Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2020 Email: RBA AT cobirds.org Compiler: Allison Hilf, ahilf AT me.com Phone: (303) 888-5110 ______________________________________ The Colorado Rare Bird report is an informational service. Because of statewide coronavirus “Safer at Home” orders, this report is meant to keep homebound readers abreast of rare bird sightings across the state during spring migration. It does NOT endorse and is NOT meant to encourage the pursuit of rare birds beyond your local area. We urge readers to respect state and local restrictions on non-critical travel. As potentially asymptomatic outside visitors, unethical urban/suburban “chase” birders who travel to more remote locales may risk exposing isolated Colorado populations to the virus. To ensure your safety and that of others while birding, do the right thing. Please practice physical distancing, wear face masks and follow all other Covid-19 precautions. _______________________________________ 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. The Committee requests you please fill out a report for sightings of these birds. (*) 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 Colorado’s remarkable 2020 neotropical warbler migration (more than 25 species considered rare here) ended just in time for my week to compile the Rare Bird Report; good for me, but not quite as exciting for everyone. The past few days the most popular migrants were Flycatchers (the past few weeks we’ve had Alder, Ash-throated, Dusky, Hammond’s, Gray, Great-crested, Least, Olive-sided, Scissor-tailed, Vermilion and other more common migrants and breeders). Black Phoebes were “hot” a few weeks ago, but only 1 report yesterday. Many warblers, tanagers, vireos, thrushes (including Wood and Gray-cheeked Thrushes) are still moving and orioles (including Scott’s and Baltimore Orioles) and lots of grosbeaks are showing up at feeders and in yards. Shorebird sightings have declined, with fewer adults and more fledglings being reported.
Note: In an attempt to limit an already-overlong daily report, we are omitting most reports of these recently listed species from the daily report (exceptions being when they are extremely rare for a given county): Gray-cheeked Thrush, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warble, Hooded Warbler, Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Palm Warbler,, and Summer Tanager. Please continue, however, to report these birds and other finds on COBIRDS. ___________________________________ Rare birds and some out-of-place or out-of-season birds include: MEXICAN WHIP-POOR-WILL (Fremont, SE CO) BLACK VULTURE (*Pueblo) ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD (Jefferson) Least Tern (Mesa) BLACK PHOEBE (*Rio Grande) Vermilion Flycatcher (SE CO) Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Jefferson) Philadelphia Vireo (Larimer) Winter Wren (Jackson) Sedge Wren (Weld) Wood Thrush (Lincoln, SE CO) McCown’s Longspur (Larimer) Field Sparrow (Douglas, Larimer) White-throated Sparrow (Yuma) Swamp Sparrow (Archuleta) EASTERN MEADOWLARK (Lilian’s) (*Larimer) Baltimore Oriole (Custer, Jefferson) SCOTT’S ORIOLE (Broomfield) LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH (Jefferson) Golden-winged Warbler (El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer) Blue-winged Warbler (El Paso, *Fremont) Mourning Warbler (Jefferson, Larimer, Yuma) Blackburnian Warbler (Denver, *Larimer) Black-throated Blue Warbler (Cheyenne, SE CO) Pine Warbler (Jefferson) Yellow-throated Warbler (Jefferson, Pueblo) Magnolia Warbler (*Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Denver, Elbert, El Paso, Larimer) Bay-breasted Warbler (Larimer, Pueblo) Black-throated Gray Warbler (Broomfield, Denver, Jefferson, Pitkin, SE CO) Scarlet Tanager (El Paso, *Rio Grande) Northern Cardinal (Boulder) ____________________________________ SOUTHEAST COLORADO: Rare Birds located within Baca, Bent, Kiowa, Otero and Prowers Counties are listed below without location in an effort to limit the temptation for more birders to chase birds being found primarily by Front Range Birders traveling to these small communities in violation of statewide “safer at home” regulations. Anyone living in the vicinity wanting detailed location information may e-mail or phone Compiler. —MEXICAN WHIP-POOR-WILL; Vermilion Flycatcher; Wood Thrush; Worm-eating Warbler; Black-throated Blue Warbler; Black-throated Gray Warbler; Painted Bunting. ARAPAHOE COUNTY: —On May 18 a Magnolia Warbler was reported at Cherry Creek State Park on the south end near the marshy area of Lake Loop by Cynthia Madsen. ARCHULETA COUNTY: —On May 15 a Swamp Sparrow was reported at Navajo SP, Ignacio by James Beatty. There are no previous eBird reports for this species in Archuleta County. BOULDER COUNTY: —On May 17 a Northern Cardinal was reported in a yard near 21st and Meadow Avenue, Boulder by Neil Reinecke. Apparently the same bird was seen as early as May 9 on Meadow and also near 21st and Linden Avenue. BROOMFIELD COUNTY: —On May 16 a Scott’s Oriole was reported last week at a private residence near Colorado Hills Open Space by Nancy Matovich. —On May 14 a Black-throated Gray Warbler was reported at Alexx & Michaels Pond by Chipper Phillips. CHEYENNE COUNTY: —On May 15 a Black-throated Blue Warbler and a Hooded Warbler were reported on Cheyenne CR-CC at CR-16 creek crossing. —On May 15 a Magnolia Warbler was reported by at Mitchek Ranch (private, view only from road), site of 2018 Golden-crowned Warbler stakeout. CUSTER COUNTY: —On May 17 a Baltimore Oriole was reported on Matterhorn Circle South in Rosita SW of Westcliffe by Kathleen Boulle. DENVER COUNTY: —On May 17 a Black-throated Gray Warbler was reported at Heron Pond Natural Area by Jake Shorty. —On May 17 a Blackburnian Warbler was re-found at First Creek at Green Valley Ranch and seen by numerous birders. First reported May 14 by Joe Chen. A Blackburnian also was reported May 13 on Sanderson Gulch Trail near Ruby Hill Park. —On May 16 a Magnolia Warbler was reported at Bluff Lake Nature Center by Michael Dougherty and seen by numerous birders. DOUGLAS COUNTY: —On May 14 a Field Sparrow was reported on North Rampart Range Road by Janet Peters. ELBERT COUNTY: —On May 15 a Magnolia Warbler was reported at a roadside oxbow west of Agate by Nathan Pieplow. EL PASO COUNTY: —On May 17 a Magnolia Warbler was reported at Fields Park, Manitou Springs by Tyler Stewart. —On May 16 a Scarlett Tanager was reported northeast of Old Colorado City in Fort Collins by Michael Rogers. —On May 16 a Golden-winged Warbler was reported at Clear Spring Ranch. First reported May 13 by Alan Ketcham. —On May 16 a Blue-winged Warbler was reported at Clear Spring Ranch. First reported May 10 by Tyler Stewart. *Note: Chico Basin Ranch is closed to the public, except to dues-paying members of the birding, hunting and fishing clubs. Posts about birds seen there are being omitted from this report at the ranch’s request. FREMONT COUNTY: —On My 18 a Blue-winged Warbler was reported on the Cañon City Riverwalk (Sell Lake to Raynolds Ave) by Jerry DeBoer. —On May 16 a MEXICAN WHIP-POOR-WILL was re-heard off Oak Creek Grade Road south of Cañon City (Road 143) in Pike-San Isabel NFs. (Coordinates: 38.3296,-105.2398). First heard May 6 by Jerry DeBoer. Because of high interest in this bird, PLEASE no playing of birdsong recordings. JACKSON COUNTY: —On May 16 a Winter Wren was reported at State Forest SP by Edward Raynor. JEFFERSON COUNTY: —On May 17 a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was reported at Conifer Community Park at Beaver Ranch. —On May 17 an ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD was reported at Soda Creek Pond by JoAnn Hackos. —On May 17 a Pine Warbler was reported at Tucker Gulch, Golden. First reported May 13 by Barbara Baring. —On May 17 a Black-throated Gray Warbler was reported at Tucker Gulch. First reported May 13. —On May 16 a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH was reported at Chatfield SP (upstream of Kingfisher Bridge) by Matt Rodgers. —On May 16 a Golden-winged Warbler was re-found at Tucker Gulch, Golden. First reported May 7 by Terrance Wells. —On May 15 a Mourning Warbler was reported on the Clear Creek Trail (Golden to I-70) by James McCall and Mark Chavez. —On May 15 two Baltimore Orioles were reported at Harriman Lake Park, Littleton by Jill Orsatti. *Note: Red Rocks Park is closed indefinitely because of the Covid-19 outbreak. LARIMER COUNTY: —On May 18 an Eastern Meadowlark (Lilian’s) was reported at Bud Mielke Reservoir SW of Loveland. First reported May 16 by Joe Kipper. Because this singing bird is likely trying to breed here, PLEASE no playing of birdsong recordings. —On May 18 a Blackburnian Warbler was reported in Ft Collins at CSU Environmental Learning Center, near the SE corner of Spur Trail, by Adrian Lakin. —On May 17 a Golden-winged Warbler was reported at Watson Lake, Belluve. First Seen May 14. —On May 16 a McCown’s Longspur was reported at Soapstone Prairie NA by Jay Breidt. —On May 16 a Blackburnian Warbler was reported at Prospect Ponds NA near Fort Collins by Bryan Tarbox. On May 15 a female Blackburnian Warbler was reported at Watson Lake, Bellvue. First seen May 14. —On May 16 a Field Sparrow was reported at Watson Lake, Bellvue and southeast of Hamilton Reservoir north of Wellington. On May 15 a Field Sparrow was reported at Lake Estes, Estes Park. First reported May 14 by Marc Hemmes. —On May 16 a Magnolia Warbler was reported at CSU Environmental Learning Center, Fort Collins by Brad Biggerstaff and seen by several others. —On May 16 a Mourning Warbler was reported at Watson Lake, Bellvue by Robert Beauchamp. —On May 15 a Philadelphia Vireo was reported at Prospect Ponds Natural Area, Fort Collins by Jim Nachel. LINCOLN COUNTY: —On May 16 a Wood Thrush was reported at Thompson Ranch (private) 15 miles NE of Limon by by Glenn Walbek. MESA COUNTY: —On May 15 a Least Tern was reported at James M Robb Colorado River SP, Pear Park. First reported May 14 by Carol Ortenzio. A Least Tern also was reported May 11 on the Colorado River Trail in Grand Junction. PITKIN COUNTY: —On May 16 two Black-throated Gray Warblers were reported on Red Canyon Trail (off Lower River Road NW of Woody Creek() by Bryan Gieszl. Also on May 16, six Black-throated Gray Warblers were reported on Red Rim Road. PUEBLO COUNTY: —On May 17 a BLACK VULTURE was reported flying over Hwy 50, immediately south of Pueblo Airport by Chris Selvig. —On May 14 a Yellow-throated warbler was re-found at Roselawn Cemetery, Pueblo. First reported May 7 by Evan Carlson. *Note: Chico Basin Ranch is closed to the public, except to dues-paying members of the birding, hunting and fishing clubs. Posts about birds seen there are being omitted from this report at the ranch’s request. RIO GRANDE COUNTY: —On May 18 a BLACK PHOEBE was reported at Home Lake SWA by John Rawinski. —On May 18 a May 17 sighting of a Blackpoll Warbler was reported at Home Lake SWA by John Rawinski. The bird was found by Lance Cheslock and Rachael Couoh. —On May 17 a Scarlet Tanager was reported at Home Lake SWA. First reported by John Rawinski on May 7. Other birds seen include Black Phoebe, Lincoln’s Sparrow and Western Tanagers. WELD COUNTY: —On May 16 a Sedge Wren was reported at Front Range Land & Livestock (SE of Milliken) by Zach Schiff. *Note: Crow Valley Campground is closed to all human activity until at least May 31 (per USFS district office). YUMA COUNTY: —On May 17 a White-throated Sparrow was reported at Stalker Lake SWA by Joey Kellner. —On May 16 a Mourning Warbler was reported at Hale Ponds by David Dowell, and 3 Mourning Warblers were reported at Hale Crossroads and the Wray Fish Hatchery by Ryan and Jack Bushong. ____________________________________ PLEASE NOTE: Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Denver Field Ornithologists and other CO birding clubs have suspended all field trips scheduled for May and June, including the annual Colorado Field Ornithologists convention in Pueblo (reset for May 2021). Please share interesting and/or unusual birds and behavior observations on COBirds. Happy Birding and please stay safe, Allison Hilf Aurora, CO (303) 888-5110 Sent from my iPhone -- 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 [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/713EC31D-2CBC-4ADD-AD08-A3C81C74FD0A%40me.com.
