Compiler: Joyce Takamine Date: April 10, 2012 e-mail: rba AT cfobirds.org phone: 303-659-8750
This is the Colorado Rare Birds Alert for Tuesday, April 10, 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 (Larimer) MEXICAN DUCK (Pueblo) Surf Scoter (Bent) Red-necked Grebe (Pueblo) LEAST BITTERN (Fremont) GLOSSY IBIS (Montrose) Dunlin (Weld) RUFF (Yuma) ICELAND GULL (Weld) Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larimer, Weld) White-winged Dove (Boulder) Greater Roadrunner (Huerfano) Black Phoebe (Fremont) Eastern Phoebe (Bent, *Douglas/Jefferson, Fremont) BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW (*Mesa) Sage Sparrow (Boulder) GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (Jefferson, Prowers) 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<http://www.coloradocountybrding.com/index.php> Bent County: --An ad male Surf Scoter and Eastern Phoebe were reported by Peterson near the dam at John Martin Reservoir on March 31. On April 1, Jones reported an Eastern Phoebe below the dam. Boulder County: --A singing White-winged Dove was reported by Pieplow in the Gunbarrel area of Boulder on April 5. Directions: Take Jay Road east from the Diagonal Hwy, go north on Spine, turn right at the third intersection onto White Rock Circle. Drive about 2 blocks to where the road begins curving left and a park appears on the right. Park in the area. The bird was singing from the top of a cottonwood tree along the stream that form the southern border of the park --A Sage Sparrow was reported by Floyd at the dam at Stearns Lake in Boulder County on April 7. The sparrow was seen again on April 8 by Gent. Douglas/Jefferson County: ----An Eastern Phoebe was reported by Kibbe at "Phoebe Bridge" near the mouth of Plum Creek at Chatfield State Park on March 28. On March 29, Prickett reported a pair of Eastern Phoebes at Phoebe Bridge. On March 31, Bob Spencer reported seeing one Eastern Phoebe and later his son saw the pair of Eastern Phoebes at Phoebe Bridge. On April 7, Kingery reported two Eastern Phoebes at Kingfisher Bridge at Chatfield. On April 9, Kibbe reported both pairs of Eastern Phoebes at their respective bridges at Chatfield. Fremont County: --Black Phoebes were reported by Moss at Florence River Park and below the MacKenzie Ave bridge in Canon City on April 2. --At Holcim Wetlands on April 8, Mlodinow reported hearing a singing LEAST BITTERN. --Black and Eastern Phoebes were reported by Mlodinow at Florence River Park on April 8. Huerfano County: --A Greater Roadrunner was reported by Neldner at Lathrop SP on April 5. Jefferson County: --The GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW at Red Rocks Trading Post feeders continued to be seen through April 3, as reported by Henwood. Larimer County: --The TRUMPETER SWAN at Duck Lake was reported by Komar on April 8. Directions: Take Windsor Exit from I-25 (Exit 262), go west on CR 32 (Carpenter Road) 2 miles and pull over to view the lake on the left side. Beware of high-speed traffic. Mesa County: --A singing BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW was reported by Arnold in Devils Kitchen in Colorado National Monument on April 9. Montrose County: --A GLOSSY IBIS was reported by Dexter at a farm pond 1/2 mile west of Nucla on Fifth Ave just east of the sewer lagoons on April 5. Prowers County: --An imm GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW was reported by Ashby at Lamar Community College Woods on April 8. Pueblo County: --A breeding plumaged Red-necked Grebe was reported by Mlodinow at Pueblo Reservoir near the east end on April 8. --On April 8, Mlodinow reported that the MEXICAN DUCK continues at Pueblo City Park. Weld County: --A basic plumaged Dunlin was reported by Kellner on CR 59 south of Hwy 34 on April 1. --On April 1, Mlodinow reported 1 ad ICELAND GULL and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (1-st cyc) circling above St Vrain SP. --A Lesser Black-backed Gull was reported by Mlodinow at Timnath Reservoir on April 1. --A Lesser Black-backed Gull was reported by Mlodinow at Union Reservoir on April 1. Yuma County: --A REEVE (female RUFF) was reported by Ashby at Bonny Reservoir on April 8. It was seen from the dam with a flock of shorebirds. Upcoming DFO Field Trips: The DFO trip for Saturday, April 14 will be a Photography Workshop to Mary Carter Greenway in Littleton. Leader Lee Farrell (303-932-7859 or lee_farrell At comcast.net to register (limit 8 photographers). Meet at 0700 at Carson Nature Center parking lot, located just northeast of the park-n-ride at Santa Fe and Mineral. Off Mineral, one block west of Santa Fe, take South Plate River Parkway (a stop light) north one block to stop sign. At stop sign turn left (west) on West Carson Drive to the parking lot. A 4 hour hike along the east side of the South Platte River, practicing bird photography with an emphasis on developing on-the wing-shooting skills, an SLR camera with 300mm or greater lens is recommended. Expect a 3 to 4 mile hike, much of it over maintained trails, attendees should be comfortable hiking similar distances. Wear hiking boots, bring water and snacks. The DFO field trip for Thursday April 19 will be to Heron Rookeries led by Mary Cay Burger (303-771-3431). Meet at 0900 at the Parker Water & Sanitation NORTH Water Reclamation Facility, 18100 E. Woodman Dr., Parker. This is on the NorthWest corner of C-470 and Parker Rd. Woodman Dr is the first stop light north of C470. We will observe a heron rookery along Cherry Creek. Then we will drive Parker Rd into Denver to see the Rookery in Denver City Park near the zoo. Compare and Contrast. Colonial nesters. Bring a scope if you have one. Bring lunch to eat in City Park. Half day trip until about 2pm. Good Birding, Joyce Takamine -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.