[cobirds] Boulder County varia, Feb. 19th
Hello, Birders. Some sightings from around Boulder County, yesterday, Sunday, Feb. 19th: Teller Farms feedlot, with Hannah and Andrew. 1 male Merlin, apparently of the nominate subspecies columbarius; most of the Merlins I see in Boulder County are Prairie Merlins, i.e., subspecies richardsonii. Also a Northern Shrike, probably an adult. And we saw 5 Western Meadowlarks, presumably the same 5 reported by Christian Nunes last week at Teller Farms. The 5 were all up atop a hay bale, picking at the straw; a 6th meadowlark was a bit south of the main feedlot complex. Prince Lake No. 1 (note, No. 1, not No. 2), with Kei, Hannah, and Andrew. Some open water and an ice shelf; thus hundreds of close-up gulls, including an adult Lesser Black-backed, a third-cycle Lesser Black-backed, a first-cycle Thayer's, and a 2nd- or 3rd-cycle Herring-X-? hybrid. The Herring-X-? hybrid left me baffled: Plumage-wise, it was generally Herring-like, although with light gray-brown primaries; and bill-wise, it had a honking big black bill, with a big ole gonys. I think the bird had Herring Gull ancestry; beyond that, I cannot say. Erie Rez, with Kei, Hannah, and Andrew. Just a few dozen widely scattered gulls, but 5 species, including an adult California, a first-cycle Thayer's, and a 3rd-cycle Lesser Black-backed. Also neat to hear the displaying Common Goldeneyes, of which there were about 20. Coalton Open Space. A large owl was a Great Horned, not a Snowy. Also a few widely scattered Horned Larks. And check this out: an adult Prairie Falcon that passed a few feet to my right at knee-level. It kept on going ~2 feet off the ground, terrifying some lagomorphs (see below), for close to 1,000 feet (I paced it out), *without a wingbeat*. A quick review of the physics of that feat (level flight, no wingbeats, no loss of altitude, 800+ feet) suggests one or more of the following possibilities: weak gravitational field, jet propulsion, large falcon. Okay, those 800-1,000 feet were along a long, slow, gradual downhill descent, but still. It was impressive. As to the lagomorphs, I tender the following stupid question: I gather there are jackrabbits in Boulder County? Can't recall ever having seen one in the county, but it seems there were several yesterday at Coalton. Ted Floyd tedfloy...@hotmail.com Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado -- 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 Mexico Ornithological Society: 50th annual meeting, 31 March 2012
Hello, Birders. While we're all gearing up for the May 2012 CFO convention, I'd also like to note a special milestone for our neighbors to the south. The New Mexico Ornithological Society will be holding its 50th (woohoo!) annual meeting on Sat., Mar. 31st, 2012. Location is Albuquerque. Get basic info here: http://www.nmbirds.org/?page_id=98 Note links at that site to: 50th Annual Meeting Announcement 50th Annual Meeting - Call for Papers - Deadline Extended! 50th Annual Meeting - Registration (Word doc) Ted Floyd tedfloy...@hotmail.com Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado -- 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] High Plains Snow Goose Festival: Lamar, Prowers County; 23-26 February 2012
Hello, Birders. Guess who's turning 10 years old? That's right, the Lamar-based High Plains Snow Goose Festival is now in its 10th year! This year's festival will be held Thursday-Sunday, February 23rd-26th, 2012. Get all the info here: http://www.highplainssnowgoose.com I can think of a zillion reasons to visit Lamar. (For one thing, you never know when you may spy David Leatherman playing tennis at 1:45 in the morning.) A particularly nice thing about late February in Lamar is that, contrary to our experiences up here in the northern Front Range region, it's SPRING down there. Common Grackles, Killdeer, Cinnamon Teal, American White Pelicans... Mountain Bluebirds on the move; longspurs on the move (try the outskirts of Two Buttes); Snow Geese galore (75,000 as of a last week, according to the festival website), and always a few flocks of Sandhill Cranes... I'll be there! And I hope to see many of you in Lamar, too. Ted Floyd tedfloy...@hotmail.com Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado -- 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] Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Monday, February 20, 2012
Compiler: Joyce Takamine Date: February 20, 2012 e-mail: rba AT cfobirds.org phone: 303-659-8750 This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Monday, February 20, 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) Red-necked Grebe (*Boulder) TUNDRA SWAN (Boulder) AMERICAN BLACK DUCK (*Morgan) Barrow's Goldeneye (Adams, Mesa, Summit) Long-tailed Duck (*Larimer, Mesa) MEW GULL (Broomfield) Thayer's Gull (*Boulder, Broomfield, Larimer) ICELAND GULL (Broomfield, *Larimer)) Lesser Black-backed Gull (Arapahoe, *Boulder, Broomfield, *Larimer, *Morgan) GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Larimer) Glaucous Gull (Boulder, Larimer) SNOWY OWL (Adams, Weld) Red-bellied Woodpecker (*Weld) YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER (Larimer) American Three-toed Woodpecker (Jackson) VARIED THRUSH (Larimer) White-throated Sparrow (Jackson) Harris's Sparrow (El Paso) GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (Jefferson, Boulder) Lapland Longspur (Lake, Larimer) Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Jackson, Jefferson, Lake) Black Rosy-Finch ( Jefferson, Lake) Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (Jefferson, Lake) Common Redpoll (Larimer) 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 Adams County: --A pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes was reported by Shissler south of 88th on February 10. On February 12, Dunning reported the pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes were 300 yards south of the turquoise and white tank S of 88th. --One SNOWY OWL was reported by Combs on February 12, west of Harvest and north of 138th. The dark SNOWY OWL was reported by Plooster on February 14 between 138th and 144th, left of power pole #30. Directions: Take Bromley Lane (152nd) east from I-76 and go 2 miles past Piccadilly to Harvest Road. Turn right and go south to 138th. Arapahoe Country: --An ad Lesser Black-backed Gull was reported by Hudak at Centennial Park on February 9 and refound on February 15 by Hudak. Boulder County: --A GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW continues at the North Teller Farm Trailhead off Valmont Rd through February 15 as reported by Nunes. --An ad TUNDRA SWAN was reported by Nunes at Cottowood Marsh on February 15. --At Erie Reservoir on February 16, Mlodinow reported: 2 Glaucous Gulls (1-st cyc, 2-nd cyc), 8 Thayer's Gulls, and 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. On February 19 at Erie Reservoir, Floyd reported 1 1-st cyc Thayer's Gull and 1 3rd-cyc Lesser Black-backed Gull. --An adult basic plumage Red-necked Grebe was found at Valmont on February 4 by the joint club field trip and was reported by Plage on February 18. --At Prince Lake #1 on February 19, Floyd reported 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (1 ad, 1 3rd-cyc), and 1 1-st cyc Thayer's Gull. Broomfield County: --At Anthem Pond, Walbek reported 1 ad MEW GULL, 2 ad Lesser Black-backed Gulls and several Thayer's Gulls (several ad, 1 1-st cycle) on February 9. Walbek reported that the pale Thayer's Gull seen on February 9 is a possible ICELAND GULL. On February 12, Kibbe reported 2+ Thayer's Gulls and 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls at Anthem Pond. El Paso County: --A Harris's Sparrow was reported by Pals at the feeders at Foundtain Creek Nature Center on February 11. Staff reported that it is seen daily at the feeders. Jackson County: --On February 1 Craig Dodson reports 2 tan morph White-throated Sparrows and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches at the Moose Visitor Center on the west side of Cameron Pass. On February 8, Hopper reported 1 White-throated Sparrow and 200+ Rosy-Finches includes Gray-crowned and Brown-capped. On February 17, Leatherman reported 1 White-throated Sparrow, 250 - 300 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches including Hepburns and heard an American Three-toed Woodpecker drumming. Jefferson County: --The GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW at the Red Rocks Trading Post feeders continues to be seen thru February 18 as reported by Smart. --On February 18, Smart reported that all 3 species of Rosy-Finches were seen at the Red Rocks Trading Post feeders. There were 70 birds. Lake County: --A Lapland Longspur was reported by Kalback on Halfmoon Road S of Leadville on February 12. All 3 species of Rosy-Finches were visiting feeders in the county on February 12. Larimer County: --At Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins, Mammoser reported the
[cobirds] Golden-crowned Sparrow - Red Rocks - Jeffco
Good Morning, Threw some seed out early this morning about 6:30 A.M. The Golden- crowned Sparrow showed up right away. I did not stay to see if the Rosy-Finches showed up. Mike Henwood Morrison Jeffco -- 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] Barn Owl at Cherry Creek
Greetings- I was at Cherry Creek this afternoon and was astounded to see a male barn owl foraging in the fields adjacent to the main park road. A barn owl anywhere on the front range in February seems very unusual so I thought I'd post it. It was in flight for at least 20 minutes between 5:00 and 5:30 and stayed within one fairly small area between the outhouses at the Cottonwood Creek parking area and the wetlands under construction just to the northwest. It put on quite the show and I got excellent looks. It was clearly foraging, dropping to the ground numerous times, but I never saw it catch any prey. Unfortunately, I had neither my iPhone nor my camera at the time! Jonathan Bowser Englewood, CO -- 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] Correction to Jumbo Reservoir entry yesterday
Sorry to make an error in my first-ever posting, but we definitely did not see a broad-winged hawk at Jumbo reservoir yesterday, just rough-legged hawks. Don't waste gasoline to see a rarity that is only an error. Candice E. Johnson Denver, CO 80207 /pre-br CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail is confidential, may be legally privileged, br and for the intended recipient only. Access, disclosure, copying, forwarding and br distribution by any means is strictly prohibited. If received in error, br do not read but delete and e-mail confirmation to the sender. br ==brpre -- 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] American Black Duck populations
Greetings All, I thought this might be of interest The American Black Duck breeding population was estimated at 376,000 in 1994 (I believe this was the population's nadir). As of 2007, it was 569,000, and last summer's estimate was 545,000. Cheers Steve Mlodinow Longmont, CO -- 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] Pueblo Nature Center 2/20
Hi all, I spent all morning birding east and west of the Pueblo Nature Center, along the Arkansas River. Nearly 50 species of birds were present. Highlights follow: West of the Nature Center: Black Phoebe - 1 Hermit Thrush - 1 White-throated Sparrow - 2 no luck with the Cardinal, I looked early in the morning and later in the morning East of the Nature Center: Winter Wren - 1 (seen and heard) Black Phoebe - 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1 Good birding, Brandon Percival Pueblo West, CO -- 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] RFI: Habitat Stamps or other requirements for SWAs
I seem to remember that the requirement for a Habitat Stamp was dropped for most Colorado SWAs, e.g. Ramah SWA. Then I also remember that others require some type of stamp or pass, (perhaps Prewitt Res?) Would someone in the know please enlighten me? I do have a lifetime pass for the Colorado State Parks, if that makes any difference. Thanks in advance for your help. Good birding! Mel Goff Colorado Springs -- 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] CFO Photo Quiz
Hi all: I have posted the solution to last week's CFO Photo Quiz (www.cfobirds.org). You might take a stab at this week's quiz. Enjoy, Tony Leukering Villas, NJ -- 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] Mlodinow Leukering made me do it
Hello, Birders. So...for the past few days, I've been engaged w/Steve Mlodinow and Tony Leukering in on-again/off-again conversations about black-lored White-crowned Sparrows. And then, this afternoon, Monday, Feb. 20th, what should show up in the sparrow swale at Greenlee Preserve, Boulder County, but--wait for it--a black-lored White-crowned Sparrow. There have been a very small number (n=0 or n=1 most of the time, max. of n=4) of White-crowned Sparrows in that thicket these past two months, and, having nothing better to do, I've assiduously noted that they've all been normal, expected Gambel's (white-lored) White-crowned Sparrows. And then this dandy, black-lored, pink-billed bird showed up today. Well? What was it? For starters, black-lored White-crowned Sparrows are rare, at best, in Boulder in the winter. Let's say casual or accidental, or, for all I know, unrecorded. So it's not necessarily one of our summer, dark-lored Mountain (oriantha) White-crowned Sparrows. I think it could instead be an eastern, nominate (leucophrys) White-crowned Sparrow. I also think it's probably impossible to say. Here's something else to ponder. That sparrow swale is an eerie hotbed for eastern (well, Midwestern) sparrows that show up outta nowhere, mid-winter. In two recent winters, a Swamp Sparrow has popped in after 1 Jan. In two recent recent winters, White-throated Sparrows have appeared there mid-winter. And a Harris's Sparrow showed up there one recent winter. The area is tiny, just a fraction of an acre, and a small fraction at that. I check it almost daily, so I don't think I'm missing stuff that arrives Oct.-Dec. No, for whatever reason, Midwestern sparrows have a way of finding this place Jan.-Mar. Where am I going w/all of this? Well, continuing in a speculative vein, eastern/Midwestern (i.e., leucophrys) origin for this newly arrived White-crowned Sparrow would be consistent with recent winters' Swamp, White-throated, and Harris's sparrows in the sparrow swale. Whatever it is, it's a rare bird. It's just a White-crowned Sparrow, I suppose, and we can't even say what subspecies it is. But it's a rarity, all the same. Ted Floyd tedfloy...@hotmail.com Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado -- 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] Adams County Snowy Owl
A small group of birders saw the immature Snowy Owl along 138th Ave about 0.25 mile west of Harvest Road today. We searched for the adult, but didn't see it in the hour or so that we were in the area. good birding, Doug Faulkner Arvada, CO -- 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] 5 species of geese, 7 kinds of gulls, Anthem Ponds (Broomfield)
Warning- you'll note I said 7 kinds (not species) of gulls… ;-) My dad Jim I enjoyed the sunny President's Day despite some harsh winds today. We birded in Boulder Broomfield Counties, with most of our highlights at Anthem Ponds, Broomfield County (off HWY 7 Lowell.) We were a Brant short of the Colorado goose slam, picking up the other 5 species currently on the state list. The lingering large (1000-ish) flock of white-cheeked geese (largely Canada but with a strong minority of Cackling) was at the pond just north of the Northwest Parkway, east of Lowell. With them were two Snow Geese, a Blue Goose, and an adult Greater White-fronted Goose. On the small pond by the rec center, a dainty Ross's Goose joined a small group of Cacklers. On the main gull pond below the rec center, about 400 gulls enjoyed the ice edge at any given time (though there was turnover throughout the day.) In order of abundance were Ring-billed, Herring (a couple dozen), Thayer's (three that we picked out, two 1st-winter birds and an adult), California (2 adults) and Lesser Black-backed (an adult a 3rd-cycle, almost certainly the same bird Ted Floyd had yesterday at Prince Lake #1). Those 5 species were joined by two hybrids: the continuing 1st-cycle Nelson's Gull (Herring x Glaucous), and a bird that I'm liking for a 2nd-cycle Herring x Glaucous-winged Gull. Ted commented on this bird yesterday at Prince #1 as well- he confirms that it is the same bird after reviewing photos. Interestingly, Steve Mlodinow had a 2nd-cycle Herring x Glaucous-winged Gull on 14 Jan. at nearby Siena Pond, but photos show that his bird ours from today are different individuals. Siblings / cousins?? Bryan Guarente also reported this kind of hybrid at McIntosh Lake on 19 Jan. For those not already glazed over by talk of hybrid gulls, here are my transcribed notes on the bird (HERG = Herring Gull, GWGU = Glaucous-winged Gull, WEGU = Western Gull): Mostly dark bill a bit odd for HERG by 2nd cycle, bill seemed heavier than HERG, too, with a bit more pronounced gonydeal expansion?? Slopplily marked bill with wide black tip, black running to gape along tomia and transitioning to dirty pinkish proximal end above below tomia. Irides dark (darkish? can't be absolutely sure they aren't black.) Breast mottled like young GWGU. Mantle scups pretty clean gray about same as HERG or RBGU. Otherwise reminds me of what Steve Howell says about 2nd-cycle GWGU: Overall dirty aspect... Overall upperparts tone (aside from clean gray mantle/scaps) a grayish-brown, weakly marked coverts. Wing projection HERG-ish, primaries silvery brownish-gray underneath, med. gray-brown above (look darker in shadow but kind of palish in sun.) No obvious secondary bar that I could pick out. General underwing pattern a helluvalot like GWGU imho. Size = (or essentially so) to nearby HERG, smaller than nearby Nelson's Gull. I'm thinking Glaucous-winged one parent but upper surface of primaries too dark, wings a bit longish, bill not quite savage enough, etc.?? 2nd parent HERG? Or should I be considering Glaucous-winged x Western (much to compare here with GWGU x WEGU examples in Howell Dunn)?? Comments from fellow laraphiles Tony Leukering, Steve Mlodinow, Glenn Walbek, and Ted Floyd are encouraging me to stick with my Herring x Glaucous-winged idea. Steve had a nice summary sentence that I'll pencil into the margin of my treasured Gulls of the Americas: To me, it looks like a hefty THGU, and that is precisely what many GW x Herring Gulls look like. Digiscoped pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9047968@N02/ Further comments welcomed! Enjoy- Bill Schmoker __ • Bill Schmoker • __ http://schmoker.org http://brdpics.blogspot.com bill.schmo...@gmail.com 720/201-5749 __ -- 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] Re: Barn Owl at Cherry Creek
In all my years birding at Cherry Creek (since 1974), I have had only one barn owl. This was at the far woodland edge of the large meadow just to the west of the main road, on the east/southeast side of where Cherry Creek crosses the main road. I spoke with a ranger later...she informed me that the bird had spent 2-3 weeks there, and had also been uphill from the spot where I saw/heard it to near the main park ranger office. This observation was mid-fall 2010. Karl Stecher Centennial Bowser, Jonathan writes: Greetings- I was at Cherry Creek this afternoon and was astounded to see a male barn owl foraging in the fields adjacent to the main park road. A barn owl anywhere on the front range in February seems very unusual so I thought I'd post it. It was in flight for at least 20 minutes between 5:00 and 5:30 and stayed within one fairly small area between the outhouses at the Cottonwood Creek parking area and the wetlands under construction just to the northwest. It put on quite the show and I got excellent looks. It was clearly foraging, dropping to the ground numerous times, but I never saw it catch any prey. Unfortunately, I had neither my iPhone nor my camera at the time! Jonathan Bowser Englewood, CO -- 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. -- 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.
