[cobirds] Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Compiler:Joyce Takamine Date: January 2, 2013 email: rba AT cfobirds.org phone:303-659-8750 This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, January 2, 2013, 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) BRANT (Larimer) TUNDRA SWAN (Boulder, Pueblo) EURASIAN WIGEON (*Fremont) White-winged Scoter (Denver) Long-tailed Duck (Denver, Pueblo) Barrow's Goldeneye (Adams, *Mesa) Red-throated Loon (*Pueblo) Pacific Loon (*Pueblo) Turkey Vulture (Kit Carson) MEW GULL (*Boulder, *Pueblo) Thayer's Gull (Boulder, Broomfield, *Pueblo) ICELAND GULL (Broomfield, Pueblo) Lesser Black-backed Gull (*Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, *Pueblo) GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (*Pueblo) Glaucous Gull (Boulder, Broomfield, Pueblo) Great Black-backed Gull (*Pueblo) White-winged Dove (Mesa, Pueblo) ACORN WOODPECKER (El Paso) Red-bellied Woodpecker (*Logan) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (*Pueblo) Chihuahuan Raven (Pueblo) Winter Wren (Kit Carson) Curve-billed Thrasher (Pueblo) Lapland Longspur (Kit Carson) Palm Warbler (El Paso) Pine Warbler (*Pueblo) Swamp Sparrow (Pueblo) White-throated Sparrow (Pueblo) Harris's Sparrow (*Boulder, Pueblo) GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (*Boulder, *Jefferson) Northern Cardinal (Boulder, *Logan) EASTERN MEADOWLARK (Kit Carson) Rusty Blackbird (Pueblo) Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (*Jefferson, *Mesa) Black Rosy-Finch (Jefferson, *Mesa) Common Redpoll (Kit Carson, Larimer, *Mesa, Pitkin, *Pueblo) Adams County: -- 4 Barrow's Goldeneyes (3m, 1f) were reported by Mlodinow on the S Platte River between 68th and 88th on December 29. Boulder County: --On December 29, Cushman reported that the Northern Cardinal continues in Hawthorn Gulch. --At Valmont Reservoir on December 26, Floyd reported 15 Tundra Swans, 1 ad MEW GULL, 5 Thayer's Gulls (2 ad, 3 1-st cyc), 2 1-cyc Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and 1-2 ad Glaucous Gulls. At Valmont Reservoir on December 27, Mlodinow reported 14 Tundra Swans. On December 27, Floyd reported 1 ad Glaucous Gull, 1 ad MEW GULL, 4 Thayer's Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. On December 30, Kaempfer reported MEW GULL and ad Lesser Black-backed Gull at Valmont. --On January 1, Dowell reported GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW and Harris's Sparrows near the small stream which passes under Valmont where the pedestrian crossing for White Rocks. Broomfield County: --On December 27, Mlodinow reported 2 Thayer's Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gull and Schmoker reported Glaucous Gull and 2nd cyc ICELAND GULL at Anthem Ranch. Anthem Ranch is S of Hwy 7 and Lowell. --At Sienna Pond (Corner of Lowell Sheridan) Mlodinow reported Glaucous Gull and Schmoker reported Lesser Black-backed Gull on December 27. Denver County: --At Marston Reservoir on December 24, Tina Jones reported 2 1-st winter White-winged Scoters, 1 Long-tailed Duck and 1 ad Lesser Black-backed Gull. El Paso County: --A western Palm Warbler was found by Surano on December 12 on the Colorado College campus. The Palm Warbler was last reported by Wolf on the S side of Barnes Science Hall on December 20. The Palm Warbler was reported by Roeder W of the S entrance to Barnes Science center on December 25. --On December 29, Marty Wolf reported that the ACORN WOODPECKER continues in SW Colorado Springs around Willow Circle and Cheyenne Blvd. Fremont County: --An ad m EURASIAN WIGEON first found on the Penrose CBC was refound by Drummond at Centennial Park in Canyon City on December 30. It was feeding on grass with American Wigeon. Steve Brown reported that the EURASIAN WIGEON continues at Centennial Park on January 1. Jefferson County: --Henwood reported on November 26 that the GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW continuues at Red Rocks Trading Post. On December 27, Henwood reported GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW and 3 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches at Red Rocks Trading Post. On December 28, Henwood reported 8 Gray-crowned and 2 Black Rosy-Finches at Red Rocks Trading Post. On December 31, Skrenty reported GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW and 1 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch at Red Rocks Trading Post. Kit Carson County: --On the Flager CBC on December 27, Kaempfer reported Common Redpoll, Winter Wren, EASTERN MEADOWLARK, and over 22000 Lapland Longspurs. --On December 29, Huffstater reported a late Turkey Vulture crossing the I-70 west of Flager. Larimer County: --On December 12, Lutomski reported a BRANT on a small lake just north of Lake Loveland and west of Loveland High School. It was with a large flock of Canada and Cackling Geese. On December 15, Mlodinow reported a black BRANT at Cattail Creek Golf Course. It was seen from the parking lot.
[cobirds] South Platte River, Adams County, Jan. 1st (yellowthroat, Rusty Blackbirds, mother of all pipit flocks, etc.)
Hello, Birders. As Norm Lewis has noted, yesterday, January 1st, was a great day to be birding the South Platte drainage in the Denver area. Eight of us, participants in the Denver Urban CBC, worked the South Platte River from 74th Street upstream for several miles, plus the lowest stretches of Sand Creek, and adjacent reservoirs and thickets. The birding, entirely on foot, was really good, from start to finish. Our many highlights included: 1,712 Northern Shovelers, and that was surely an undercount. 83 Hooded Mergansers, most of them at the confluence of Sand Creek and the South Platte. 6 Red-breasted Mergansers. 2 Ruddy Ducks. 1 Western Grebe. 15 Double-crested Cormorants. 13 Black-crowned Night-Herons upstream a short ways from the confluence of Sand Creek and the South Platte. 14 Killdeer. 2 Wilson's Snipes. 1 stunning Prairie Falcon that flew right past us, in hot pursuit of a Killdeer, as we were standing on the pedestrian bridge near I-76. 1 beautiful Northern Shrike. 6 Bushtits, working their way upstream (back home??) along the bank of the South Platte. 2 Marsh Wrens. 1 likely flyover Eastern Bluebird. Heard-only, so we didn't count it. 3 widely scattered male Ruby-crowned Kinglets. a phantasmagoric 148 American Pipits. We saw a flock of 70+ fly downstream, and then it was followed by another flock of 60+. Plus, there were singles and small flocks everywhere. Pipits were audible and visible almost constantly during the day, and the species was nearly my first bird of the new year (flyover in the parking lot, just as we were getting started). 1 Common Yellowthroat in a thicket on one of the sandbars on the west side of the South Platte between I-76 and I-270. 1 Myrtle Warbler and 1 undifferentiated Yellow-rumped Warbler. 1 male Yellow-headed Blackbird. at least 8, and possibly more, Rusty Blackbirds. We thought it was pretty spiffy when we had a beautiful bird calling constantly (audio-recorded) right under the I-76 bridge. Then Dick Schottler found us a full-on flock of 5, upstream a ways and across the river. Then, toward the end of the day, we had at least 8 (some of which were photo'd) in a wet, leafy thicket near the confluence of Clear Creek and the South Platte River. We decided to bundle the previous flocks of 1 and 5 into this group of 8. For sure, it was one of my most memorable CBCs ever: the weather was clear, cold, and brilliant; the birds were fabulous, the human companions even better. 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 https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[cobirds] Snowy Owl - Arapahoe County
Cobirders, Early this morning I had a Snowy Owl glide across the road in front of my car. I was driving northbound on I-225 between the Yosemite and Parker Road exits. The owl was flying from the north side of the road to the south side to the fields below the Cherry Creek dam. Good Birding, Steve Stachowiak Highlands Ranch, 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. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/cobirds/-/BIFHZrkd9eUJ. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[cobirds] Re: Jackpot at Stearns Lake, Boulder County
This particular hawk has been hanging around that area for at least 2 weeks now, hunting from there down into Superior. Please, please use caution if you go out there to view it, not only for your own sake but for the bird's as well. The intersection of 104th and Dillon can be very heavy with traffic and the bird has been perched on road signs very close to the road. S/he has been hunting very close to Dillon Rd and also the Northwest Parkway. I would hate for someone to inadvertently spook the bird into an oncoming auto, so please stay a safe distance away. There is a small pullout on 104th at the intersection of Dillon Rd that is the safest bet for viewing. Best time of day is usually late afternoon - s/he seems to be the most active then. Some pics available here if anyone is interested: http://www.flickr.com/photos/63892538@N04/8313004256/in/photostream http://nancyrynes.photoshelter.com/gallery/Raptors/G2py9GT4z5d8/ Thanks! Nancy Rynes Lafayette, 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. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/cobirds/-/SHmxVrvktFQJ. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[cobirds] Re: S Platte River, Adams County, 68th to 88th
Greetings My brother Greg and I also strolled the S. Platte River between 88th and 68th yesterday midday in 25 degree weather (sorry for the late post but was busy today) and saw most of the birds reported by Steven Mlodinow on December 29th. The Barrow's Goldeneyes were still present as were the American Pipits. We did not bother to count all of the myriad water fowl mentioned before but had the following additions: 25+ Ring-billed Gulls 5 Ring-necked Ducks 3 Lesser Scaup 4 Hooded Merganser pair 2 Common Merganser pair 4 Double-crested Cormorants 2 Great Blue Herron 2 Bald Eagles 5 Red-tailed Hawks 1 Northern Harrier 3 American Kestrels 3 Rusty Blackbirds (under the railroad trestle on the west side) Missing, of course, were the smattering of land birds scattered along the way (the most interesting of which were 3 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS under the west side of the railroad trestle). In total, we observed 34 species. Being relatively new birders, Greg nabbed four life birds and I added two. Not bad for a cold last day of 2012. We look forward to meeting up with some of you regulars in 2013, Gary Witt Greg Witt Greenwood Village, CO Arvada, CO On Saturday, December 29, 2012 9:31:47 PM UTC-7, Steven Mlodinow wrote: Greetings All Today Cathy Sheeter and I strolled along the S Platte River from about 68th to 88th (street?). The number of ducks along the river was staggering. Some totals: 1445 N Shoveler 910 Gadwall 505 N Pintail 240 GW Teal 175 C Goldeneye 155 Mallard 130 Bufflehead Other highlights included 3 male and 1 female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE (with one male seemingly paired with a female Common) 3 MALLARD X GADWALL (one was the same bird photographed at the same place by Bill Schmoker and I last year. The other were pretty typical Brewer's Ducks: Gadwall body except brownish chest, green head with russet on cheek, black bill with yellow edges) 1 MALLARD x N PINTAIL We also had a stunning 81 or so American Pipits, mostly between 74th and 68th. Good Birding Steven 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. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/cobirds/-/GCpuCt2jp70J. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[cobirds] Loveland and Rawhide CBC Area Goodies
Hi all Good birds for us were: Northern Goshawk (imm., private) White-winged Dove - 2 (private) Merlin (private) Winter Wren (Lon Hagler) Common Redpoll (Bonnell West neighborhood) Area boundaries are: 1st street x Taft x LCR 14 x LCR 23 During Rawhide count we had 17+ Common Redpoll in our section (5 at church feeders behind Forks Restaurant in Livermore and cooperative flock of 12 along LCR 80). Thanks Gary Lefko, Nunn http://coloradobirder.ning.com/ Mobile: http://coloradobirder.ning.com/m -- 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. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/cobirds/-/K38RtucF1bQJ. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[cobirds] ACORN WOODPECKER, El Paso 1/2/13; EASTERN TOWHEE, Custer 1/1/13
Happy New Year! I saw the continuing ACORN WOODPECKER (El Paso) this morning around 0930 in the same location near Cheyenne Blvd and Willow Cir. It was very vocal and flying around a lot, and was quite easy to find. It visited briefly a feeder in the aforementioned yard with the Grinch inflatable. Mark Peterson, Lisa Edwards, Brandon Percival and I birded in Pueblo, Fremont and Custer Counties yesterday. Most things have already been posted, but we can add a F BARROW'S GOLDENEYE in Pueblo on the Arkansas R below City Park (near the footbridge); a COMMON REDPOLL that we found on the N side of Pueblo Res near Juniper Breaks; two strange and unidentified hybrid-looking gulls at Pueblo Res in the evening (one almost certainly a GWxSomething, maybe the same bird seen way back in 2012; the other, simply unknown gull sp., although the words 'slaty' and 'backed' were mentioned...); and finally, a F EASTERN TOWHEE in the town of Wetmore (Custer Co.) in a yard with feeders on CR-395. Cheers, -- Dan Maynard Manitou Springs, 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 https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[cobirds] Greater White-fronted Goose in Fort Collins
I went out to the Poudre River over my lunch hour today and encountered a Greater White-fronted Goose in among the throngs of geese (800-1000) that were at the first pond along Sharp Point Drive towards Prospect Road (farmers pond). There were both Canada and Cackling Geese in the group also. In the way of ducks, I spotted Mallards and Northern Shovelers and a few Common Goldeneyes. Joe Mammoser Fort Collins Larimer 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. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/cobirds/-/qw0cyy-zphMJ. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[cobirds] Empidonax, Goose Creek, Jefferson County
Greetings Went for a hike on New Year's Day up Goose Creek in the South Platte area and observed a Flycatcher in open ponderosa forest near a frozen stream. The white eye ring observed puts this bird into the Empidonax group, and the environment would indicate a Dusky Flycatcher. However, my research indicates that there are no records of these flycatchers in Colorado in January? Does anyone out there have any knowledge on the subject of winter Empids in Colorado? Regards, Steve Hodges -- 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. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/cobirds/-/sAolK7X4VpIJ. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
RE: [cobirds] Sand Creek Say's Phoebe
Hi Norm, My guess would be midges (family Chironomidae) which can occur anywhere, any time there is open water. It is my understanding their body fluids are spiked with compounds that suppress their freezing point below 32 degrees F. Normal places for open water at this time of year when it has been this cold are near water treatment plants, condensation from places like the Denver Botanic Garden conservatory, springs, etc. That stretch of the Platte River near Commerce City and nearby ditches/streams is probably kept open by effluent from various industrial operations. Say's Phoebes are semi-hardy, as insectivores go, because some of their insect prey is, likewise, semi-hardy. It is also possible that, like many of the larger flycatchers during migration, that they can supplement their diet with tree fruits like Russian-olives, crabapples, etc. Dave To: cobirds@googlegroups.com Subject: [cobirds] Sand Creek Say's Phoebe From: migran...@aol.com Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2013 01:27:13 -0500 I joined Mike Serruto, Nina Routh, Greg Smith and Greg Goodrich for a couple of miles of walking and counting along Sand Creek between Quebec and Havana this morning. We had great numbers of the usual suspects, including lots of beautiful hooded mergs, a nice variety of red-tails including one dark morph and a few other goodies. However, the only bird of real note was a very late (overwintering?) Say's phoebe which was flycatching (or maybe flyhunting- I can't imagine it was catching much, but maybe Dr. Leatherman can comment on that) from perches in an open field along the creek. Norm Lewis Lakewood migran...@aol.com -- 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 https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- 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 https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[cobirds] Loveland CBC summary
The Loveland CBC was held on Jan 1 with more than 50 participants. We recorded 91 species, with 6 more for Count Week so far. Photos for some of these are posted at http://www.pbase.com/quetzal/lovelandcbc. Six species comprised more than half of all birds, with over 1000 each: Cackling Goose, Canada Goose, American Robin, House Sparrow, Eurasian Collared-Dove, House Finch. Highlights were: Trumpeter Swan – 2 More Cackling Geese than Canada Geese (first time ever) Barrow’s Goldeneye –1 Western Grebe – 1 Thayer’s Gull – 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull – 1 Northern Goshawk - 1 Eurasian Collared-Dove – more than 1000 for the first time White-winged Dove – 2 Northern Pygmy-Owl – 1 Northern Saw-whet Owl – 1 first ever Chihuahuan Raven – 2 Winter Wren – 1 Northern Mockingbird - 1 Pine Warbler – 1 first ever White-throated Sparrow – 2 first ever Harris’s Sparrow – 2 Cassiar Junco – 18 (previous high was 5) Evening Grosbeak – 13 Common Redpoll – 17 plus count week species: Tundra Swan (2), Greater White-fronted Goose (2), Greater Scaup, Common Loon, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Hoary Redpoll (3). Special thanks to Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch, Larimer County Natural Resources Department, City of Loveland, Quetzal Tours, and Fort Collins Audubon Society for sponsorship and support in various capacities. Nick Komar (Loveland CBC compiler) Fort Collins, 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 https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
