA SWAN was reported by Kaempfer at Valmont Reservoir on January 7. --1 Lesser Black Backed Gull (2nd yr), 2 Thayer's Gulls, (ad. and 2nd yr.) were reported by Mlodinow at McIntosh Reservoir on January 15. --1-2 POSSIBLE PURPLE FINCHES were reported by Guarente on January 16, from Hall Ranch Open Space in Lyons. Two of them were House Finch sized with lots of wide streaking on the chest, a huge light-colored eyestripe that widened dramatically behind the eye, and a heavy House-finch-like beak. I never saw the undertail or wing projections to get any more data on it. The birds were hanging out very low to the ground, which doesn't seem very finch-like, but I am certain they were finches. I am pretty certain after coming home and listening to calls on xeno-canto.org that these birds were Purple Finches, but have some reservations. The bird's calls sounded most like the California subspecies of Purple Finch, but the patterning, especially the eyestripe seemed more consistent with the nominate (Eastern) subspecies. The calls were presumably calls between the flocking birds (other finches, but not seen well) and they sounded very much like the double call note heard in this recording (the third call note in the recording): Broomfield County: --On January 14, Mlodinow reported 2 Thayer's Gulls (1 ad, 1 juv), and a juvenile ICELAND GULL at Siena Pond. On January 16, King reported a darker adult Kummlein's ICELAND GULL at Siena Pond. (The small lake off Sheridan Prky. near Lowell Blvd.) On Januay 16, Kaempfer reported 1 (1st. cy) GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, 1 (1st. cy.) Glaucous Gull, and 1 (1st. cy) GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL at Siena Pond. On January 9, Filby reported 6 Thayer's Gulls (2 ad, 4 juv), 2 Glaucous Gulls (1ad, 1 imm) and 1 ad Lesser Black-backed Gull. Siena Pond is at Sheridan Parkway & Lowell Blvd. --On January 15 at Anthem Ponds, Mark Miller reported 3 Thayer's Gull, (1st cy) a (1st cy) ICELAND GULL, and a (1st cy) Glaucous Gull. On January 7, Mlodinow reported 7 Thayer's Gulls (2 ad, 4 juv, 1 2-nd cyc), 2 Glaucous Gulls (both 1-st winter) at Anthem Ranch Pond. On January 9, Filby reported 4 Thayer's Gulls (3 ad, 1 juv) and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (3 rd winter). Denver County: --A female type Long-Tailed Duck was reported by Wuerthele at Duck Lake in City Park on November 22 and was relocated by Dunning on January 9. El Paso County: --A White-throated Sparrow was seen at the feeders at Fountain Creek Regional Park by Stuart on January 14. --A Harris Sparrow was reported by Teuton at the feeders at Fountain Creek Regional Park on January 3. The Harris's Sparrow returned to the feeder for Barnes on January 15. --All 3 species of Longspurs were reported by Peterson on Tamlin Road east of Colorado Springs on January 8. They were near where road goes from paved to dirt. Garfield County: --25 Barrow's Goldeneyes (including 7 ad m) were reported by Filby at Coryell Ranch in Carbondale on January 14. Huerfano County: --Once again the Rosy-Finches have returned to the yard of Beverly Jensen in La Veta on January 8. Please contact her at [email protected]. Jefferson County: --Henwood reported that the GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW was seen early Monday morning on the flat rock just to the left of the upper apple tree, on January 16 at Red Rocks Trading Post, and continues there on January 17. --Henwood reports that 30 Rosy Finches, four species, including at least one Black are present at Red Rocks Trading Post today on January 17. --At Bear Creek Lake Park, Boat launch area, Henwood reported 2 Harris's Sparrows (1ad, 1 1-st winter) on December 5. On January 16, Henwood re-found both Harris's Sparrows, they were not together today, but were in separate smaller flocks, in the boat launch area. --A Greater Roadrunner was reported by Roller on Dinosaur Ridge on January 9. On January 14, Roller and 7 other birders had great views of the Greater Roadrunner on Dinosaur Ridge. Then the bird put on a real show! It foraged on the slope, sunned itself from atop a rocky outcropping, took a couple of flaps and glided across the road (quite near us) to the grassy hillside below the road, but not down to Morrison Road. The group observed the bird for 45 minutes or longer. Larimer County: --On the Loveland CBC on January 1, Komar reported TUNDRA and TRUMPETER SWAN on Cattail Pond. On January 7, the Such boys refound the TRUMPETER SWAN at Cattail Pond and reported 1 ad Thayer's Gull at Lon Hagler Reservoir. On January 14, Duarte reported The TRUMPETER SWAN was just south of Cattail Pond at Ryan Gulch Reservoir on the south side of the res. in the afternoon. Montezuma County: --Turkey Vultures have returned to Cortez on January 8 according to Dennis Garrison's sister. Morgan County: --At Jackson Reservoir on January 8, Mlodinow reported 1 m Barrow's Goldeneye, 11 Thayer's Gulls (9 ad, 2 imm), 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (1 ad, 1 3-rd cyc), and 1 imm Glaucous Gull. Montrose County: --38 Black and 1 Brown-capped Rosy-Finches were reported by Cooper on Hwy 92 south of the crossing of Crystal Creek near Maher on January 7. Pueblo County: --A White-winged Scoter was reported by Percival on Pueblo Reservoir late in the afternoon, on January 12. It was seen well from the State Wildlife Area old boat ramp, looking back east toward West Fisherman's Point. Probably can be seen from either location if the light is good. Summit County: --11 Barrow's Goldeneye (5 M, 6 F) were reported by Nims at the Blue River Water Treatment Plant on January 14. --200+ Rosy-Finches were reported by Nims at the top of North Peak at Keystone Ski Resort on January 14. Largest number were Brown-capped, but there were at least 2 Gray-crowned. Teller County: --200+ Rosy-Finches, the bulk of the group were Gray-crowned, a few Brown-capped, and 1 Black-capped, were reported by Goff in Divide, on January 12. Directions: Go west on US-24 out of Woodland Park toward Divide. Just before you get to Divide there is a stop light at the entrance to the Meadow Park subdivision. Turn right into the subdivision, go around the traffic circle. Take the second left on Allison Place and go to the end. The Rosy-finches were in the trees all around the cul-de-sac. One house has a feeder on its deck and the deck and roof of that house were covered with them. Weld County: --50 Gray-crowned Rosy-finches were reported by Bell in the dry bed of Cow Creek where it crosses WCR 128, about 10 miles east of I-25 and 5 miles south of the Wyoming border, on January 14. The DFO field trip for Saturday January 21 Rocky Mountain Arsenal Leader: Urling Kingery Meet the leader at 8:30 am at the new visitor center at the Arsenal. Take I-70 to QuebecStreet. Follow north on Quebec Street approx 2.8 miles to Prairie Parkway (64th turns into Prairie Parkway).Turn right at Prairie Parkway and travel .6 miles to Gateway Road. Turn left at Gateway Road; continue on Gateway Road until you pass through the Refuge Entrance and the Visitor Center will be on the crest of the hill. We"ll be hoping for wonderful winter raptors and we"ll have a chance to view the new visitor center. This trip has limits on the number of participants, so please register early to assure yourself a spot. Please call Urling to register 303.814.2723. The DFO field trip for Sunday January 22 Cherry Creek State Park Leader: Karen vonSaltza Meet leader at 8:30am at the west marina for a half day trip. Marina is inside the park's west entrance. Entrance is across from Cherry Creek HS. From Belleview and Yosemite go east on Belleview until you reach the park entrance. Birding until about noon. We'll start on the west side scoping the birds on the reservoir, look for raptors within the park, and move around to the east side for another view of the reservoir and birding in the treed area. There is always the possibility for some exciting rarities here. Bring warm clothes, scopes if you have them, water, a snack. If questions or questionable weather, please call the leader the night before 303.368.9961 Good Birding, Mary Driscoll Unincorp. Arapahoe County -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
