Compiler: Joyce Takamine
e-mail: RBA AT cobirds.org
Date: December 31, 2016
This is the Rare Bird Alert for Saturday, December 31, sponsored by Denver
Field Ornithologists and the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies.
Highlight species include: (* indicates new information on this species)
NOTE: The RBA is using the new AOU checklist, & the order of families has
changed.
BRANT (Adams, Arapahoe)
Trumpeter Swan (Adams, Douglas, El Paso, *Jefferson, Mesa)
Tundra Swan (Boulder, Chaffee, El Paso, *Larimer)
EURASIAN WIGEON (Fremont)
Surf Scoter (Arapahoe)
White-winged Scoter (Arapahoe, Pueblo)
Black Scoter (*Arapahoe)
Long-tailed Duck (Adams, Arapahoe, Chaffee, Larimer)
Barrow's Goldeneye (Adams, Arapahoe, Chaffee, *Garfield, Summit)
Sharp-tailed Grouse (Weld)
Red-necked Grebe (Boulder)
White-winged Dove (Prowers)
Greater Roadrunner (Baca)
Sandhill Crane (Fremont)
Dunlin (Denver CBC)
PURPLE SANDPIPER (*Summit)
Bonaparte's Gull (Bent, Douglas)
Mew Gull (Arapahoe, Denver)
Thayer's Gull (Arapahoe, Douglas)
ICELAND GULL (Arapahoe)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Adams, *Arapahoe, Boulder)
Glaucous Gull (*Arapahoe)
Great Black-backed Gull (*Arapahoe)
Red-throated Loon (Douglas, Mesa)
Pacific Loon (Arapahoe, Bent)
Turkey Vulture (Costilla)
Lewis's Woodpecker (*El Paso)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (El Paso, Larimer, Prowers)
Red-naped Sapsucker (Boulder)
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Baca)
Eastern Phoebe (Arapahoe)
Chihuahuan Raven (Baca)
Winter Wren (Adams, Baca)
Bewick's Wren (*Fremont)
Curve-billed Thrasher (Baca)
Varied Thrush (Logan)
Gray Catbird (Boulder, Larimer)
Northern Mockingbird (Boulder, Denver)
Bohemian Waxwing (Boulder, Routt)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Boulder, Delta, Denver CBC, Pitkin, Routt, San
Miguel)
Black Rosy-Finch (Boulder, Denver, CBC, Pitkin, San Miguel)
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (Boulder, Delta,Denver, CBC, Pitkin, San Miguel)
Common Redpoll (Grand)
Lapland Longspur (Douglas, Routt)
Ovenbird (Bent)
Pine Warbler (Prowers)
Green-tailed Towhee (Mesa)
Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Baca, *Fremont)
Canyon Towhee (Baca, *Fremont)
Grasshopper Sparrow (Denver CBC)
Lincoln's Sparrow (Larimer, Otero)
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Otero)
Northern Cardinal (Baca, Bent)
Yellow-headed Blackbird (*Denver)
Rusty Blackbird (Weld)
Great-tailed Grackles (Bent, Chaffee)
Brown-headed Cowbird (El Paso)
*****For directions to unfamiliar locations (e.g. "Lower Latham"), please
refer to CFO's Colorado County Birding site: www.coloradocountybirding.org
ADAMS COUNTY:
---On December 13 at Hidden Lake, Chris Rurik reported a Black BRANT.
Hidden Lake is almost entirely private. You may scope the lake from
Sheridan on the west end or park at the baseball field on the east end.
All other access points are open only to residents.
On December 18, Chris Gilbert reported BRANT at Hidden Lake. On December
19, Loch Kilpatrick and Ben Sampson reported BRANT at Hidden Lake. On
December 21, Gabriel Wiltse reported BRANT on NW side of Hidden Lake and
Lesser Black-backed Gull.
---On December 18, Steve Mlodinow reported Winter Wren on South Platte
River around 74th Ave area.
---On December 24 at Rocky Mt Arsenal NWR, Lower Derby Lake, William and
Peter Van Dyke reported 2 Long-tailed Ducks.
---On December 26, Susan Rosine reported Trumpeter Swan at Rocky Mt Arsenal
NWR.
---On December 26 on South Platte River at 88th Ave, Cyndy Johnson and Kiki
Widjaja reported 3 Barrow's Goldeneyes (2m, 1f) near the green tank.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
---On December 9 at Aurora Reservoir, Glenn Walbek and Kathy Mihm Dunning
reported 2 Mew Gulls (1 ad, 1 1-st cyc), 2 Thayer's Gulls, ICELAND GULL
(probably Cherry Creek gull), 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (ad), and
Glaucous Gull. On December 10 at Aurora Reservoir, Glenn Walbek and David
Dowell reported 1 f-type Surf Scoter, 2 f-type White-winged Scoters, 1
Long-tailed Ducks, 1 Barrow's Goldeneye, 1 1-st-cyc Mew Gull, 6 Thayer's
Gulls, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 1 Glaucous Gull. On December 22 at
Aurora Reservoir, David Dowell reported 2 White-winged Scoters, Long-tailed
Duck, 5 Thayer's Gulls, 2 ICELAND GULLS, 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and
Great Black-backed Gull. On December 26 at Aurora Reservoir, Gene
Rutherford report imm Thayer's Gull, ad ICELAND GULL, 3 Lesser Black-backed
Gulls and Great Black-backed Gull. On December 27 at Aurora Reservoir,
Glenn Walbek reported 2 White-winged Schoters (1 f, 1 juv), Long-tailed
Duck, 5 Thayer's Gulls, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (3 ad, 1 3rd-cyc) and 1
1-st cyc Great Black-backed Gull. On December 28 at Aurora Reservoir, Loch
Kilpatrick, Matt Hofeditz and Chris Wood reported 2 White-winged Scoters,
Mew Gull Thayer's Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great
Black-backed Gull. On December 30 at Aurora Reservoir, Kyle Hawley
reported 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Glaucous Gull, and Great Black-backed
Gull and Tracy and Luke Pheneger reported Black Scoter.
---On December 11, Steve Stachowiak reported at 1-st winter f-type Black
Scoter in the NE corner of South Platte Reservoir. The scoter was seen by
several birders. On December 11, Bill Kaempfer reported that a Long-tailed
Duck had joined the Black Scoter at South Platte Reservoir. On December
12, David Suddjian, Charles Lawrence, and Thomas Holub reported Black
Scoter at South Platte Reservoir and David Suddjian reported that the
Long-tailed Duck had moved to Blackrock Lake in the park. On December 13,
David Suddjian and many other birders reported Black Scoter and Long-tailed
Duck at South Platte Reservoir. On December 13, David Suddjian reported a
Long-tailed Duck on Blackrock Lake. On December 14, at South Platte
Reservoir, DuWayne Worthington reported Black Scoter and Long-tailed Duck.
On December 14, Tina Jones reported Long-tailed Duck on Blackrock Lake in
South Platte Park. On December 15, Peter Gent reported f-type Black Scoter
and f Long-tailed Duck at South Platte Reservoir and f Long-tailed Ducks at
Blackrock Lake. On December 16, Norm Lewis and Tom Wilberding reported
Black Scoter at South Platte Reservoir. On December 21, Diane Roberts
reported Black Scoter and Long-tailed Duck at South Platte Reservoir. On
December 23, Joey Kellner and Diane Roberts reported Black Scoter and
Long-tailed Ducks at South Platte Reservoir. On December 26, Chris Wood
and Jessie Berry reported 1 imm f Long-tailed Ducks at South Platte
Reservoir and C Warneke reported Black Scoter. On December 27, Dan Belter
reported 2 f-type Black Scoters at South Platte Reservoir. On December 28,
David Suddjian reported Long-tailed Duck at South Platte Reservoir.
---On December 18 Ben Sampson reported Eastern Phoebe on South Platte River
Northern Wildlife Area from W Bowles Ave. Take the Lee Gulch Trail.
---On December 23, Meg Reck reported BRANT at Aurora Reservoir.
BACA COUNTY:
---On December 26 on Cottonwood Canyon Loop 1, Steve Mlodinow reported
Greater Roadrunner, 2 Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Winter Wren, 18 Canyon
Towhees and pair of Northern Cardinals. On December 26 on Cottonwood
Canyon Loop 2, Steve Mlodinow reported 2 Greater Roadrunners, 4
Curve-billed Thrashers, 25 Canyon Towhees, and 5 Rufous-crowned Sparrows.
---On December 26 at Two Buttes Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported
Chihuahuan Raven.
---On December 26 at Two Buttes SWA below the dam, Steve Mlodinow reported
10 Winter Wren.
BENT COUNTY:
---On December 15, Duane Nelson reported the following on the John Martin
CBC: Ovenbird found by Kathy Mihm Dunning at Fort Lyon SW Easement;
Pacific Loon, Northern Cardinals, and 1475 Great-tailed Grackles. On
December 15, Kathy Mihm Dunning and Alan Versaw reported Bonaparte's Gulls
on the John Martin CBC.
BOULDER COUNTY:
---On December 18 at Valmont Reservoir Complex, Peter Burke reported 4
Tundra Swans, Red-necked Grebe, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and Gray
Catbird. On December 28 at Valmont Ovewlook (Legion Park), Chris Wood
reported 3 Tundra Swans (2 ad, 1 juv).
---On December 18 at Doudy Draw, Aidan Coohill reported Northern
Mockingbird.
---On December 27 at Bohn Park in Boulder, Peter Burke reported Red-naped
Sapsucker.
---On December 28 at Fawn Brook Inn in Allenspark, Chris Wood reported all
3 species of Rosy-Finches and 22 Bohemian Waxwings.
CHAFFEE COUNTY:
---On December 11 at Sands Lake SWA, Jack Harlaln reported 1 m Long-tailed
Duck and Barrow's Goldeneye. On December 12, Jeff Guy reported Long-tailed
Duck and Barrow's Goldeneyes at Sands Lake SWA. On December 17 the male
Long-tailed Duck was reported by Bill Kaempfer at Sands Lake SWA where it
was seen by many birders on the Salida CBC. On December 29, Bill Tweit
reported 2 Tundra Swans (1 ad, 1 imm), male Long-tailed Duck, 40 Barrow's
Goldeneyes, and 6 Great-tailed Grackles at Sands Lake SWA.
COSTILLA COUNTY:
---On December 25, Carlos Lina reported Turkey Vulture on CO 159 north of
the New Mexico border.
DELTA COUNTY:
---On December 15, Dennis Garrison reported Rosy-Finches on the bank of the
Gunnison River about 1/2 mile above confluence with North Fork at Gunnison
River Pleasure Park.
DENVER COUNTY:
---On December 21, David Hill reported 3 Yellow-headed Blackbirds on the
DIA loop. On December 23, Jason Bidgood reported Yellow-headed Blackbird
on DIA loop.
---On December 27 at Bible and Hutchinson Parks, Jen Ottinger reported a
Northern Mockingbird.
---On December 29 at Gun Club Road, S of E 112th Ave, Matt and Gary Gray
reported Yellow-headed Blackbird.
DENVER CBC:
---On December 17, Joey Kellner reported the following on the Denver CBC:
Dunlin (near McClelland Reservoir), all 3 species of Rosy-Finches,
Grasshopper Sparrow at Chatfield.
---On December 28 at Rocky Mountain Lake Park, Matt Gray reported Mew Gull.
DOUGLAS COUNTY:
---On December 24, Tim Ryan reported Bonaparte's Gull at Parker Regional
Park.
---On December 27, Jeff Beavers reported a Trumpeter Swan at Chatfield SP.
On December 28, Thomas Holub, Chris Gilbert, and Dean and Carmencita Shoup
reported Trumpeter Swan upstream from Kingfisher Bridge. On December 29,
Paul Hurtado, Aaron Driscoll, and Doug Kibbe reported Trumpeter Swan at
Chatfield upstream from Kingfisher Bridge.
EL PASO COUNTY:
---On December 14 on the Fountain Creek CBC, Floyd reported 2 Tundra Swans
and 1 Trumpeter Swan on Rice Pond and Diana Beatty reported Brown-headed
Cowbird in Area 8. On December 15, David Tonnessen reported 2 Trumpeter
Swans and 1 Tundra Swan at Fountain Creek Regional Park.
---On December 27 at Ute Valley Park, Alan Versaw reported Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker.
---On December 27 at Fort Carson in Cottonwoods S of Haymes Reservoir, Kyle
Hawley reported 2 Lewis's Woodpeckers.
---On December 30 at Cheyenne Mountain SP, David and Cheryl Hubbard
reported Lewis's Woodpecker.
FREMONT COUNTY:
---On December 18, a m EURASIAN WIGEON was reported by Brandon Percival and
Brad Steeger on Sell Pond on Sell Ave in Canon City.
---On December 30 at Tunnel Drive in Canon City, Dan Belter reported
Bewick's Wren, 25 Canon Towhee, and 2 Rufous-crowned Sparrows.
GARFIELD COUNTY:
---On December 27, Dick Filby reported 2 m Barrow's Goldeneyes on the
Colorado River off Devereux Rd near Whitewater Rafting Buildings in
Glenwood Springs.
---On December 30, Dick Filby reported 15 Barrow's Goldeneyes at Coryell
Ranch in Carbondale.
GRAND COUNTY:
---On December 17, Brandon Percival reported that 26 Common Redpolls were
seen on the Granby CBC.
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
---On December 25, Paul Welscinger, Tom Behnfield, Art Hudak, and Frank
Farrell reported Trumpeter Swan at Crown Hill Regional Park.
---On December 30 at Chatfield SP upstream of Kingfisher bridge, Francis
Commerson reported Trumpeter Swan.
LARIMER COUNTY:
---On December 8, David Wade reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Loveland
on Hilltop Dr by N Tyler Ave. On December 10, Gwen Moore and Irene Fortune
reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Loveland on Hilltop Dr. On December
18, Nick Komar reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Loveland on Hilltop
Dr. On December 19, Scott Somershoe reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in
Loveland on Hilltop Dr.
---On December 17, Austin Hess reported Gray Catbird at Prospect Ponds NA.
On December 18, Lori Zabel reported Gray Catbird at Prospect Ponds NA.
---On December 23 at Rawhide Engergy Station/Hamilton Reservoir 5 Tundra
Swans, Long-tailed Duck, and Lincoln's Sparrow were reported by Sue Riffe,
Bill Kaempfer, Austin Hess, and Nick Komar. On December 30, Irene Fortune
reported 2 Tundra Swans at Rawhide Energy Station/Hamilton Reservoir.
LOGAN COUNTY:
---On December 27 a Varied Thrush was reported by Chris Gilbert east of
Sterling on RR tracks and 370.
MESA COUNTY:
---On December 13 at Highline Lake SP, Mike Henwood reported juv
Red-throated Loon. On December 15, Denise and Mark Vollmar reported
Red-throated Loon at Highline Lake SP. On December 17, JoAnn Riggle and
Gwen Moore reported Red-throated Loon at Highline Lake SP.
---On December 12 at the DeBeque Canyon exit on I-70, Tom McConnell
reported Trumpeter Swan. On December 14, Vic Zerbi reported Trumpeter Swan
at the Tunnel Rest Stop in DeBeque Canyon. On December 15, Carol Ortenzio
reported Trumpeter Swan at DeBeque Canyon Tunnel. On December 19, JoAnn
Riggle reported Trumpeter Swan at DeBeque Canyon Tunnel Pullout.
---On December 25, Meredith Walker spotted a Green-tailed Towhee on the Big
Salt Wash trail in far W end of Fruita.
OTERO COUNTY:
---On December 16, at Rocky Ford SWA, Kathy Mihm Dunning reported
Golden-crowned Sparrow and Lincoln's Sparrow.
PITKIN COUNTY:
---On December 26 at Snowmass Ski at the feeders at top of Sam's Knob, Dick
Filby reported all three species of Rosy-Finches.
PROWERS COUNTY:
---On November 11 An adult male Pine Warbler visited the various seed
feeders in Janeal Thompson’s yard. The bird was also observed eating
insects. The Pine Warbler was seen by David Leatherman on November 16 then
on November 19 & 20, 29 & 30 by Janeal. On December 2, Janeal Thompson,
Dale, and Joel Adams reported Pine Warbler in Lamar. On December 9, Janeal
Thompson reported that the Pine Warbler continues in Lamar. On December
11, Janeal Thompson, Art Hudak, and Mark Chavez reported Pine Warbler and
34 White-winged Doves in Lamar.
If you would like to try for the Pine Warbler, please contact Janeal at
719-336-9658 <(719)%20336-9658>(home) or 719-688-7912 <(719)%20688-7912> (cell)
to make
arrangements.
---On December 9, Janeal Thompson reported a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in
her neighborhood in Lamar.
ROUTT COUNTY:
---On December 17, Tom Litteral reported the following on the Steamboat
CBC: 398 Bohemian Waxwings, Gray-capped Rosy-Finch, and Lapland Longspur.
SAN MIGUEL COUNTY:
---On December 6, Eric Hynes reported all three species of Rosy-Finches
coming to his feeders in Telluride. If you would
like to try to see them, contact Eric at erichynes28 AT gmail.com. On
December 9, Eric Hynes reported Gray-crowned and Brown-capped Rosy-Finches
at his feeders in Telluride. On December 14, Eric Hynes reported all three
species of Rosy-Finches at his feeders in Telluride as well as Vic Zerbi
observing. On December 25, Eric Hynes reported all three species of
Rosy-Finches at his feeders in Telluride.
SUMMIT COUNTY:
---On December 16, a PURPLE SANDPIPER was reported by Jack and Ryan Bushong
at Dillon Reservoir at the Blue River Arm about 20 yds off of Hwy 9. This
would be a new state record if accepted. On December 17, Jack and Ryan
Bushong reported that the PURPLE SANDPIPER was refound at the same spot
and many birders were able to see the bird and comfirm the identification
in better light. On December 18, Joey Kellner reported that the PURPLE
SANDPIPER was refound in the same area as reported andwas seen by many
birders. On December 18, Todd Deininger reported PURPLE SANDPIPER in same
area as reported and was seen by many birders. On December 20, Lisa
Edwards reported PURPLE SANDPIPER in same area as reported and it was seen
by many birders. On December 21, Scott Manwaring reported PURPLE SANDPIPER
at the delta of the creek. On December 22, Pablo Quesada reported PURPLE
SANDPIPER at the usual spot and David Dowell reported 4 Barrow's Goldeneyes
at Dillon Reservoir Blue river Inlet. On December 23, Chip Clouse reported
PURPLE SANDPIPER at mouth of creek. On December 24, Frank Farrell, bruce
Neuman, Gene Rutherford, Tina Toth, and Christine Alexander reported PURPLE
SANDPIPER at Dillon Reservoir. On December 25, Irene Rivas and Nick Moore
reported PURPLE SANDPIPER at Dillon Reservoir. On December 26, Chris Wood
and Jessie Barry reported that the PURPLE SANDPIPER came flying into the
inlet around 0800. The PURPLE SANDPIPER was seen by many birders on
December 26. On December 27, Larry Modesitt and Ivan Mota reported PURPLE
SANDPIPER at the usual spot and it was seen by many birders. On December
28, the PURPLE SANDPIPER was reported by John Vanderpoel and Dan Belter.
On December 29, Chuck Hundertmark reported PURPLE SANDPIPER continues at
Dillon Reservoir. On December 30, Bill Twiet, Lucy Winter, and Sue Riffe
reported PURPLE SANDPIPER at Dillon Reservoir, Blue River Inlet.
---On December 27, Dale Pate reported 21 Barrow's Goldeneyes at
Silverthorne WTP.
WELD COUNTY:
---On December 27 at Pawnee National Grasslands, Adams & Bunker Reservoir #
1, Chris Wood reported singing m Rusty Blackbird.
---On December 27 at CR 136 between CR 99 and CR 105, Chris Wood reported
12 Sharp-tailed Grouse.
Denver Field Ornithologists Field Trips:
Sign up on line for field trips at DFO’s Website.
The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, January 7 will be Mini Birding Derbies led
by Gregg Goodrich (GreggGoodrich AT gmail.com; 303-655-9135
<(303)%20655-9135>) Meet at the parking lot at 0730 near lake at Belmar
Historic Park at 800 s. Wadwsorth Blvd in Lakewood. From Alameda and
Wadsworth; go south on Wadsworth, turn west at the light on West Ohio Ave.
Drive a short 2 blocks to the parking lot.
Join for some friendly birding competition. At three or four SW Denver
hotspots we will split inot three random teams (there will be guest
leaders), set a time limit, and see who can come up with the most secies.
At the next place we'll split into new teams and go at it again. Bring
water, snacks, sunscreen. Scopes will not be allowed. Register online or
contact leader.
The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, January 8 will be the South Platte River
trail at E 88th Ave and I-76 led by Ira and Tammy Sanders (zroadrunner14 At
gmail.com; 303-278-7172 <(303)%20278-7172>). Meet at the parking area at
88th Ave and South Platte RIver Trail at 0745. From I-76 take E 99th Ave
exit, go west on 88th for 1.6 miles, the turn south at Colorado Blvd. Turn
left again into parking lot for South Platte River Greenway Trailhead.
Will start at 88th and Platte parking lot and drive to multiple parking
areas along the river anticipate up to three miles of walking on paved
trails and adjacent areas. Should see plenty of ducks, a few raptors, and
some hardy winter residents. bring water, hat sunscreen, snack,
binoculars/scope. Come prepared for weather. Register on-line or contact
leader.
Help with Christmas Bird Counts.
Good birding,
Joyce Takamine
Boulder
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