[cobirds] Colorado Rare Bird Alert, February 18, 2011
Date: February 18, 2011 e-mail: r...@cfo-link.org phone: 303-659-8759 This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Friday, February 18, 2011 at 5 am, 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 the species in this report) TRUMPETER SWAN (Lake) TUNDRA SWAN (*Delta) EURASIAN WIGEON (Morgan) Long-tailed Duck (*Denver) Barrow's Goldeneye (Adams, Chaffee, *Delta, *Douglas, Summit) Thayer's Gull (Broomfield) Lesser Black-backed Gull (Broomfield) Glaucous Gull (Broomfield) GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL (Pueblo) White-winged Dove (Boulder, Huerfano) YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER (Larimer) Chihuahuan Raven (Boulder) Winter Wren (Boulder) Curve-billed Thrasher (Jefferson) PINE WARBLER (*Fremont) Swamp Sparrow (Boulder) White-throated Sparrow (Jefferson) Harris's Sparrow (Broomfield, Huerfano, Jefferson, Las Animas) GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (Boulder, Jefferson) Gray-crown Rosy-Finch (Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jackson, Jefferson, *Rio Blanco, Routt, Saguache) Black Rosy-Finch (Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jefferson, *Rio Blanco, Saguache) Adams County: --Barrow's Goldeneyes were reported by Andrews on the South Platte River between 78th and 88th Ave by the green water tank on February 15. There were 3 males and 2 females. Boulder County: --A probable Chihuahuan Raven was reported by Klaver in Boulder County at 63rd St between Oxford and Plateau on February 12. --Floyd reports that the Swamp Sparrow continues at Greenlee Preserve at least through February 13. --A pair of White-winged Doves was reported by Pieplow at feeders on the east side of Spine Road north of White Rock Circle on February 15.. --Severs reports that the GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW continues near the Teller Farm North parking lot at least through February 16. Head along the trail west and it was long the fence line planted with Skunk brush and Plum in piles of tumbleweeds. -- A Winter Wren and Swamp Sparrow were reported by Severs at Golden Ponds in Longmont on February 11. Broomfield County: --2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (first-cycle), 2 Glaucous Gulls (1 first-cycle, 1 2nd-cycle), and several Thayer's Gulls were reported by Chavez at Parkside Center Pond (south of Hwy 8 and east of Lowell) on February 10. --A Harris's Sparrow was reported by Burke at an office feeding station (121st and Perry St) on February 1 and was seen again on February 8. Chaffee County: --A male Barrow's Goldeneye was reported by McConnell at Sand Lake in Salida on February 13. Delta County: --4 TUNDRA SWANS were reported by Luke at Confluence Park in Delta on February 17 at 0830 but were gone when he returned at 1030. Luke also reported 25 Barrow's Goldeneyes on the river at the north end of the park. Denver County: --A female Long-tailed Duck was reported by Deininger on the Platte River next to the parking lot for Overland Park on February 14. On February 17, Henwood was walking north from the parking lot when the female Long-tailed Duck flew by and landed on the Platte River. Douglas County: --2 Barrow's Goldeneyes (1m, 1f) were reported by Spellman in Parker at Twenty Mile Pond on January 30 and were seen again by Henwood on February 16 and Kingery on February 17. Direction: From the main interection in Parker, go west toward Cherry Creek on Parker Main Street; at Twenty-Mile Road, just before Cherry Creek turn left, and then right into the parking lot. Stay behind the fence to avoid flushing the waterfowl. Fremont County: --An imm male PINE WARBLER was reported by Drummond on the DFO field trip to Canon City on February 17. The warbler was at the west end of Canon City Riverwalk about 150 yards east of Sells Ave along the Bluff Trail. Hinsdale County: --All 3 species of Rosy-Finches were reported by McConnell at feeders at 5th and Hwy 149 in Lake City on February 12. Huerfano County: --All 3 species of Rosy-Finches and a White-winged Dove have returned the yard of Beverly Jensen in La Veta and are being see regularly. If you would like to try to see these birds, call her at 719-989-1398. --1 Harris's Sparrow and 2 White-winged Doves were reported by Nelder at her yard in La Veta on February 9, please e-mail her for further information/directions at pollyw...@gmail.com Jackson County: --Hooper reported that many Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches are coming to feeders at the Moose Visitor Center on Hwy 14 on February 13. Jefferson County: --On February 14, Henwood reported that the White-throated Sparrow, Curved-bill Thrasher, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW and all 3 species of Rosy-Finches made an appearance at the Red Rocks feeders. Lake County: --McConnell reported on February 13 that the TRUMPETER
[cobirds] Red Rocks, Jefferson Cty 2/15; Teller Farm, Boulder Cty 2/17
I spent about 2 hours at the Trading Post in Red Rocks park in the late afternoon on Tuesday. The Curve-billed Thrasher, Harris' Sparrow, and Golden-crowned Sparrow all made multiple visits to the feeder and surrounding areas. I didn't see the White-throated Sparrow(s) or Rosy Finches. Yesterday I enjoyed the strong tailwinds while biking out to Teller Farm to search for the Golden-crowned Sparrow, which I finally found just as I was leaving. The flock of White-crowned Sparrows was essentially right where Scott Severs found them a couple of days ago, though many were also on the north side of Valmont in front of the white farm house. The flock moved west to the first fence west of the house. On my return trip (with strong tailwinds becoming relentless headwinds) I happened upon a fairly large flock of Ring-necked Ducks (75) with two Scaup on a very small pond in north Boulder. I'm not aware of any name for the pond, but it is at the intersection of Gibbs and Franklin (just north of Valmont and just east of the Foothills Parkway). I spent twenty minutes or so trying to pull a Tufted Duck out of the flock to no avail. But the Scaup (1 male, 1 female) were interesting--seemed a little on the small side compared to the RN Ducks, but also seemed to exhibit some Greater Scaup characteristics (rounded head, sometimes showing backwards sloping, thicker neck, fat cheeked look from head-on view, largish bill, with nail on the larger side). Traits supporting Lesser--barring partially extending down onto flanks, overall size, some photos reveal a bit of peak towards back of head. The scaup were actively feeding, likely affecting the head shape. Anyway, opinions would be appreciated. Photos are at: http://www.pbase.com/birdercellist/inbox The first Scaup image is geo-tagged Good birding, Thomas -- Thomas Heinrich Boulder, CO teheinr...@gmail.com www.pbase.com/birdercellist -- 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.
[cobirds] Birding with the Boulder Bird Club (trip change alert)
The bird walk planned for this Saturday has been moved to Sunday at 4:00 PM to take advantage of the large number of gulls reported at Valmont lakes area in the evenings. Christian Nunes will lead and we will meet at Legion Park which is near the top of the hill on Arapahoe between 57th and 75th. Everyone is welcome as always with the Boulder Bird Club. This is a good opportunity to view the lakes from both Legion Park and from Ute Butte inside the Open Space (area where Christian conveniently has a key to the gate!). Expect to bird until the daylight gives out. Leader: Christian Nunes pajaro...@hotmail.com Other upcoming walks: February 26 (Saturday): Mountain Feeders with Bill Kaempfer. On the way to view the feeders, we will try for the 3-toed woodpecker in the burn area. Lunch at a mountain café. Meet 8AM at the Boulder Justice Center at 6th and Canyon, bird until mid afternoon. Leader: Bill Kaempfer kaemp...@colorado.edu or 303-954-8998. March 6 (Sunday): First Sunday Birding. Walden Wildlife Habitat off of 75th between Valmont and Jay roads. Meet at 9 AM for a walk around the ponds and along the Boulder Creek for a couple of hours. Leader: Jim Guerin 303-819-6333. March 12 (Saturday): Longmont Area Birding. Meet at 8:00AM at Jim Hamm Natural Area parking lot at County Line Road and 17th Ave, East Longmont, bird until 1 or 2PM. Visit hot spots to ID our winter visitors, including water fowl and grebes. Leader: Chris Owens 303-772-6048. As usual, all are welcome to join us and we encourage birders of all expertise levels to join us on our trips. More information can be found at www.boulderbirdclub.org where there is an event calendar and a newsletter. Lonny Frye trip coordinator for the boulder bird club -- 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.
[cobirds] Huerfano County, Lathrop State Park Update: Eastern Bluebirds, and other overwintering birds
Good Morning Fellow Birders, With the wild alternately bone-chilling temperatures followed immediately by a massive blizzard, then temps and wind gusts both in the 40's (degrees and mph) and my back being out for the past 3 weeks...I have not been out to my favorite dog-walking spot for over a month. With extremely mild temperatures and lack of wind today...decided to load up my trusty bird-watching boxer, and binoculars and see what we could see. Upon entering Lathrop State Park I was immediately greeted at Martin Lake by a mixed flock of: 12-15 Mountain Bluebirds 6-8 Eastern Bluebirds (while the numbers are down from when I first saw them in October...having them still here in the middle of February was very exciting...just another month and they will have overwintered here! American Robins were everywhere, a few were actually singing! (when do you suppose they will have their common name changed to American Thrush???...after all Costa Rica had to change it's national bird's name from Clay-colored Robin to Clay-colored Thrush! Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, and Mallards were thick in the little open water at Martin Lake. There were also numerous Canadian Geese. A young Red-Tailed Hawk was being persistently harassed by numerous American Crows and Common Ravens 2 American Kestrals were chasing each other around A young Bald Eagle was also being harassed by some of the crows and ravens. While it had a white tail and partially white head...it's undersides still had the white and markings of an immature bird...possibly 3rd year? Mountain and Black-capped Chickadees were present Northern Flickers (at least 6 different birds were seen) A single Townsend's Solitaire popped up A single Great Blue Heron appears to have overwintered also (this has me somewhat puzzled as several times this winter both Martin and Horseshoe Lake have been frozen over...but there is always a little open water at the inlets, so perhaps that explains it) A single Belted Kingfisher is still present At Horseshoe Lake there was quite a bit more open water and the following was present: Numerous Common Goldeneye and Common Mergansers A pair of Hooded Mergansers Too many Canadian Geese and Mallards to count 2 Adult and 1 Juvenile Bald Eagles Lots more American Robins (Thrushes) Numerous American Crows and Common Ravens (some, of course, harassing the eagles) I was a little surprised to see 3 Buffleheads at the small wildlife ponds by Horseshoe. Don't usually see these at Lathrop for another month! Polly Wren Neldner La Veta Huerfano County -- 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.
[cobirds] Red Rocks Report - Jefferson County
Hi All, Arrived at Red Rocks feeders early A.M. and replenished the seed (which I will do over the weekend, including Monday). Not as many birds early, but once they discovered the full larder, they started coming in in good numbers. Saw the Curve-billed Thrasher and first year Harris's Sparrow, but did not see the Golden-crowned or White- throated Sparrows. There was one lone Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch hanging around, but that was all. Cyndy Johnson reported that on Wed. evening, Feb. 16, she observed the Golden-crowned Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow, and Curve-billed Thrasher. Mike Henwood Morrison, Jefferson County -- 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.
[cobirds] Awesome Burrowing Owl Video
From Science Friday ... look for link on our homepage below beneath GBBC banner. Thanks Gary Lefko/Nunn http://coloradobirder.ning.com/ -- Home of the Nunn Guy -- 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.
[cobirds] Say's Phoebe Cherry Creek, Arapahoe
Greetings from windy Aurora. Today, while counting raptors at Cherry Creek State Park, Deb and I found an intrepid Say's Phoebe. These handsome little guys are among the earliest spring migrants, but this seems very early, so thought I'd pass it along. It was in a field along Cottonwood Creek, E. of Peoria St., north of Arapahoe Rd. Also had W. Meadowlarks and RW Blackbirds in full song around the park. Spring has sprung...until winter returns! Steve Kennedy -- 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.
[cobirds] New style bird guide to consider
COBirders,Last week my review copy of The Crossley ID Guide, Eastern Birds did NOT arrive, although the mailing package did. Whimpy arm alert! The reason for receiving only the mailing package is this book is BIG andhellip;it is heavy, weighing in at 3.5 lbsmdash;heavier than the new Stokes guidemdash;and with dimensions of 10rdquo;x7rdquo;, door stop size and bigger than the Big Sibley. This book isnrsquo;t going to fit in any Pajaro Bag and if you try to stuff it between your back and pants you better be wearing a titanium belt or nice underwear. Luckily my copy was eventually found along with my address on the floor of a Denver USPS receiving center.Those who heard Richard Crossley speak at the recent San Luis Valley CFO Convention will understand that this is no ordinary author/photographer and neither is his ID guide. What I like: jillions of photographs, seamlessly manipulated in Photoshop to fit the habitat and space and often one species per page. This is also what I donrsquo;t like. For America Robin there are 28 birds including a group in a distant bird bath and some tiny images of birds foraging on the ground. Possibly helpful, one image of Alder Flycatcher is shown bigger than life size. Likemdash;some of the backgrounds are perfectmdash;you see the large format habitat where you would expect to find a Henslowrsquo;s Sparrow and a White-eyed Vireo, especially their breeding habitat. A word of caution, on page 22 Richard sayshellip;I DONrsquo;T LIKE TEXThellip; so donrsquo;t expect to find any song descriptions, but if you like excellent photographs of birds in many plumages, including lots of birds in flight, this book might be for you.A large map inside the back cover defines the states and provinces included in the scope of the guidemdash;Kansas, but not Colorado, Prince Albert Sound, but not Amundsen Gulf, and all of TX except West Texas. However, if a bird breeds in the defined area it will be included with a range map that may extend to California and may include much of Alaska or Baja California. Montezuma Quail is included in the book, Mexican Whip-poor-will and Gunnison Sage-Grouse are not. My current favorite pages are the photographic comparisons between Common and Chihuahuan ravens, a favorite topic recently on COBirds. The large photos of two difficult corvid species raise a lot of questions but for me they answer even more. Need correct 4-letter bird codes, yoursquo;ll find them for all of the accepted ABA-area species, BTNW forever. Princeton University Press and Richard claim that this book is for beginners and for experts and for everyone in between, just what you would expect to hear. I donrsquo;t see this as a book for beginners but for everyone else who really enjoys birds and wants to learn more through exquisite photographs and excellent text (text length somewhere between Big Sibley and NGS) including photographs of 22 psittacids found in FL, CA, and AZ neighborhoods but not currently on the ABA Checklist, you can find them in this book. Currently available by special order from Princeton, but you might want to view one first to see if you like it before crediting the U.S. $35 to your card. I am not associated with Princeton U Press in any way and I receive no money from Princeton Univerity Press or from Richard Crossley for my comments. I do like good bird books and Richard is a funny guy. Brooks Passion. Vision. Excellence. Brooks Institute can show you how. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4d5f23dca1413398b07st06duc -- 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.
