Compiler: Ira Sanders Date: February 3, 2012
e-mail: rba AT cfobirds.org phone: 303-659-8750 This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Friday, February 3, 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) White-winged Scoter (Pueblo) Long-tailed Duck (Denver) Barrow's Goldeneye (Garfield, Huerfano) Thayer's Gull (Broomfield, Huerfano, *Larimer) ICELAND GULL (Broomfield, Larimer) Lesser Black-backed Gull (Broomfield, Huerfano, Pueblo, *Larimer) Glaucous Gull(Arapahoe, Broomfield, Pueblo) GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL (Bent, Broomfield, Larimer, Pueblo) Greater Roadrunner (*Jefferson) SNOWY OWL(Adams) Short-eared Owl (Weld) Black Phoebe (Pueblo) VARIED THRUSH (LaPlata) White-throated Sparrow (El Paso, Jackson, Pueblo) Harris's Sparrow (El Paso, Prowers) GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (*Jefferson, Boulder) Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Jackson) Northern Cardinal (*Otero, Pueblo) 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: --Two SNOWY OWL's (first report by Plage January 2) continue to be seen east of Barr Lake in the vicinity of Harvest Rd. between 138th Av and 144th Av thru January 29. Directions: Take Bromley Lane (152nd) east from I-76 and go 2 miles past Piccadilly to Harvest Road. Turn right and go south to 138th. On the 26th, one was seen east of Harvest Rd. between 138th and 144th. When looking for/observing the owls, use common sense: park and observe from the shoulders of public roads; do not obstruct traffic; do not walk or drive into fields; do not go up to people's houses to ask for information or request permission to enter their property (they apparently are growing tired of owl watchers). Arapahoe County: --A 1st cycle Glaucous Gull, first reported by Walbek on January 27, was seen again at Cherry Creek Reservoir on the 28th. Bent County: --On January 31 Duane Nelson had a Great Black-backed Gull at the west end of John Martin Reservoir. Boulder County: --A TRUMPETER SWAN was reported by Mlodinow at Valmont Reservoir on January 15 and is still present as of February 1. --A Glaucous Gull was seen at McIntosh Reservoir by Guarente on January 28. --A Golden-crowned Sparrow continues at the North Teller Farm Trailhead off Valmont Rd through February 1. Broomfield County: --On January 27 Sanders reported an adult ICELAND GULL and adult Lesser Black-backed Gull at Siena Pond (The lake on the north side Sheridan Pkwy east of Lowell Blvd). It was seen again on January 30. --On January 28 at Anthem Ponds also known as Parkside Center, north of Siena Pond on Lowell, Walbek reported an ad. ICELAND GULL, a juv. Glaucous Gull (or Glaucous x Herring), 1 ad. Lesser Black-backed Gull, Thayer's Gull and California Gull. --On February 1, Walbek and Sanders had an adult Thayer's Gull and California Gull at Siena Pond. California Gulls seem to be scarce this winter. Denver County: --A male Long-tailed Duck first reported by Wuerthele at Duck Lake in City Park on November 22 continues to be seen thru January 31. El Paso County: --A White-throated Sparrow was seen at the feeders at Fountain Creek Regional Park by Stuart was seen again on January 28. --A Harris's Sparrow first reported by Teuton at the feeders at Fountain Creek Regional Park was seen again on January 28. Garfield County: --26 Barrow's Goldeneyes were reported by Filby at Coryell Ranch in Carbondale on January 24. Huerfano County: --At Lathrop SP on January 29, the CFO Board had a Barrow's Goldeneye, a 1st winter Thayer's Gull and a 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull. --Rosy-Finches are back at Beverly Jensen's yard in LaVeta. Please call Beverly before going to her house: 719-742-3195 Jackson County: --On February 1 Craig Dodson reports 2 tan morph White-throated Sparrows and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches at the Moose Visitor Center on the west side of Cameron Pass. Jefferson County: --The GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW first reported by Henwood at the Red Rocks Trading Post feeder continues to be seen thru February 3. --A Greater Roadrunner first reported by Roller on Dinosaur Ridge on January 9 was seen again on February 2 along Alameda Pkwy. on the west side of Dinosaur Ridge (aka Dakota hogback). The best times to try for the Roadrunner seem to be on mild, sunny, calm afternoons. LaPlata County: --On January 31 Riley Morris reports a male Varied Thrush is being seen very infrequently at the Durango Fish Hatchery. The two best areas to try for it are: 1) the grassy area behind the DOW office where a Varied Thrush showed up five years ago. 2) Walk through the entrance gate and along the fish raceways until you reach the end of the wooden fence on your left. Look in the open area under the spruce trees, especially by the stumps and logs. This bird is very skittish and often appears seemingly from nowhere, runs around on the ground for 10 or 15 seconds, and disappears back into the spruce trees. Patience is required. Larimer County: --On January 28 a TRUMPETER SWAN was on Cattail Pond. It was seen again by Bol on February 3. -- Skyler Bol reports a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL and a possible 2nd year ICELAND GULL at Horseshoe Lake on February 1 and Thayer's Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull here on February 3. --Komar reports Thayer's Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls at Lake Loveland on February 1. Otero County: --On February 1 Leatherman found a female Northern Cardinal at Timpas SWA south of Rocky Ford (accessed on Road Z w of Otero CR 21. Prowers County: --Leatherman reports the following from Lamar Community College Woods on January 29: 2 Cardinals, 2 Harris's Sparrows, and a Western Scrub-Jay. Pueblo County: --A White-winged Scoter, first reported by Percival on Pueblo Reservoir was still present on January 26 seen from the State Wildlife Area at Pueblo Reservoir reported by Enbody. --1 or 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull (ad), 1 Glaucous Gull (1st cy), 1 Great Black-backed Gull (ad) (thru January 29 by the CFO Board), 1 Thayer's Gull (1st cy), and a Mew Gull (ad) continue to be seen at Pueblo Reservoir on the South Shore Marina tires at least thru January 26 reported by Enbody --One of 2 Black Phoebes reported by Percival at the Pueblo Nature Center, on January 19,was seen again on January 28. --2 White-throated Sparrows reported by Percival, on January 19, west of the Pueblo Nature Center were seen again. on Jan. 30. The Black Phoebes and the White-throated Sparrows were seen along the river, between the Valco Bridge and the Pueblo Nature Center, near the location where the telephone line goes over the dirt trail. This is on the north side of the river. A Northern Cardinal has also been seen near the visitor center thru January 30. Weld County: --A Short-eared Owl was seen by Lefko on WCR 100 at the Wellington SWA on January 27 at dusk. This road is also the Nunn Road and LCR 64. One DFO field trip for Saturday, February 4 is a Northeastern Raptor Tour. Leader: Joey Kellner (303-978-1748). Meet the leader at 0630 at the Division of Wildlife, 6060 North Broadway. Exit I-25 at 58th Av, go west 2 blocks to Broadway, then north 2 blocks to the DOW parking lot.. Bring lunch, water, and snacks for a full day of birding in northeast Colorado. Another DFO field trip for Saturday February 4 is to the South Platte River between 104th and McKay. Leader: Paul Slingsby (303-422-3728).. Bird the South Platte from 104th Av. trailhead to McKay St. with possible extension to 88th Av. Expect to walk 3 miles or more. Meet at 0800 at the Division of Wildlife, 6060 N. Broadway; expect to finish by 1300. Please call leader to register. The DFO field trip for Sunday, February 5 is to Cherry Creek Reservoir Leader: Mary Cay Burger (303-771-3431). Meet leader at 0800 at east entrance to Cherry Creek State Park. This is a half-day trip. State Parks pass required. As an additional note, a Common Crane has been seen near Hall, Nebraska. Good Birding, Ira Sanders -- 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.
