[cobirds] migration arrivals/Arapahoe

[Karl Stecher Jr.]

For the record(s), arrivals: 

   avocet - two at the new Cottonwood Creek pond south, Cherry Creek SP 
3/29/10 

   common grackle - one at my feeder, Orchard and Colorado Blvd, Centennial 
3/29/10.  Imagine being near only ONE grackle a week from now! 


Karl Stecher
Centenial

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[cobirds] Colorado RBA - March 30, 2010

[Allison Hilf]

Date:March 30, 2010
e-Mail:  rba AT cfo-link.org
phone:  303-659-8750
compiler:  Allison Hilf

This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at
7am sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Rocky
Mountain Bird Observatory.

Highlight species include (*Denotes that there is new information for
this species in this report)

EURASIAN WIGEON (Baca)
Barrow's Goldeneye (Denver, Jefferson)
Thayer's Gull (Weld)
ICELAND GULL (Weld)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Weld)
Glaucous Gull (Weld)
White-winged Dove (Broomfield)
American Three-toed Woodpecker (Clear Creek)
Black Phoebe (Montrose)
Juniper Titmouse (Jefferson)
Sage Sparrow (Boulder,Pueblo)
Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Fremont)
Harris's Sparrow (Boulder)
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (*Jefferson)
Rusty Blackbird (Jefferson)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (*Huerfano)
Black Rosy-Finch (*Huerfano)
White-winged Crossbill (*Larimer)
Common Redpoll (Garfield)


To skip this recording to leave a message, press the star key at any
time.  Please leave your name, phone number, detailed directions
including the county and dates for all sightings.  It would be helpful
if you would spell your last name.

Baca County:
A male Eurasian Wigeon was reported by Peterson at Turk's Pond on
March 28.

Boulder County:
--A first year Harris's Sparrow was reported by Floyd at Greenlee
Preserve in Lafayette on March 25. It was seen again by Szeliga in the
Brush at the Salina St. entrance to Greenlee/Wanaka Lake on March 27.

Broomfield County:
--A White-winged Dove was reported by Wild on Lowell Blvd just north
of 144th on March 23.  It was at the 3rd house north of 144th.

Clear Creek County:
--A female American Three-toed Woodpecker was reported by Walker near  
the parking lot on Guanella Pass on March 22.


Denver County:
--A pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes was reported by Henwood along the S.
Platte River just north of the bridge on W. Evans Ave on December 14.
On March 25, Thornton-Kolbe reported that the male Barrow's Goldeneye  
was north of the Florida Bridge.


Garfield County:
--A Common Redpoll was reported by Filby at his feeders in Carbondale
on March 26. If you want to try to see it contact Dick Filby at 970-704-9178 
.  The feeders are not visible from the road.


Huerfano County:
--All three species of rosy finches were reported by Bulow at the
home of Beverly Jensen in La Veta on March 29.  Call 719-989-1398 to
arrange a visit.

Jefferson County:
--A f Rusty Blackbird was reported by Keithler on February 23 on the
Wheat Ridge Greenbelt west of Youngfield.   Wild reported seeing the
male Rusty Blackbird on March 23.  There is a parking lot off of
Youngfield between 38th and 44th Ave.  Walk west on the bike path
under I-70 and start looking for the orange cone.  Thanks to Dick
Schottler and Glenn Walbek for the parking information.
--A Juniper Titmouse was reported at the Dinosaur Ridge Hawk Watch on
March 6 by Luper and Clark.  Szeliga reported hearing the Juniper
Titmouse at the Hawk Watch on March 28.
--A juv GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW was reported by Brown behind the
Trading Post at Red Rocks on December 19.  The GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW
was seen by Cameron on March 29.
--On the Wheat Ridge Greenbelt a male Barrow's Goldeneye has been
reported:  by King on the west end of Tabor Lake on March 7; by
Henwood on Prospect Lake on March 8; by Deininger on a small pond east
of West Lake on March 14; and by Bob Spencer on Bass Pond on March 22  
with a female nearby; and a pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes was reported

by Wild on March 23 on Bass Lake.

 Larimer County:
--A pair of White-winged Crossbills was reported by Leatherman in
Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins on November 22.  Leatherman
reported on March 8 the White-winged Crossbill pair were observed
mating.   On March 30, Leatherman reported the pair continue their  
nesting activities. Location: extreme southeast corner of Grandview  
Cemetery, west end of Mountain Avenue, Fort Collins.

Dave Leatherman  least)

I will be in the extreme southeast corner of the cemetery with my  
scope set up southeast of the pumphouse most mornings between 8 and  
noon.   Birders who want to see the crossbills would have a decent  
chance if they come mid-morning and are willing to spend at least an  
hour.   The visitation of the nest by the male, brief feeding session,  
and various post-feeding activities by the male (which could include  
seeking water on the ground) are the only real chances to observe the  
male and on average take a total of about 5 minutes.  When these  
activities are over, there's nothing to see but less-than-satisfying  
views of the mother's back or wing atop a 2 x 2-inch visible section  
of nest for another hour until the male returns. Visitors should note  
the real potential for golf ball damage to vehicles if they park near  
the corner.  When you first get there, figuring out where the spot is,  
parking somewhere else, and walking over to the corner would probably  
be best.   Remember not to park on 

[cobirds] Turkey vultures

[Jenyva]

Just before 5pm tonight, 4 turkey vultures were soaring high above my
house in Fountain.

They're back!

Jenyva Turner
Fountain, CO
El Paso County

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[cobirds] ID Help

[Nicolle Martin]

I went to the Dinosaur Ridge HawkWatch yesterday at about 3 pm to see if I
could spot the Juniper Titmouse.  No luck w/ the Titmouse, but I did see
some very busy Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.  I also saw a light gray bird on the
ground at the top of HawkWatch, about the size & shape of a Townsend's
Solitaire.  It had some faint barring on its wings, but I didn't get to look
long enough to note whether it had the eye ring.  Is it probable that it was
a T. Solitaire?  Is this an area where they have been found before?  Could
it have been a female Green-tailed Towhee?

Thanks for any insight.

Nicolle Martin
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] First of Season Grackles - Colorado Springs

[Chris]

Sighted at least 3 slicked up Grackles hanging out with a Red-winged
Blackbird - East side of Colorado Springs, Austin Bluffs and Templeton
Gap area.

Chris Schoenfelder
Colorado Springs, CO

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[cobirds] Turkey Vultures in Masonville, Larimer

[Pat Hayward]

Hi all,
   The first of the turkey vultures have arrived at the Masonville Post
Office roost. Two spotted this morning.
Cheers!
Pat
-- 
Pat Hayward
Masonville CO 80541
Larimer County west of Fort Collins at 5400'

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[cobirds] Prairie Falcon Mating Behavior - Red Rocks

[mike]

This morning between 8:45 and 9:25 at Red Rocks Park outside of  
Morrison I observed the following Prairie Falcon mating behavior:


The female Prairie Falcon was sitting atop one of the huge red  
boulders calling loudly and incessantly. I saw her yesterday evening  
in the same spot calling loud and frequently. The male was sitting on  
top of the much taller cliff face to the east ,  which is the cliff  
where the nest will be located.  Next the female flew to the nesting  
ledge on the cliff face and disappeared into the recesses of the cliff  
wall, which slants backward from the cliff face.  She could still be  
heard calling loudly and incessantly from the nest site, although I  
could not see her.  After a while, the female flew out of the cliff  
nest site and landed on top of the south end of the cliff wall.  The  
male is still perched on the cliff wall, but  approximately 100 yards  
to the north of her location.  The female continues to call, the male  
takes flight and flies to the south where he disappears.  A few  
minutes later, the male returns flying in from the south, makes a  
circle, and then in flight and from behind approaches the perched  
female.  Instead of landing on the cliff next to her(which is what I  
was expecting), the male mounted the female without ever landing,  
copulation took place lasting 5-6 seconds, and then the male  
disengaged, and flew to the nest site ledge and disappeared  into the  
recesses of the nest site.  The female continued to sit and call from  
same perch.  After a while the male had come out of the nest area and  
could be seen perched on the ledge of the nest site.  This is where I  
left them about 10 minutes after witnessing the mating spectacle.


A couple of observation notes:
On Saturday when the DFO group witnessed copulation, the event was  
very similar except that the male approached the female from behind  
and from the south rather than behind and from the north.  Also  
copulation lasted much longer today, while on Sat. the event seemed  
very brief.


Mike Henwood
Red Rocks Park - Morrison
Jefferson County

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[cobirds] RE: Denver's City Park

[B K]

Hello!   I know -- some of you may think that Denver's City Park isn't that 
exciting for birding -- but what it lacks in bucolic charm, it wins back 
because of it's easy accessible location.  My last visit there was yesterday, 
March 29, 2010.   

 

The Double-crested Cormorant nesting colonies at City Park's Duck Lake (30+ 
pairs) and Ferril Lake (5+ pairs) are a stunning sight.  Nest refurbishment is 
well underway.  But mostly, it's great to see the Double-crested Cormorants in 
full double-crested mating plumage.  As a group, they are a loud colony of 
birds.  There are no leaves to obstruct views -- and you can easily view from 
your car.  Duck Pond is on the northwest side City Park whereas Ferril Lake is 
just west of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (the bigger lake).  Anyway 
-- this is a great location for a drive after work or a lunch hour if you are 
in that neck of the woods.

 

Ben Kemena

Denver, Colorado


Photos:  


Cormorants:  

http://picasaweb.google.com/timshel40/CityParkDenverColoradoMarch242010#

 

Kingfisher & Waterfowl:  
http://picasaweb.google.com/timshel40/CityParkDenverColoradoMarch24201002#
  
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[cobirds] Hawkwatch, Colorado Springs, Tuesday

[Steven Brown]

Hi COBirders,

Beautiful, warm day on the Westside of Colorado Springs.  I thought there might 
be more raptors soaring today, but most were actually at eye-level, or below my 
vantage point above the end of Garden of the Gods Road.

Watched from about 10:30-12:30 today, and observed:
6 Red-tailed Hawks, (at least four were probably locals, in two pairs, at the 
same time)
2 Am Kestrel (local?)
1 N Harrier - moving N pretty fast with the breeze
3 Com Raven
5 Am Crow, 

also-
8 Canada Geese (circling high)
BB Magpie,
W Scrub Jay
Spotted Towhee
House Finch
(FOS) W Bluebird flock
Am Robin
N Flicker
Downy Woodpecker

Steve Brown
Colorado Springs (Mountain Shadows area)


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[cobirds] Cinnamon Teals Time, Denver

[frank hatch]

In response to Elaine's question--early to see Cinnamon Teal?

I'm not sure if it's early to see Cinnamon Teal, but this morning Frank and
I found 7 at Westerly Creek Wetlands in the threek and pools of deep water
left by the melting snow.  Four ad males, 3 ad females.  Startling color!
With them was our first avocet of the season, also in bright colors.

Nancy Hatch
Denver

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[cobirds] Rosy-finches (gray-crowned and brown-capped) in Divide, Teller Co

[Jeff J Jones]

Found out yesterday that rosy-finches have been showing up at a friend's
bird feeders, in Divide (Teller Co), for about a month. They didn't think it
was important enough to notify me; figuring they had bored me with their
misc feeder bird photos and updates enough. J

 

Yesterday and today, I found both gray-crowned (tephrocotis, littoralis &
dawsoni races) and brown-capped rosy-finches in a flock of about 40-60. No
black rosy-finches were seen.

 

Birder's are welcome to view these birds from the road (Joshua Rd), west of
the house. Several feeders are in the back (south side). The rosy-finches
like to roost in the large ponderosa nearest to Joshua road, west of the
house. 

 

The little "A" on the map link below is essentially the back yard of the
house and the location of the feeders.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q

&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=101+stephanie+pl,+80814&sll=39.021928,-105.0518
12&sspn=0.01382,0.014806&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=101+Stephanie+Pl,+Divide,+Teller,
+Colorado+80814&z=17 

To use this map page and get directions to this home, simply use the
Directions link on the left and type in your address.

Please do not trespass on their property or adjoining property. This is a
low-traffic residential street and stopping on the road and viewing from
your car should give excellent views.

 

Photos: 

http://www.sendpix.com/albums/10033017/1758346374b0947a3e21ef1298226
14c84953e/ 

 

Jeff J Jones

(  jjo...@jonestc.com)

Teller County - 8500' - Montane Woodlands

 

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[cobirds] Black-crowned Night-Heron

[tbirdh]

Yesterday, at 6:00PM I saw my FOS Black-crowned Night-Heron in Bittersweet Park 
in Greeley. None yet at our rookery in Glenmere Park.  In Windsor at the large 
Kodak pond we saw 3 male Cinnamon Teal among about 9 different species of 
ducks. 
Spring!

Terry Hunter

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

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[cobirds] White-winged Crossbill Update at Grandview Cemetery, Fort Collins

[Dave Leatherman]

Extreme southeast corner, Grandview Cemetery, west end of Mountain Avenue, Fort 
Collins, Larimer County, Colorado:

This morning was interesting on several accounts.  

First, shortly after 7:30 I was priviledged to be taken up to the White-winged 
Crossbill nest by Tim Abbott and Dave Sexton of the City of Fort Collins 
Forestry Department in their 50-foot bucket truck.  I very much appreciate 
their interest and enlightened approach to urban forestry.  What we saw was 
amazing: essentially nothing.  The limited, pitiful view of the nest side we 
have from the ground thru a spotting scope is actually better than what you can 
see 5 feet above the nest!  As has been stated before, the nest site selection 
by this female is pure genius.  Now, I feel that way even more.  Overtopping 
the nest is a waffle-pattern of live twigs and small branches with full 
compliment of needles.  In effect, they provide a fairly low "roof" over the 
nest cup.  When we got up to the nest site at about 7:45 this morning, the 
female was on the nest and barely visible.  She remained that way our entire 
stay of 15 minutes or so.  Her dark olive back and black-and-white wing pattern 
were visible in bits and pieces thru the criss-cross maze of foliage.  The male 
actually came in to feed as if we weren't there - something I had hoped would 
be the case, and which is consistent with their no-fear attitude about humans.  
His bright, contrasting coloration made him more evident than the female when 
at the nest as seen thru the "roof", but he was still mostly concealed from 
direct view.  At one point we could see two young mouths, red (inside of the 
mouth cavity), yellow (mouth lining or "lips") and white (gape), reaching up 
for food.  While up there during this brief visit, we tried maximizing what we 
could learn (the nest is exactly 40.0 feet off the ground; the crossbills are, 
indeed, grazing on European Elm Scales (a type of insect) on the branches of 
the American Elm just west of the nest tree; the young are apparently not 
making any noise yet).  But because of the obscuring factors of foliage and 
adult birds, we still don't know the number of nestilings, still don't have 
killer pics of adults feeding young, and so forth.  Can't have it all.  

Second, the situation was graced by the appearance of Alex and June Cringan.  
Alex has been seriously ill, and said seeing again his old friends from 
Ontario, "Made his month."   As you all know, Alex was one of the formative 
leaders of Breeding Bird Atlas 1 and he has long monitored the Turkey Vulture 
roost on Mountain Avenue east of the cemetery.  Fittingly, today was the first 
day I have seen Turkey Vultures this year over the cemetery (as spotted first 
by one of a foursome of ladies from Denver: Kris Koff, Kate Frost, Tina Jones, 
and Lois Levinson). 

Third, while a group of us (Bill Meikle, Parker Gay (from Utah), Rachel Hopper, 
Scott Rashid, Laurie Waalkes, Joan Glabach, Susan Ward, and Judy Wright) were 
on the ground observing the nest from the angle initially discovered by Joe 
Mammoser, we clearly saw the male directly feed the young.  This was a first 
for this nest.  As soon as he finished feeding, the female, who patiently 
waited in the elm like a plane seeking clearance from the tower, came in and 
did a second feeding.  I suspect this will the norm from here on out during 
warm weather: tag-team efforts at seed gathering and feeding by the two 
parents. 

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins 

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[cobirds] Common Grackles headed north

[Leon Bright]

COBirders,

 

Yesterday I was going to sound my annual alert to the North about seeing the
first grackles of the season in Pueblo, but I forgot.  (Lesson for young
people:  Don't get old.)  Thanks to Chris Schoenfelder of the Springs for
sending out the signal this morning.  Shows they're moving fast.

 

Leon Bright

Pueblo

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[cobirds] Red-tailed Hawk display in Jeffco

[Kayleen A Niyo]

I watched three beautiful adult Red-tailed Hawks sparring in flight over
lower White Ranch OS in Jeffco late this morning.  One was considerably
smaller than the other two, so I assumed it was a male.  The smaller one was
locking talons with one of the females and freefalling before pulling up and
separating.  Then all three would fly at each other.  Finally, the supposed
male locked talons with one of the females and they fell out of sight below
the crest of a hill in my line of vision.  I watched the remaining RTHA
circle and finally drift away.  The other two never reappeared.  I hope they
managed to unlock those talons before hitting the ground.

 

Kay

Kayleen A. Niyo, Ph.D.
Niyo Scientific Communications
Kay Niyo Photography
  k...@kayniyo.com

  www.KayNiyo.com
__
5651 Garnet Street
Golden, CO 80403
Phone: (303) 679-6646
Fax: (866) 849-8013 

 

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[cobirds] Common Grackle/Wellington SWA

[The "Nunn Guy"]

I saw two Common Grackles this morning "way-y-y up north" on LCR 64/5
NW residence yard.

Thanks
Gary Lefko/Nunn
http://coloradobirder.ning.com/ -- Home of the "Nunn Guy"

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