[cobirds] Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Monday, February 6, 2012

[Ira Sanders]

Compiler:  Ira Sanders

Date:  February 6, 2012

e-mail:  rba AT cfobirds.org

phone:  303-659-8750

 

 

This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Monday, February 6, 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)

TRUMPETER SWAN (Boulder, Larimer)

TUNDRA SWAN (Boulder, Sedgwick/Logan)

Barrow's Goldeneye (*Chaffee, *Delta)

Long-tailed Duck (Denver, *Mesa)

ICELAND GULL (Larimer) 

Glaucous Gull (Sedgwick/Logan) 

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL (Bent, Larimer) 

Greater Roadrunner (Jefferson) 

SNOWY OWL(Adams) 

Short-eared Owl (Weld) 

VARIED THRUSH (LaPlata)

White-throated Sparrow (Jackson) 

Harris's Sparrow (Jefferson) 

GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (*Jefferson, Boulder) 

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Jackson, *Jefferson)

Black Rosy-Finch (*Jefferson)

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (*Jefferson)

Northern Cardinal (Otero)

 

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:

--No reports on the SNOWY OWL's  east of Barr Lake have been received for
over 1 week.  They were seen in the vicinity of Harvest Rd. between 138th Av
and 144th Av thru January 29. 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.

When looking for/observing the owls, use common sense: park and observe from
the shoulders of public roads; do not obstruct traffic; do not walk or drive
into fields; do not go up to people's houses to ask for information or
request permission to enter their property (they apparently are growing
tired of owl watchers).

 

Bent County:

--On January 31 Duane Nelson had a Great Black-backed Gull at the west end
of John Martin Reservoir.

 

Boulder County:

--The TRUMPETER SWAN reported by Mlodinow at Valmont Reservoir was present
as of February 1 but not seen on February 4.

--A TUNDRA SWAN was found at Valmont on February 4 by the joint club
fieldtrip and was present on February 6. 

--A GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW continues at the North Teller Farm Trailhead off
Valmont Rd through February 4.

--An adult basic plumage Red-necked Grebe was found at Valmont on February 4
by the joint club fieldtrip. 

 

Chaffee County:

--On February 6 Moss reports a flock of Barrow's Goldeneye at Sand Lake in
Salida.

 

Delta County:

--On February 5 Thurmon reports 10 Barrow's Goldeneye and 12 White-fronted
Geese at Confluence Park on the Gunnison River.

 

Denver County:

--A male Long-tailed Duck at Duck Lake in City Park continues to be seen
thru January 31.

 

Huerfano County:

--Rosy-Finches are back at Beverly Jensen's yard in LaVeta.  Please call
Beverly before going to her house:  719-742-3195

 

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.

 

Jefferson County:

--The GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW  at the Red Rocks Trading Post feeders
continues to be seen thru February 6.

--A Greater Roadrunner first reported by Roller on Dinosaur Ridge was seen
again on February 2 along Alameda Pkwy. on the west side of Dinosaur Ridge
(aka Dakota hogback). The best times to try for the Roadrunner seem to be on
mild, sunny, calm afternoons.

--On February 4, Henwood again found the 2 Harris's Sparrows at Bear Creek
Lake Park near the boat launch.

--On February 6, all 3 species of Rosy-Finch were at the feeders at Red
Rocks Trading Post.  There were about 50 birds.  

 

LaPlata County:

--On January 31 Riley Morris reports a male VARIED THRUSH is being seen very
infrequently at the Durango Fish Hatchery.  The two best areas to try for it
are: 1) the grassy area behind the DOW office where a Varied Thrush showed
up five years ago. 2) Walk through the entrance gate and along the fish
raceways until you reach the end of the wooden fence on your left.  Look in
the open area under the spruce trees, especially by the stumps and logs.
This bird is very skittish and often appears seemingly from nowhere, runs
around on the ground for 10 or 15 seconds, and disappears back into the
spruce trees. Patience is required.

--Morris reports on February 5 that the male VARIED THRUSH has been
appearing in his yard under a big spruce for the last couple mornings,
eating dried meal worms.  If you would like to try for him, the best spot
for viewing is standing under the front porch of his house (141 E. 16th St.,
presumably in Durango) looking west into the yard at the are

[cobirds] Boulder and Broomfield Counties 2/6/12 Gulls, Swan, and Scaup

[Bill Blackburn]

I did a lazy loop from my Broomfield home this afternoon that did not
produce much in the way of variety.  There were a few highlights worth
mentioning, however.

Sienna Pond (Lowell & Sheridan, Broomfield County):

Only Ring-billed and Herring Gulls there.  There were also three
Redheads

Anthem Ponds (Broomfield County):

California Gull (1 Adult)
Thayer's Gull (1 1st winter)
Cackling Goose - This was the smallest white-cheeked goose I've ever
seen.  It unfortunately took off as I opened the car to grab my
camera.  It may have been the Taverner's reported in the the Boulder/
Broomfield Counties area this past weekend, but I honestly don't know
my Cackling/Canada subspecies as well as I should.  It had the
appearance of being half the size of the rest of the surrounding geese
(if not smaller)

Erie Res (Boulder County):
Completely frozen over, only a few Ring-billed Gulls

Valmont Res:

TUNDRA SWAN 1 still in the front (Hillcrest?) res
Canvasback 3
Didn't check for the the Red-necked Grebe, it might still be there

Arapahoe and Foothills:

I'm possibly confirming the possible GREATER SCAUP seen by Ted Floyd
here on the 30th.
Hardly any open water at all, but the tiny hole included:
Scaup sp 10
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Common Goldeneye 2
Ring-necked Duck 4
Gadwall 2

5 of the 10 scaup were males.  Three of those were clearly Lesser
Scaup.  A fourth one I was unsure of, but the 5th appeared to be a
Greater.
This bird was slightly larger (both length and width), whiter, and had
finer barring on the back than the Lesser Scaup next to it.  Both
birds were right next to each other and in a "relaxed state" (as
described by Sibley).  The head shape difference was very noticeable.
I did manage to get a few pictures, but they are distant and out of
focus.  If anyone can positively id the birds from the photos or has
comments on the Id, I'd like to hear it.
Am I positive it was a Greater Scaup? No, but I think its possible.
Pics:
http://williamhblackburniibirding.shutterfly.com/pictures/149#149
and the next 7 photos as well

In the majority of these pics, the possible Greater Scaup is the
rightmost male Scaup, with the Lesser Scaup male to its left.

Bill Blackburn
Broomfield, CO

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[cobirds] Barrow's Goldeneye and Great-tailed Grackles in Salida, N Pygmy-Owl photos/tape

[SeEtta Moss]

I found a flock of Barrow's Goldeneye along with more common waterfowl in
Sands Lake in Salida, a location where that seems to have this species in
the winter.  Across the Arkansas River from Sands Lake was a nice size
flock of Great-tailed Grackles, a species that has been resident in this
mountain park lake area (7,000 foot elevation) for some years.  I had nice
views and got good photos of two Bald Eagles along the Arkansas River on my
drive up to Salida and on my return trip some bighorn sheep climbing a
steep area near the highway.  I haven't had time to get these uploaded on
my blog yet but will do tonight.

I have doing some owling in the past 2 weeks (and avoiding a lot of walking
as I got bursitis from overdoing the walking during the Christmas Bird
Count at Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park in So Texas at the beginning of
January).  I found a Northern Pygmy-Owl in a location in Chaffee County
where I had found a pair in 2008 that were engaged in allopreening and a
variety of singing.  The recently found owl responded to playback and my
whistled toots with repetitive tooting and some short bursts of trilling.
It was located 60-80 feet up at the top of a tall conifer and with a
backlit cloudy sky and snowfall, the photos I got were not great.  I
videotaped it as it called and have posted the clip and photos on my Birds
and Nature  blog (along with some very
close and sharp photos of an unusually friendly Townsend's Solitaire).

I have been seeing a lot of waterfowl flocks coming through Canon City area
that I believe are migrating through.
Great Backyard Bird Count  this year is
February 17-20.

Note:  I do not give out location information on owls.

SeEtta Moss
Canon City
Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @
http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/category/birding/ (new link)
Personal blog @ BirdsAndBlooms.blogspot.com

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[cobirds] Bald Eagles Weld Co. Seeley Lake

[normajerick...@gmail.com]

There were 6 Bald Eagles around 3:00 PM today at Seeley Lake north of Greeley. 
Four in the trees and two on the thin ice.
Norma Erickson
Weld Co.

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[cobirds] American Dippers in Adams Co today

[bomaa...@yahoo.com]

HI Birders
I located an American Dipper in Clear Creek at the I-76 bridges (Adams
Co) at 4:42 pm today.
Retuning to my car, I found a pair of Dippers below the check dam on
the east side of Lowell Blvd at 55th Place.
These two birds were foraging and resting near each other. I saw them
sharing the same rock. They flew under a bridge abutment supporting
the south end of the bridge. I was not able to confirm a nest due to
poor light.
When I've seen Dippers nearest Lowell it has been late in the day.
I also can't say that there were three birds. The Dipper at I-76 was
working its way west, and could have flown. I didn't see that, and I
didn't return to check
Bob Canter
Denver, CO

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[cobirds] Swamp Sparrow in Fort Collins

[Joe Mammoser]

I went out to Running Deer Natural Area off of East Prospect Road this lunch 
time today. I found a Swamp Sparrow in the large cattail marsh straight south 
of the parking area. Take the gravel/dirt road straight south from the green 
gate. When is bends around the south edge of the large marsh and the road 
branches left to go further south to the river, continue right around the 
marsh. The sparrow was seen in the southwest corner of the marsh close to the 
gravel road. Also in the area around the south edge of the marsh was a Northern 
Shrike and two immature bald eagles.

At the large Cottonwood Hollow pond (which looks like it has been drained), 
there was a congregation of about 50-75 American Crows and 30-40 Ring-billed 
Gulls picking at the ice and items in the bare areas.

As an additional note, I went to Grandview Cemetery yesterday, Sunday, and 
refound the immature Yellow-bellied Sapsucker originally found by Dave. It was 
working the tall trees on both sides of the dirt road that goes due north from 
the entrance bridge on the west side of the ditch. It then flew into the trees 
on the east side of the ditch and I could not follow it further.

Joe Mammoser
Fort Collins

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[cobirds] Yes, Rosy-Finches at Red Rocks (Jeffco) today

[W. Robert Shade III]

There were about 50 Rosy-Finches of all three species at Red Rocks this
morning between 8:00 and 9:25. If you do not see them at first at the
feeders check the cliffs to the south. I sat on a camp stool about fifteen
feet in front of the large lower feeding area and was able to get eye-level
photos of Rosies on the "jagged" wall ten feet to my left. Magnificent!
They are not shy! Thanks to Mike Henwood who put out a bucket of seed at
6:00 AM!

The Golden-crowned Sparrow put in a brief appearance. Also one
"White-winged" Junco and three Pine Siskins and two first of year American
Goldfinches. You only need the last ten pages of your Sibley's for all
these finches. Brown-caps were not numerous and I am becoming aware that
the distinction with Gray-crowned is a bit more subtle than I thought.
I could not find the reported Cassin's Finches despite my earnest efforts
to change some House Finches into that species.

Bob Shade

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[cobirds] Lapland Longspur/Nunn

[The "Nunn Guy"]

On way to work this morning I stopped and walked along WCR 100 between
WCR 27 and WCR 23 and had a flock of 10 Lapland Longspur flyover me.
The ag fields on northside of WCR 100 always have (large) flocks of
Horned Larks with Laplands.

Thanks Gary Lefko, Nunn
http://coloradobirder.ning.com/

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[cobirds] CFO Photo Quiz

[coloradodipper]

Hi all:

I have posted the solution to last week's CFO Photo Quiz (www.cfobirds.org).

Enjoy,

Tony Leukering
Villas, NJ

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[cobirds] cedar waxwings

[Pamela Norris]

I was watching about 50 robins in my yard this morning and had a pair of cedar 
waxwings with them eating berries off my trees. I've never seen waxwings in my 
yard before.
Pam Norris
Englewood, Colorado

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[cobirds] Bald Eagles at Lagerman Reservoir - Boulder County

[Barry]

Saw two adult Bald Eagles at Lagerman Reservoir near Longmont/Hygiene
in Boulder County today 2/5/2012 around 2-3pm. They were on the posts
of a nesting platform on the western side of the reservoir. Perhaps a
mating couple? At one point, they exhibited what looked like mating
behavior to me.

We saw several other raptors in the trees on land nearby. I'm pretty
sure there was at least one additional Bald Eagle (maybe two, they
were a ways off on private property), immature.

There were also a couple of dozen geese and a similar number of gulls,
but I didn't see any that were out of the ordinary.

-- Barry Gingrich, Broomfield County

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