[cobirds] Colorado Rare Bird Alert, Friday, November 16, 2012

2012-11-16 Thread Joyce Takamine
  Compiler: Joyce Takamine
Date:   November 16, 2012
email:  rba AT cfobirds.org
phone: 303-659-8750

 This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Friday, November 16, 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)

Tundra Swan (El Paso, *Rio Blanco)
Surf Scoter (Las Animas)
White-winged Scoter (Chaffee)
Long-tailed Duck (Mesa)
Barrow's Goldeneye (Boulder, Chaffee, Garfield, Lake, Pueblo)
Red-throated Loon (Pueblo)
Pacific Loon (Douglas/Jefferson, *Huerfano, Pueblo)
 Red Phalarope (Douglas/Jefferson)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Douglas/Jefferson)
Sabine's Gull (El Paso)
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (Huerfano)
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER (Fremont, Larimer)
Bohemian Waxwing (Boulder)
 Swamp Sparrow  (El Paso)
White-throated Sparrow (El Paso)
Harris's Sparrow (Douglas/Jefferson, El Paso)
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (Jefferson, Larimer)
Lapland Longspur (Douglas/Jefferson, *Weld)
Rusty Blackbird (Douglas/Jefferson)
Black Rosy-Finch (Montrose)
Common Redpoll (Boulder, Larimer, Lincoln, Routt, *Weld)

Boulder County:
--An ad male Barrow's Goldeneye was reported by Floyd at Baseline Reservoir
in Boulder on November 12.
--Chris Owens reported that the DFO field trip found a pair of Common
Redpolls at McIntosh Lake on November 11 around noon.  They were on the S
shore near the W end of Lakeshore Drive.  They were on the shore then flew
into bushes and then to trees.
--5 Bohemian Waxwings with Cedar Waxwings were reported by Mark Miller near
63rd and Gunbarrel Ave on November 13.

Chaffee County:
--At Ice Lake in Buena Vista on November 10, Nick Moore reported 2
White-winged Scoters and 20 Barrow's Goldeneyes.

Douglas/Jefferson Counties:
--On November 11 at Chatfield SP Walbek reported Red Phalarope, Lesser
Black-backed Gull, Harris's Sparrow, Lapland Longspur and Stachowiak
reported Pacific Loon and Rusty Blackbird.

El Paso County:
--A juv Sabine's Gull was reported by Pals at Quail Lake in Colorado
Springs on November 10.  It was near the shore near the parking lot.
--At Fountain Creek Regional Park on November 10, Pals reported ad Harris's
Sparrow at the nature center feeders, White-throated Sparrow near the
Culvert at Duckwood Road Parking Lots, and Swamp Sparrow by the bridge in
NW end of nature center pond.  On November 11 at Fountain Creek RP, Gloria
Nikolai reported White-throated Sparrow and Harris's Sparrow.  They were W
of the Gazebo.
--A  Tundra Swan was found by Bill Maynard at the S end of Rice's Pond in
Fountain Creek RP on November 13.

Fremont County:
--A juv YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was reported by Moss at Centennial Park in
Canon City on Novmeber 14.

Garfield County:
--2 Barrow's Goldeneyes were reported by McConnell at Rifle Gap SP on
November 13.

Huerfanco County:
--On November 13 an ad basic BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was reported by Rich
Miller at Lake Martin in Lathrop SP.  On November 14 Miller reported a juv
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE at Lake Martin.
--On November 14 at Martin Lake in Lathrop SP, Neldner reported a juv
Pacific Loon.

Jefferson County:
--Breitsch reported on November 12 that the GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW
continues at Red Rocks Trading Post.

Lake County:
--Nick Moore reported Barrow's Goldeneyes at Mt Elbert Forebay on November
10.

Larimer County:
--Common Redpolls were reported by Judie Wright on November 8 at Lily Lake
in Rocky Mt NP and Rashid refound 21 of them at 4:30 pm on the S side of
the trail that goes around the lake.  On November 9, Pautsch relocated the
Common Redpolls on the S end of the lake.  Stay near the small bridge and
watch for movement near the bridge.  On November 10, Starrett reported that
the Common Redpolls had moved to the N side of the lake towards the west
end near water's edge.  On November 12, Henwood reported that the Common
Redpolls were on the S side of the lake near the footbridge.  On November
13, Pieplow reported 7-8 Common Redpolls at Lily Lake about a couple
hundred yards S of the parking lot under construction near lakeshore.  On
November 14, Kilpatrick reported 28-30 Common Redpolls on the S side of the
lake.
--A juv GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW has been visiting the yard of Sean Walters
in South Loveland since November 10.  If you
would like to try for the bird please contact him at waltersintherockies AT
gmail.com.  The GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW returned on November 13 and was
observed by several birders.  Walters reported that the GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROW returned to the yard
on November 14.
--A probable juv YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was reported by Mammoser at
Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins on November 14.

Re: [cobirds] Redpoll Sightings -- Logan Co.

2012-11-16 Thread Kirk Huffstater
Good idea Steve!

I had a pair of Common Repolls on Wednesday morning south of Haxtun in northern 
Logan Co., also feeding on Common Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) along the 
roadside.  They were in a mixed flock, including American Tree Sparrow, 
Harris’s Sparrow, juvenile White-crowned Sparrow, and American Goldfinch.
 
Kirk Huffstater
Castle Rock, CO
 
 


From: Steve Stachowiak  Melody Egge 
Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2012 10:05 PM
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com 
Subject: [cobirds] Redpoll Sightings

Cobirders,

 

It looks like it might be a good winter for redpolls here in Colorado.  It 
would be nice if observers would include the type of habitat the birds are 
being observed in, if they are associating with other species and the types of 
plants the birds are feeding on when the birds are reported.  That would be 
both educational and provide others clues for what to look for when out 
searching for redpolls.

 

Good birding,

Steve Stachowiak

Highlands Ranch, CO

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[cobirds] Sandhill Cranes, Boulder County yesterday

2012-11-16 Thread catbird
Finally!  After spending the last few weeks as one of very few remaining 
holdouts who had not seen sandhill cranes this fall, I figured it just 
wasn't gonna happen for me this year :(.   Then yesterday I took a 
lunchtime walk and saw four just after noon, flying southwest about 1.5 
miles east of Hwy 36 and Yarmouth Ave in north Boulder :).  At first I 
figured they were probably geese as I wasn't very close, but raised my 
binocs and Voila!  After I saw them, they vocalized just a little.  They 
circled a couple of times but didn't seem to be gaining much altitude and 
kept flying southwest.

Bev Baker
Louisville, CO

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[cobirds] Golden-crowned Sparrow - Red Rocks - Jeffco

2012-11-16 Thread mike

Good morning,

Threw some seed out early this morning and Chuck Aid, Michael Kiessig  
and myself were able to observe the Golden-crowned Sparrow at the  
feeders behind the Red Rocks Trading Post 3 different times  between 7  
and 7:30.


Mike Henwood
Morrison
Jefferson County

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[cobirds] redpoll food items

2012-11-16 Thread DAVID A LEATHERMAN

Emails received so far result in the following list of plants we know Common 
Redpolls in Colorado like, or could be predicted to like:

1) Shrubby Cinquefoil (Pentaphylloides floribunda (also goes by the scientific 
name of Potentilla fruticosa) seeds - tall shrubs south of Lily Lake.

2) Wood's Rose (Rosa woodsii) - the photo by the observer at Lily Lake shows 
the bird very near the fruits (rose hips) but it was unclear whether the 
redpolls were actually picking at the hips (they are too big for the birds to 
consume in one gulp) or possibly removing the less-conspicuous buds (which 
would not be red but rather more the color of the stems)

[Both of the above plants are in the Rosaceae family, which may be helpful in 
predicting other plants to which these birds might be attracted.]

3) Birch (Betula) seeds from catkins - two people commented on seeing redpolls 
in the past back East (Michigan, etc.) associating with birch catkins.  This 
was one of things that seems logical for Lily Lake, although I didn't notice 
any of these trees while walking its south and west shores.  Of course, nearby 
on the peninsula and shore of the west end of Lake Estes (Matthews-Reeser 
Sanctuary), River Birch (Betula fontinalis) (also called Water Birch - B. 
occidentalis, by authors other than Weber) is abundant and has been the source 
of bird interest in the past, but seemingly more so by migrant insectivores 
seeking insects like Birch Catkin Bugs, which in turn are interested in the 
birch seeds in the catkins.

4) Thinleaf Alder (Alnus incana subsp. tenuifolia) would be another logical 
tree in which to find redpolls, having catkins that are very similar to birch.

5) Additional reports were received of feeding on seeds of Wild Sunflower 
(Helianthus annuus) on the prairie.

6) As stated earlier, I have seen them in the past in Colorado Blue Spruce 
(Picea pungens) and Engelmann Spruce (P. engelmannii) getting seeds from 
attached cones.

7) They are also known to occur in deciduous trees feeding on buds (probably 
flower buds preferentially).   It would be nice if observers could flesh out 
which species of deciduous trees (or conifers other than spruce) over the next 
several months.

Thanks again to Steve for the suggestion and to those who have contributed 
observations.  In the future if you see them on a plant you don't recognize, 
take a sample and send it to me (612 Stover Street #7, Fort Collins, CO, 80524) 
and I would be happy to try to figure it out (or take it to a botanist who 
actually could).

Dave Leatherman

  

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[cobirds] NRCS Ken Burn's documentary The Dust Bowl Nov 18-19

2012-11-16 Thread Kayleen A Niyo
This should be of interest to all birders everywhere, especially in hard-hit
CO (see map in URL below).

 

Soil Conservation Service is featured in the new Ken Burns' documentary,
The Dust Bowl from Nov. 18-19, 2012 on PBS.  Learn more about the
http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=clickenid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP
TIwMTIxMTE1LjEyMjA5MzkxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEyMTExNS4xMjIwOTM5M
SZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3MjY5OTc1JmVtYWlsaWQ9Z2FyeS5iYWhyQGFncmkua
WRhaG8uZ292JnVzZXJpZD1nYXJ5LmJhaHJAYWdyaS5pZGFoby5nb3YmZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpd
mFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==102http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/
national/home/?cid=STELPRDB1049437 Dust Bowl and SCS, now called NRCS. 

 

Kay

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

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

 

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[cobirds] CFO's Colorado Birds magazine, October, 2012

2012-11-16 Thread Tom Wilberding


Congrats to CFO for another very interesting issue, and a good reason to 
join CFO. For annual dues of only $25 you get 4 issues per year of this 
great magazine with color photos, a discount for the CFO annual convention, 
and the satisfaction of supporting the study, conservation, and enjoyment 
of Colorado Birds. Here’s where to join CFO: 
http://cfobirds.org/business/contribute.php

In October’s issue I especially liked SeEtta Moss's article titled 
Fledgling American Kestrels Climb Tree Trunks. It reminded me of the 
theory that this is how some dinosaurs evolved into birds--by running up 
tree trunks, then gliding down on their developing wings. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scansoriopterygidae

And if that's the case, then I thought of the catchy $1,000 phrase 
guaranteed to confound your non-birding friends: “ontogeny recapitulates 
phylogeny—a biological hypothesis that in developing from embryo to adult, 
animals go through stages resembling or representing successive stages in 
the evolution of their remote ancestors.

I am a very amateur ornithologist and welcome hearing from other’s more in 
the know. Thanks to SeEtta Moss for her observations, research, and 
interesting article.

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Late Greater Yellowlegs, El Paso Co and warning to birders

2012-11-16 Thread MARIE C LEE
Monday (11-12) I saw a Greater Yellowlegs picking insects from the ice at 
Meadowlake Pond in Falcon. First I thought it was a little late for that bird 
but especially unsusual to see it on the ice; not at the edge of the pond but 
well unto the ice.  I did not see it the rest of the week until this morning, 
still walking (and sliding) on the ice, picking insects. Photo available.

Now for the warning : on the 14th, we went to the Fountain Creek Regional Park 
to look for the Swan. Our car was broken in through the small back/side window 
in the parking lot  south of the Willow Springs Pond. The thief (s) smashed the 
window. Wished we had parked at the Visitors Center ; we usually do!
Cecile Lee
Elbert, CO
Consolation prize : American Dipper and Harris Sparrow!

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[cobirds] Huerfano County Update: Pacific and Common Loon - no Kittiwakes

2012-11-16 Thread Polly Neldner
Went out to Lathrop State Park to search for Black-legged Kittiwakesdid
not find those...just two Bonaparte's Gulls mixed in with all the
Ring-billed Gulls. One was at Martin Lake, the other was at Horseshoe.
Re-located the Pacific Loon...in almost the exact same spot as yesterday.
2 Common Loons were seen

Polly Wren Neldner
La Veta, CO

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[cobirds] At BCLP, southeast corner beneath Mt. Carbon, today 12-2pm, Jefferson County

2012-11-16 Thread Regina
Common Goldeneye, 8-10
Common Merganser, 4
Western Grebe, 6
Gadwall, 2
N. Shoveler, 4
A. Coot, 2
Canada Geese. 200-300
 
also, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Scrub Jay at my feeder
 
Regina King
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Pueblo birding this week

2012-11-16 Thread Brandon K. Percival
I scoped the middle of Pueblo Reservoir mid-day today (11/16), and there were 
at least 12 loons present.  At least 9 Common Loons, 2 Pacific Loons, and 1 
Red-throated Loon.  I hadn't seen a Red-throated Loon since 11/09 and I hadn't 
seen a Pacific Loon since 11/11, so maybe these are new birds, or maybe they 
have been avoiding me.  I saw an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull today at South 
Shore Marina tires, one or two seem to be there regularly.  I walked around 
inside the Pueblo Zoo this morning, and saw a Common Grackle, and a good flock 
of Yellow-rumped Warblers, without anything else with them.

Earlier in the week I saw a few birds at Pueblo Reservoir, that I haven't seen 
again, so far:

A Red-necked Grebe in the middle of the reservoir on 11/14.  A female Barrow's 
Goldeneye at the SWA on NW Side of Pueblo Reservoir on 11/12.  A juvenile 
Thayer's Gull was flying around the Reservoir on 11/11.

Below the dam, a nice flock of around 15 or more Eastern Bluebirds seem to be 
hanging around the Osprey Picnic Area in Rock Canyon, the last time I've been 
there was 11/12, and they were there.  An immature Snow Goose is hanging out 
with Canada Geese at the Rock Canyon Swim Beach pond, I saw it on 11/12  
11/14.  I saw a male Ladder-backed Woodpecker in Rock Canyon, near the swim 
beach pond while looking at the geese on 11/14.  A Swamp Sparrow was calling 
west of Valco Ponds parking on 11/12.  I had several latish birds in the Rock 
Canyon/Valco Ponds area on 11/12:  an immature Black-crowned Night-Heron, a 
Cinnamon Teal, three Lesser Goldfinches, an Osprey, a Savannah Sparrow, and a 
Say's Phoebe.

Some other birders have seen some birds of note recently too:
A Greater White-fronted Goose was seen on 11/11 at Pueblo City Park pond and an 
adult Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was seen on 11/10  11/11 in Pueblo City Park.  
Two adult swans were seen at Runyon Lake in Pueblo today, though didn't stay 
long.  A late Broad-winged Hawk was at Runyon Lake on 11/15.

When it isn't windy, the birding has been pretty good here in Pueblo recently.



Brandon Percival
Pueblo West, CO

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[cobirds] Common Redpolls, Pawnee National Grasslands, Weld County

2012-11-16 Thread Austin Hess
Kinda took Dave Leatherman's route today from Timnath Reservoir out to
the Norma's Grove area. Along County Rd. 57 a little north of the Hwy
14 intersection there were more then 20 Common Redpolls in some brush
along the road right under the barb wire fences. Saw several of them
feeding on dead sunflower seeds.

Also heard a good amount of Lapland Longspurs along County Rd. 57 and
County Rd. 100..only got quick glimpses.

At Timnath Reservoir I was a little surprised to find a late Say's
Phoebe hanging around the parking lot, flying all over the place.
There were 2 Ross's Geese and a Blue Morph Snow Goose mixed in with a
very large group of Canada Geese clear across the reservoir. Typical
waterfowl was seen...Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers, Canvasbacks.
Barely any raptors anywhere today.

Austin Hess
Fort Collins

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[cobirds] Marston Reservoir, Denver Cty

2012-11-16 Thread Tina Jones




HI ALL,Late this afternoon I stopped at Marston for a quick look. I have been 
checking the lake out almost every day, but I have not found  Pacific Loon yet. 
Today there were at LEAST 500 Common Mergansers, with more flying into the 
lake.5, Red-breasted Mergansers11, Hooded Mergansers2, Horned Grebe, there were 
27 Horned Grebe, 2 days ago12, Pied-billed Grebe21, Western Grebe12, Lesser 
Scaup2, Common Loon, There were 4, 2 days ago26, Gadwall7, American Widgeon28, 
Northern Shoveler12, Common Goldeneye12, Redhead8, Buffleheadmany Ring-billed 
Gulls and Canada Geese Happy Birding !Tina JonesLittleton, Jefferson County, 
CO.

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