Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2020 Email: RBA AT cobirds.org
Compiler: Patrick O’Driscoll, patodrisk AT gmail.com Phone: 303-885-6955 _____________________________________________ The Colorado Rare Bird report is an informational service. Because of statewide coronavirus “Stay at Home” orders,* the purpose of this report is to keep homebound readers abreast of rare bird sightings across the state during spring migration.* *It does NOT endorse or encourage illegal travel to see or "chase" rare birds beyond your own local area.* We urge readers to respect state and local restrictions on non-critical travel and limits on outdoor activities that include birding. Please bird ONLY at or close to home and ONLY with universally promoted safety precautions, including physical “social distancing” and face coverings. Or, as Dave Leatherman noted this week, “Be like a Cedar Waxwing . . . very compliant in their wearing of masks.” Birders have been helpful by reporting updates to COBirds. Thanks! CAPITAL LETTERS denote very rare species, as listed by the Colorado Bird Records Committee at the CFO website. (*) indicates new information on a species. For more information on birds seen today, go to cobirds.org and scroll to the bottom for “Recent eBird Sightings.” ______________________________________________ *Spring migration notes: * Swallows, vultures, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds and a few Swainson’s Hawks and Sage Thrashers have begun to return. Burrowing Owls, too. The sparrow and longspur migration is also upon us. The curtain is rising on shorebird migration, too. What’s in your yard or near your home? Rare, out-of-place and some out-of-season species reports are listed below. Tundra Swan (Summit) EURASIAN WIGEON (El Paso, Logan) Long-tailed Duck (Arapahoe) Common Poorwill (*Prowers) Mew Gull (Adams) Glaucous Gull (El Paso) Neotropic Cormorant (Bent, *El Paso) Red-bellied Woodpecker (Mesa) Black Phoebe (*Larimer) Sprague’s Pipit (*Baca) Common Redpoll (Gunnison) Lark Bunting (*Crowley) Sagebrush Sparrow (Boulder, *Douglas, *El Paso, Jefferson, *Larimer) Rusty Blackbird (*Douglas) Summer Tanager (Douglas) Western Tanager (*Mesa) ————————————————————————— *ADAMS COUNTY:* —On Apr 4 a Mew Gull was seen again at Dunes Reservoir by Adam Vesely, who first reported it there Mar 29. This may be the same bird first reported from nearby lakes on Mar 18 by Burke Angstman. Dunes Reservoir, an eBird hotspot, is NW of intersection of E 112th Ave and Highway 85. There’s a small public parking lot near the SW corner of the reservoir. *ARAPAHOE COUNTY:* —On Apr 1 the overwintering Long-tailed Duck continued at South Platte Park/South Platte Reservoir. —On Apr 3 a Long-tailed Duck was reported at Quincy Reservoir by G Stacks. *BACA COUNTY:* —On Apr 4 a Sprague’s Pipit was reported along US 160 in Walsh by Norman Erthal. *BENT COUNTY:* —On Apr 4 a Neotropic Cormorant was reported at Lake Hasty by Duane Nelson, who first reported it there a few days earlier. *BOULDER COUNTY:* --On Apr 2 a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported on the dam at Lagerman Reservoir. First reported Apr 1 by Cody Limber. *CROWLEY COUNTY:* —On Apr 3 a Lark Bunting (molting male) was reported on County Lane 20 north of Sugar City by Norman Erthal. Area's first spring sighting in 3 years. *DOUGLAS COUNTY:* —On Apr 6 a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported along Wildlife Way and the Highline Canal near Chatfield SP by Ted Uhlemann. —On Apr 5 three Rusty Blackbirds were reported at Chatfield SP - Plum Creek Nature Area. First reported Apr 4 by Frank Farrell. —On Apr 5 a Summer Tanager was reported at "190-210 W Happy Canyon Rd" in Castle Rock by Cynthia Kristensen. *EL PASO COUNTY:* —On Apr 6 a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported on Hemingway Road between Drennan and Brook by Tyler Stewart. Another was found Apr 6 off Brewer Lane 1/3 mile west of Milne Road by John Bruder. —On Apr 6 a Neotropic Cormorant was reported at Memorial Park and Prospect Lake. First reported by Tyler Stewart. —On Apr 4 a Eurasian Wigeon was reported at Forest Lake Park in Monument by Chris McReynolds. This is a *private* area, but can be viewed from the concrete path (public, we are told) near Forest Lake Drive. Scope essential to view this distant duck. —On Apr 4 a Glaucous Gull was reported at Big Johnson Reservoir by Jim Merritt. *NOTE: Chico Basin Ranch is closed* until at least Apr 15 because of the Covid-19 outbreak. *GUNNISON COUNTY:* —On Apr 5 a Common Redpoll was reported near Crested Butte by Drew Kelly. *JEFFERSON COUNTY:* —On Mar 31 two Sagebrush Sparrows were reported at Bear Creek Lake Park/Pelican Point Area. First reported by Mark Chavez. *No subsequent reports*. *LARIMER COUNTY*: —On Apr 6 a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported at Lake Estes by several birders. First found by Marc Hemmes. —On Apr 6 a Black Phoebe was reported east of Lake Estes. First reported Apr 5 at Lake Estes by Mark Hemmes; first eBird report from this location, as the species is almost unheard of in the mountains. —On Apr 1 a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported at Lon Hagler Reservoir SWA by Christopher Murray. *LOGAN COUNTY:* —On Apr 3 the EURASIAN WIGEON first seen March 18 by Glenn Walbek at Merino ponds (private property-view from Hwy 6), was reported again at same location, at a distance, by Michael Lester. Note: ALL viewing ONLY from US 6. Homeowner has said no one has permission to enter private property or driveway for better views. *MESA COUNTY:* —On Apr 5 a Western Tanager was reported in Dominguez Canyon by Jake Glassman. —On Apr 4 a Red-bellied Woodpecker was reported along 19 Road in Fruita by Nick Musel. If confirmed, only the third 3rd eBird record from the Western Slope. *PROWERS COUNTY:* —On Apr 3 a Common Poorwill was reported at Two Buttes SWA - Wildlife & Parks bunkhouse area, by Norman Erthal. Area’s first spring sighting in 7 years. *PUEBLO COUNTY:* *NOTE: Chico Basin Ranch is closed* until at least Apr 15 because of the Covid-19 outbreak. *SUMMIT COUNTY:* —On Mar 31 a Tundra Swan was reported in Silverthorne at Angler Mountain Ranch Ponds (PRIVATE, view from road only). First reported Mar 23 by Misty Walters. _________________________________________________ *PLEASE NOTE:* Because of Covid-10 pandemic concerns and precautions, Denver Field Ornithologists has suspended all in-person club activities, including field trips scheduled for April, May and June. Other birding clubs have also canceled activities, and the annual Colorado Field Ornithologists convention, set for Pueblo in May, has been canceled. Please share interesting and/or unusual birds and behavior observations on COBirds <cob...@googlegroups.com>. Good birding, Patrick O’Driscoll Denver, CO patodrisk AT gmail.com 303-885-6955 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAMNEzJMRwoHfih91vBF%2Bih_rsne5GiJk%2BPKb%3DHMeQj4zEWN-Aw%40mail.gmail.com.
