[cobirds] "Small gull with M pattern"

All: The number of species of "small gulls with an M pattern" that are possible in Colorado is five: Ross's, Little, Bonaparte's, and Black-headed gulls and Black-legged Kittiwake. The "M pattern" refers to the "M" described by the dark primaries and the stripe of dark crossing the otherwise

[cobirds] Vesper Sparrow redux

Hi all: I posted a while back on the problem of juvenile Brewer's Sparrows being reported to eBird as Vesper Sparrows (see below). For other reasons, I recently ran through a number of Vesper Sparrow photos in the eBird/Macaulay Library photo archive. Unfortunately, I ran across a sizable

Re: [cobirds] Ode to Petrochelidon Caution

All: I wholeheartedly agree with David's main point in his posted... criticism, that main point being that identifying Cave Swallow in Colorado requires utmost caution. However, his post contains numerous inaccuracies that serve only to make the situation more confusing. It is a rare juvenile

[cobirds] Current ID problem: Vesper Sparrow vs. juvenile Brewer's Sparrow

Hi all: For other reasons, I recently ran through a number of Vesper Sparrow photos in the eBird/Macaulay Library photo archive. Unfortunately, I ran across a sizable number of photos entered in the Vesper Sparrow entry that are actually of juvenile Brewer's Sparrows. In the field, take note of

[cobirds] Size comparisons

Hi all: I have posted another essay to the Colorado and Wyoming eBird blog. Enjoy, Tony Tony LeukeringFairborn, OH -- 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

[cobirds] "Unmistakable" -- New post to Colorado and Wyoming eBird blog

Hi all: I have posted a new, short essay on the two-state eBird blog. http://cowyebird.blogspot.com/ Enjoy, Tony LeukeringFairborn, OH -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails

[cobirds] eBird -- a new post to the CO & WY eBird blog

Hi all: Given that it's the season of large numbers of waterbirds, a post to the CO & WY eBird blog seemed germane. One can access the new post directly here: https://cowyebird.blogspot.com/2019/12/details-provided-about-counting.html or the blog, in general, can be accessed here:

Re: [cobirds] wigeon ID help, Boulder Co

Peter: While your bird is a bit interesting, I now believe that it is a male American. Upon first looking at the photos on my phone, I came to the conclusion that it is a hybrid, but now that I've looked at them on a computer I do not. Male Americans often show obvious, even strong, buff or

[cobirds] Relevant to "Wood pewee and hybrid duck"

See the ITS article on merganser ID, ageing, and sexing: https://cobirds.org/CFO/ColoradoBirds/InTheScope/82.pdf Enjoy, Tony LeukeringWiley, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving

[cobirds] Request for help: Ravens in Prowers County

All: I write to request help with discerning the occurrence pattern of Common Ravenin Prowers County. In my experience, the only ravens that I’ve seen/heard inProwers (away from the very southernmost bit by Two Buttes SWA) that I was convincedwere Commons -- and not the expected Chihuahuan

[cobirds] San Juan County owl

Hi all: To my eyes, Roger Linfield's Silverton owl is a Flamm.  The small ear tufts, the brown racing stripe on the scapulars, and the brown tones to the face all point in that direction.  However, I have to say that I was convinced that it was a Flamm before I saw the photo, as there are no

[cobirds] US 287/385 south of Lamar

All: I write as a public service to the presumed hordes that will soon descend upon southeast CO.  There are signs stating that road work will begin on the highway S of Lamar in “April 2019” between mile markers 50 and 60 in southern Prowers Co.  Additionally, there is ongoing road work in

[cobirds] A note on recent Kiowa goodies

All: Despite my getting credit in this venue for some “good” birds down here, I deserve very little of the credit. DUNLIN — Mark Peterson called me on 15 Apr to tell me that there were 5 (FIVE!!) at Lower Queens, along with a good selection of other shorebird species, including a WHIMBREL that

[cobirds] NECO reminder

Hi all: I just saw Adam’s post about the Adams County Neotrop Corm and just wanted to remind all that size is the least-definitive ID character for the species in comparison with Double-crested. This is because the latter species is incredibly variable in size, with the smallest individuals

[cobirds] Re: Advice for an early June visitor?

Hi Aaron: The first thing that I suggest is to check out the CO county birding website --  https://coloradocountybirding.org/ -- which is one of the best bird-finding sources available. Secondly, most of your "wants" can be found in a fairly constrained day jaunt from Denver; all can with a bit

[cobirds] Red Crossbill nesting (and Dino Ridge addendum)

Hi all: I write just to provide more information on the topic and to point out one important aspect of Breeding Bird Atlases that many do not consider. Breeding Bird Atlases (BBA), like ALL bird-data sampling schemes, is biased.  "How," you might ask.  Well, they are designed to get the most

[cobirds] Dino Ridge

Here’s hoping for a great hawk flight today at the Ridge, as, assuming that the weather conditions there are as they are at Littleton, they’d be hard-pressed to have better conditions on this date.  I would expect a big buteo flight, along with a good smattering of other species.  I recall a

[cobirds] Gray-crowned Rosy-finches and eBird

Hi all: Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch is represented in Colorado by two subspecies groups.  eBird's nomenclature for the two groups is: Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Gray-crowned) and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Hepburn's). The second of these two subspecies groups is of birds with nearly entirely gray heads,

[cobirds] Swan article -- since it seems germane

https://cobirds.org/CFO/ColoradoBirds/InTheScope/76.pdf Tony LeukeringWiley, CO -- 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] Re: Gyrfalcon in Southern Fort Collins, Larimer County

Thanks to Andy for posting such a timely announcement of the Gyr that enabled so many of us to be on location at dawn and thus enjoy such a great bird.  Such timeliness really helps all those interested in chasing such a beast to have a better chance to see it and enables all that are

[cobirds] High counts of birds in eBird

Hi all: If you are not an eBirder and don't have plans to become one, feel free to delete this message now. Scott Somershoe and I have written a piece for the Colorado and Wyoming eBird blog that I'd like to point eBirders to: http://cowyebird.blogspot.com/ Thanks, Tony Tony

[cobirds] The rain, the (Belmar) park, and scaupy things

Hi all: Apologies to The Cowsills for paraphrasing their song title. Part of the CO eBird review team have written a piece on the perils... well, difficulties, anyway, on the ID of Greater Scaup, based primarily on the scaup at Belmar Park.

[cobirds] eBird's "Change Species" button

Hi all: I have posted a new essay on the Colorado and Wyoming eBird blog about this wonderful new checklist-editing tool in eBird. Check it out! http://cowyebird.blogspot.com/ Enjoy, Tony Leukering currently Guymon, OK -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the

[cobirds] Subspecies of White-winged Crossbill (and other species) and eBird

Hi all: This is another plea from the Colorado eBird reviewers. If you are tempted to use an eBird entry that has a parenthetical expression, please do NOT use it unless you understand what that expression means. As example, the Pueblo White-winged Crossbill has been reported to eBird under

[cobirds] Recent stakeout goodies and eBird

Hi all: As a plea from the Colorado cadre of eBird reviewers, please, please, please, please, please use the relevant hotspots when reporting to eBird on the various goodies hanging around the Front Range edge right now: The JEF Snowy Owl, the various ELP goodies (Greater Roadrunner,

[cobirds] Red Crossbill types and eBird

Hi all: Though it has been hinted at and suggested for a few years, eBird has promulgated policy concerning the reporting of Red Crossbills to type. See below. Sincerely, Tony Tony Leukering currently Guymon, OK From: Marshall Iliff Date: November 14,

[cobirds] California Gull subspecies

Hi all: Since there have been a few eBird checklists from Colorado recently that have endeavored to differentiate among the two subspecies of California Gull, I thought that I would post a cautionary note about such in this venue. As most lariphiles are aware, there are two subspecies of

[cobirds] A new CO and WY eBird blog post: The details box

Hi all: I have posted a new essay written by many of the CO eBird reviewers to the Colorado and Wyoming eBird blog. Please see it at http://cowyebird.blogspot.com/2017/08/ebird-basics-species-comments-box.html Thanks, Tony Leukering currently Guymon, OK -- You received this message

Re: [cobirds] Request Buteo ID Help - Arapahoe County

Hi Chris The tail is much too long and the wings much too short for them to belong to a Broad-winged Hawk or any other buteo. The bird is certainly an accipiter, and the seemingly wavy tail banding is usually a feature of Northern Goshawk (as noted by others), but Cooper's Hawks can show this

[cobirds] Raptor (and other) migration at Matthews-Winters Park (JeffCo) - 2 April

Hi all: I spent an hour watching for raptor migrants from Matthews-Winters Park (across Hwy 93 from Dinosaur Ridge, just south of I-70) from about 1 pm to about 2 pm. Had I noticed a significant amount of such migration, I was prepared to make the trudge up to the hawkwatch lookout on

Re: [cobirds] Of sage thrashers, sandhill cranes, strange coincidences, and the inevitable arbitrariness of eBird

Hey Ted: I am just curious. Did you cross the "Rubicon Kinglet?" Tony Tony Leukering Largo, FL Ted Floyd :Apr 01 05:00PM -0700 Okay, that sounds like the beginning of a really lame April Fools joke, but, actually, it's a true story. Here goes... Yesterday,

[cobirds] eBird: A request for "useful" details in comment fields

Hi all: The various Colorado eBird reviewers appreciate comments in species entries. However, the comments that are particularly useful are those that indicate how a rare species was identified -- and not just hitting the high points, which may not rule out most or all other species -- or how

Re: [cobirds] Need ID Help from Crow Valley (Weld County)

Joey: Given a view of the back, Blackburnian is actually fairly easy to differentiate from similar-looking species by the white or whitish "braces" -- those streaks of contrasting pale near the sides of the back. However, your major concern with identifying Townsend's Warbler (TOWA; note

[cobirds] Re: Olive-sided Flycatcher at Brush Hollow SWA, landbird migration has begun

Hi all: While I typically like SeEtta's posts and blog, I have to disagree with her assessment of "landbird migration." Chipping Sparrows have been moving for more than a month, while Yellow Warblers, Lark Buntings, Bullock's Orioles, and an additional unknown number of Colorado-breeding

[cobirds] Re: New AOU order

Hi all: The CFO, as does ABA and most (if not all) state- and province-level bird authorities in the ABA area, follow the AOU taxonomy and nomenclature, while eBird follows Clements. That distinction is important in this case, because the AOU taxonomy covers only North America (Canada south

[cobirds] Larimer Baird's Sparrows

Hi all: Isn't this crazy!! What is going on with Baird's Sparrow in recent years? Interestingly, despite the 44 eBird reports (and who knows how may outside of eBird), there are still no documentations submitted to the CBRC (http://coloradobirdrecords.org/Reporting/) of any of these birds.

[cobirds] Prowers Golden-winged

Hi all: Golden-winged Warbler was removed from the state's review list in 2002 due to climbing occurrence rate (and partly to ease of ID). However, it was returned to the review list not too many years later when the bottom dropped out on occurrences. Since about four bazillion people saw

[cobirds] eBird checklist distance

Hi all: Below, please find the link to the new post on the Colorado & Wyoming eBird blog about distance traveled for eBird checklists. http://cowyebird.blogspot.com/2016/03/ebird-checklists-and-miles-traveled.html I would appreciate someone forwarding this to the Western Colorado listserve.

[cobirds] Goldeneye ID

Primarily for Marcia, but as a refresher for others, you might check out the In The Scope entry concerned with ID of some goldeneyes. http://cobirds.org/CFO/ColoradoBirds/InTheScope/16.pdf Also as a reminder, the whole In The Scope series can be accessed here.

[cobirds] White-winged Juncos in Colorado (LONG)

All: Since one of my favorite birds has come up as a topic in this venue, I find it impossible to not jump in. In my experience, White-winged Junco's primary winter range is the Ponderosa Pine belt on the east side of the Front Range and Wet Mountains. It is nowhere numerous and is nearly

[cobirds] Walden Ponds ibis

Hi all: As the primary Colorado eBird reviewer, I have noted a wide variety of tacks that eBirders have taken when entering this late ibis in their eBird checklists. Many have entered it as a White-faced Ibis, using the rationale of that species being, by far, the most-common of the two dark

[cobirds] Grand Junction Costa's Hummer -- Fall/Winter 2014

Hi all: I am trying to finish up the fall 2014 seasonal report for North American Birds and find that the Costa's Hummer attending a feeder for 1.5 months at the end of last year has not been documented to the Colorado Bird Records Committee. I find that disturbing for a number of reasons,

Re: [cobirds] pipit v. Horned Lark

A blast from the past on this subject: http://cobirds.org/CFO/ColoradoBirds/InTheScope/28.pdf Tony Leukering currently Cut Bank, MT http://cobirds.org/CFO/Resources/Columns.aspx?id=2 -Original Message- From: cobirds cobirds@googlegroups.com To: Digest recipients

[cobirds] Colorado eBird filter news

Hi all: I've written a short piece at the CO WY eBird blog -- check it out! And, please sign up to follow the blog. http://cowyebird.blogspot.com/2015/04/colorado-filter-news.html Tony Tony Leukering Largo, FL http://cowyebird.blogspot.com/ http://aba.org/photoquiz/

[cobirds] Posts to CO WY eBird blog

Hi Cobirders: I've put up a couple posts recently on the new CO WY eBird blog. Check 'em out at http://cowyebird.blogspot.com/. Enjoy, Tony -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Colorado Birds group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop