[cobirds] Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Saturday, March 1, 2014
Compiler: Joe Roller Date: March 1, 2014 email: rba AT cfobirds.org phone: 303-659-8750 This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Saturday, March 1, 2014, updated at 0750, sponsored by the 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. For a mega-rarity, just call me directly at 303 204-0828. Highlight species include (* indicates new information on this species in this report). Greater White-fronted Goose (Denver*) BRANT (Douglas) TRUMPETER SWAN (Morgan) TUNDRA SWAN (Boulder) Long-tailed Duck (Denver) Barrow's Goldeneye (Jefferson*) MEW GULL (Arapahoe) Lesser Black-backed Gull (Arapahoe, Denver, Larimer, Weld) Thayer's Gull (Arapahoe, Denver) ICELAND GULL (Weld) GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Arapahoe) Glaucous Gull (Arapahoe) White-winged Dove (Jefferson) Western Screech Owl (Delta) Northern Pygmy-Owl (Jefferson, Larimer) Winter Wren (El Paso*) VARIED THRUSH (Huerfano) Swamp Sparrow (El Paso) White-throated Sparrow (Montrose) Harris's Sparrow (Huerfano, Larimer) Lapland Longspur (Weld) Rusty Blackbird (Boulder*) *ADAMS COUNTY:* --Dowell reports these gulls at Aurora Reservoir on February 26: MEW GULL, (ad)., Lesser Black-backed Gulls, (2 ad. & 1 3rd. yr.), Thayer's Gull, (2 juv., 1 or 2 ad.), GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, (2nd. winter), Glaucous Gull, (1 ad., 2 immature). *ARAPAHOE COUNTY*: --On February 22, Mlodinow reports a 1st yr. GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, 3 Glaucous Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 6 Thayer's Gulls, & a 1st yr. Thiceland Gull (that is, a bird intermediate between Iceland & Thayer's Gull. *BOULDER COUNTY*: --On February 1, Wilberding reported a TUNDRA SWAN at Cottonwood Marsh; the swan was seen there again on February 23 by Breitsch. --On February 28, Moore reports three Rusty Blackbirds at Walden Ponds. They were in a marshy area north of a trail at the most southwest lake (the one with Osprey platforms) in Sawhill Ponds. *DENVER COUNTY:* --On February 27, T. Jones reports seeing these gulls on Marston Reservoir: Two, ad. Lesser Black-backed Gulls were on the ice. One was a very dark backed[almost black] colored bird. The other ad. Lesser Black-backed Gull had more of the typical dark gray colored back. A first cycle Thayer's Gull was also present. --On Feb 20 & again on the 28th, Breitsch reports a Greater White-fronted Goose (aka "tar belly" ) at the Rec pond at Green Valley Ranch (northeast corner of Tower Rd aka Green Valley Ranch Blvd, in Town Center Park). *DELTA COUNTY:* *--*On February 25, Beason reports a Western Screech-Owl in a cavity near Escalante SWA yesterday. *DENVER COUNTY:* --Vickery reports seeing a Long-tailed Duck on the South Platte on February 27, around noon. It was across the river from the aquarium, with a group of Gadwalls and Mallards. *DOUGLAS COUNTY:* -- Stachowiak reports seeing the BRANT, on February 15, at the southeast corner of Redstone Park located in Highlands Ranch. Access the parking lot located on the west side of S Foothills Canyon Blvd approximately 2/10's of a mile south of W Town Center Drive. Look straight ahead as you enter the parking lot or to the left towards the houses on the edge of the park. I have located the bird in this area in the past as well. The Brant was seen by Kellner on Feb 23, at the playground pond at Redstone Park. *EL PASO COUNTY*: --On February 16, Percival reports seeing a Swamp Sparrow at Fountain Creek Regional Park. --On February 28 Lee reports that the Winter Wren continues at Fountain Creek across from Mile Marker 18 & the concrete gazebo, west of the path. On a day like today, you don't need a Winter Wren to remind you that it's still winter. *HUERFANO COUNTY:* --A VARIED THRUSH has been visiting a private yard in La Veta. The owners welcome visitors but the bird is best seen from inside the home. If you would like to try to see the bird please contact Polly Neldner at pollywren AT gmail.com and she will help you make arrangements to see the bird. On February 14, Nelder reports the VARIED THRUSH continues in La Veta. *JEFFERSON COUNTY*: --On February 18, Hackos reports seeing a Barrow's Goldeneye at Chatfield Reservoir over the weekend. It was in the open water near the dam and west of the tower. On February 28, Kibbe reports the Barrow's Goldeneye continues on the northwest side of the reservoir, and is easily seen just south of the picnic area near the NW boat launch parking lot. --On February 26, Suddjian reports a White-winged Dove taking off from a yard with a bird feeding station along Massey Draw in the Ken Caryl Valley, close to Valley Parkway. --On February 24, Suddjian reports a Northern Pygmy Owl calling from a patch of Douglas-firs in the steep part of Massey Draw at Ken Caryl Valley, which is up
[cobirds] finches
With the snow came the finches, I have about 500 Rosy Finches and about 100 Evening Grosbeaks in the yard this morning. Along with the rosy's and the grosbeaks are Cassin's finches and about a gazzillion Pine Siskins. Your welcome to come and see the birds, I will be gone most of the day so look from the street s my wife will be home, but isn't feeling well Scott Rashid 715 Sanborn Estes Park -- 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+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/5311F7B4.602%40frii.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[cobirds] Dark morph House Finch...?
https://plus.google.com/photos/114488311627927726979/albums/5985838448749989585 We had a very dark House Finch at our feeder on and off all day yesterday, the 28th of Feb, here in South Boulder. Follow the above link to see the pictures. Dale Ball Boulder County, 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+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAELpGs-H%2BtVjK9UqX_T2Pp5UGP6PtU2kUqum_Oyq7QsA4v6kVA%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[cobirds] Four Subspecies of Junco and 3 Different Jays in Backyard Today
The three simultaneous different Jays got me looking out the window on the bluff behind my house: Blue Jay, 2 Scrub Jays, and 2 Stellars Jays. Then I started studying the ubiquitous Juncos, Gray Headed, Pink Sided, Oregon, and Slate Colored were all there at the same time. Also BB Magpies and Am Robins Rick Taylor Peregrine Neighborhood Colo Springs El Paso County -- 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+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/f2d0d326-13e6-4f24-980c-b6ffc96eb312%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[cobirds] Long-tailed Duck - Denver
As has already been reported, the Long-tailed Duck is still on the river by the aquarium. When I saw it a little after 1:30, it was just SW of the Speer Blvd bridge, between Centennial Park and Fishback Park. The weather was completely miserable this morning and I had decided to just stay in. I hadn't slept more than an hour after my night shift, I was getting over a cold, it was snowing, cold, and there was heavy fog. My camera lens doesn't work well in low light, either. Add all that up and it was a perfect day to sit on the sofa in front of the TV.and then the sun came out for a moment. So here was my dilemma: Sick, tired, cold, wet, foggy, snow, low light conditions for my camera VS 6 minutes of sun and a pretty bird. What would you do (he asked in his best Liam Neeson voice)? I need some kind of intervention, because it wasn't a contest. Proof of my weakness/obsession/mental situation below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/breitschbirding/12863655214/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/breitschbirding/12863654204/in/photostream/ At least I can go back to bed now. John Breitsch Denver, Colorado http://www.flickr.com/photos/breitschbirding/ -- 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+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/d3963120-c5d3-4681-af71-76206d0f2289%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[cobirds] Boulder Bird Club Mountain Trip on 3/1/14
Yesterday I noted that I would try to run the scheduled Boulder Bird Club field trip to mountain feeders today, unless discretion proved the better part of valor. Well, we were indiscrete and sought out the lesser part of valor. Five of us crammed into my car and left Boulder shortly after 8:00 and headed up Boulder Canyon (apologies to those we left behind). The conditions were deplorable, and twice I had to pull over to knock the ice off my windshield wipers on the way to our first stop in Eldora (town). I'm not sure that it was a good idea it was to head to Eldora first anyway, as we were in a line of at least 100 cars heading to the Eldora ski area. In any event, we made it and found one set of nicely active feeders that were hosts to several Clark's Nutcrackers and Pine Siskin as well as juncos, chickadees and nuthatches. Somewhat out of place at 8,000 feet + 2 feet of snow were five Red-winged Blackbirds. >From Eldora we headed north toward Ward and gradually improving conditions. >The lower feeders in Ward were the only place where we found any birds, but >hanging out there were about 35 Evening Grosbeaks, a dozen Brown-capped Rosy >Finches, more siskin and a Cassin's Finch. After a nice brunch at the Morocco >Restaurant right next door (if you park there, you should eat there, no?), we >saw more of the same at the feeders before heading up to the Brainard Lake >gate. In the parking area were a pair of Gray Jays contemplating a brunch of >their own. Driving back down the road we has a pair of Red Crossbills. We kept going north to Allenspark, and I should note that the temperatures were in the low 30s and the road was generally just wet and only occasionally slushy. We even saw the sun a time or two. Driving into Allenspark, Lonnie Frey sighted a bird on a utility wire which I was able to identify with binoculars in my side-view mirror as a Northern Pygmy Owl. The bird perched calmly out in the open as I pulled out my scope and we got great views and pictures. The Fawn Brook Inn served up more of the same-Evening Grosbeaks, Brown-capped Rosy Finches, Cassin's Finches, Pine Siskins, chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers plus House Finches and a single Eurasian Collared-Dove. A drive past the other feeders in town led us to an American Collared-dove, aka a FOS Band-tailed Pigeon at a feeder. On the drive down the South St. Vrain Canyon into Lyons, shortly after I regaled my passengers with the tale that one time years ago on the very same BBC Mountain Feeder trip we had seen a dozen big horned sheep along that road, we saw...a dozen big horned sheep. (By the way, driving back from Allenspark to Lyons the temperature dropped 25 degrees-from 38 to 13. Two weeks ago Ted Floyd, Alex Brown and I experienced a very similar temperature drop of 17 degrees in 3 minutes.) Bill Kaempfer Boulder -- 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+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/F90B1155A81D474890D22EEFFFA7CAE51A4FCBD497%40EXC4.ad.colorado.edu. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
