[cobirds] Re: Tonight! Fort Colllins Audubon Society hosts "Translocation as a Conservation Tool for Lesser Prairie-Chickens"

[John Shenot]

Update: our speaker tonight has just today requested that we NOT record the 
presentation, so if you are interested you'll need to tune in tonight. 
Sorry about the last minute change...

John Shenot
President, FCAS
Fort Collins, CO

On Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 10:14:56 AM UTC-7 Andrew Monson wrote:

> *Fort Collins Audubon* invites you to join a *virtual program* (via Zoom) 
> featuring *Jonathan Reitz*, a Wildlife Biologist for Colorado Parks and 
> Wildlife.  Jonathan will be presenting *"Translocation as a Conservation 
> Tool for Lesser Prairie-Chickens"* tonight, Thursday, February 11th, 
> 2021; *Announcements at 7:00pm and Program at 7:20pm.  *The presentation 
> will also be recorded for future viewing.
>
>
> * Enter the following link on your web browser at or before 7 p.m. and 
> follow the instructions to join the meeting: 
> https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81322534840 
> *
>
> "The lesser prairie-chicken is an icon of Colorado's southeastern 
> prairies. Due to a long list of environmental and anthropogenic factors, 
> they nearly become extirpated in extreme southeast Colorado and 
> southwestern Kansas, in an area that was considered one of the species' 
> core areas. In an effort to recover the species on and around the Comanche 
> and Cimarron National Grasslands, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Kansas 
> Wildlife Parks and Tourism, and Kansas State University partnered up and 
> embarked on an unprecedented project for lesser prairie-chickens. Over the 
> course of four years, a small army of biologists, wildlife technicians, and 
> graduate students caught and translocated over 400 lesser-prairie chickens 
> to the US Forest Service Grasslands. First and foremost, project partners 
> wanted to take a significant step towards recovering this dwindling 
> population on the sandsage prairie. But, another major goal was to 
> determine if trapping and transplanting could even work and if it can be a 
> viable "tool" that should be included in the "lesser prairie-chicken 
> conservation tool box". In many ways, this challenging project was the 
> first of its kind. Biologists had no idea whether or not the bird's own 
> instincts and behaviors would get in the way of success." 
>

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Re: [cobirds] Gyrfalcon Larimer

[Andrew Monson]

Hey Sean and Derek, 

Sorry for the late reply but I've only recently joined the COBirds group!  
I'm starting to doubt my light-morph Prairie Falcon ID on Horsetooth Rock 
itself one week ago (Thursday, February 4th) now that I've seen all of the 
Gyrfalcon reports.  My brain hadn't thought to consider it, but the 
location and size would check out for the Gyrfalcon.  The bird in question 
was perched in a way that I thought might be a nesting site, but it was 
also puffed up and appeared to be the size of a large snowman head (same 
color as snow, so a very light morph, with some flecks on the breast), 
which leads me to believe it was bigger than a Prairie Falcon.  I had a 
visual on its head and could see the "tears" on its face, but unfortunately 
didn't have my camera on me.

I'm still working on getting better at IDs but figured I'd throw my two 
cents in just in case it helps anyone, even if a week late.

Best,
Andrew Monson
Fort Collins, CO

On Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 5:59:07 PM UTC-7 Sean Walters wrote:

> Hey Derek,
>
> I had the Gyr just south of that site (in Pineridge Natural Area) January 
> 20, roughly 4:30 in the afternoon. It was perched briefly on one of the 
> large power poles before flying west toward Horsetooth Reservoir. In 
> subsequent searching, I haven’t seen it again. 
>
> Sean Walters
> Fort Collins, CO
>
> On Feb 5, 2021, at 7:14 PM, Derek Hill  wrote:
>
> 
>
> COBirders,
> Has anyone seen the Larimer County Gyrfalcon lately? Last update I see is 
> from the day after Christmas so I thought I'd share.  This afternoon 5 Feb 
> 2:45pm at a job site in SW Ft. Collins at the northeast corner of W. Drake 
> Rd & Overland was quite the bird. This is just below the S end of 
> Horsetooth Reservoir. At first glance coming head-on I took it to be just a 
> Red-tailed Hawk doing their rowing flight they often do to power on through 
> at low altitude. As it very quickly passed overhead the wingshape and 
> cadence quickly made it obvious this was no Buteo!  The absolute thickest 
> bodied, most massive falcon I've ever seen. It was so fast I didn't get 
> much of a study, but enough. No black armpits, pretty unremarkable pattern, 
> but the massive body and wide wings were astounding. The only other Gyr 
> I've seen was the Texas bird several years back, which never left its perch 
> during our observation. So, the first time seeing a Gyr in flight is 
> something else.
> Good birding,
> Derek Hill
> Loveland, CO
>
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>  
> 
> .
>
>

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[cobirds] Tonight! Fort Colllins Audubon Society hosts "Translocation as a Conservation Tool for Lesser Prairie-Chickens"

[Andrew Monson]

*Fort Collins Audubon* invites you to join a *virtual program* (via Zoom) 
featuring *Jonathan Reitz*, a Wildlife Biologist for Colorado Parks and 
Wildlife.  Jonathan will be presenting *"Translocation as a Conservation 
Tool for Lesser Prairie-Chickens"* tonight, Thursday, February 11th, 2021; 
*Announcements 
at 7:00pm and Program at 7:20pm.  *The presentation will also be recorded 
for future viewing.


* Enter the following link on your web browser at or before 7 p.m. and 
follow the instructions to join the meeting: 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81322534840 
*

"The lesser prairie-chicken is an icon of Colorado's southeastern prairies. 
Due to a long list of environmental and anthropogenic factors, they nearly 
become extirpated in extreme southeast Colorado and southwestern Kansas, in 
an area that was considered one of the species' core areas. In an effort to 
recover the species on and around the Comanche and Cimarron National 
Grasslands, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Kansas Wildlife Parks and Tourism, 
and Kansas State University partnered up and embarked on an unprecedented 
project for lesser prairie-chickens. Over the course of four years, a small 
army of biologists, wildlife technicians, and graduate students caught and 
translocated over 400 lesser-prairie chickens to the US Forest Service 
Grasslands. First and foremost, project partners wanted to take a 
significant step towards recovering this dwindling population on the 
sandsage prairie. But, another major goal was to determine if trapping and 
transplanting could even work and if it can be a viable "tool" that should 
be included in the "lesser prairie-chicken conservation tool box". In many 
ways, this challenging project was the first of its kind. Biologists had no 
idea whether or not the bird's own instincts and behaviors would get in the 
way of success." 

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Re: [cobirds] Barr Lake State Park Eagles, Eagls everywhere, plues a Rusty Black bird, Adams County

[Brian Johnson]

I don't have a photo of the Rough Legged Hawk. It would have made a great 
photo but my camera battery deiced to randomly die eve thought it was 
fresh. Not sure what happened.
Good Birding 
Brian Johnson, Englewood

On Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 9:36:20 PM UTC-7 jennyan...@gmail.com 
wrote:

> Kathy -- thanks for sending a link to the app. It sounds like that could 
> be very helpful in IDing raptors and I will check it out. 
>
> On Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 8:48:53 AM UTC-7 grb...@gmail.com 
> wrote:
>
>> Thanks for the pointer to the app!
>>
>> Gary Brower
>> Unincorporated Arapahoe County
>>
>> On Feb 10, 2021, at 8:44 AM, KATHY HOLLAND  wrote:
>>
>> Jen, 
>>   
>> I just found out about a cool APP last night for ID'ing raptors.  It's 
>> called Raptor ID by HawkWatch International and it's free!  Gobs of photos 
>> and in all color morphs. 
>>   
>> Kathy Holland 
>> Centennial, CO 
>>
>> On 02/09/2021 3:19 PM Jen Toews  wrote: 
>>   
>>   
>> I was also at Barr Lake on Monday and had a similar experience. We 
>> counted 32 eagles at the gazebo alone and saw a ton more on the way there. 
>> My low estimate on eBird was 40 but we were thinking we probably saw 
>> between 50 and 55.  
>> The sun was hitting the mallards' and redheads' heads just right and the 
>> effect was dramatic: hundreds of metallic green and red heads bobbing in 
>> the rough waters. The sheer numbers of Northern Pintails and Ring-necked 
>> Ducks was also a pleasant surprise for me. Despite the windchill and 
>> feeling uncomfortable much of the time, it ended up being one of my 
>> favorite days at Barr Lake.  
>> Would you be able to share a photo of the Rough-legged Hawk? I think that 
>> might be the unidentified raptor that had us completely stumped despite the 
>> fact that it gave us really good looks. Gotta work on my raptor ID... 
>> Congrats on hitting your 1500 mile marker! 
>>
>> On Monday, February 8, 2021 at 5:37:23 PM UTC-7 bunting...@gmail.com 
>> wrote: 
>>
>> I have been continuing the ebird  challenge of a complete checklist a day 
>> challenge. Today I hit 1500 days. 
>> So with such a milestone I headed out to Barr Lake today. It was a cold 
>> day at around 10 with a windchill bellow that, but I was bundled up and 
>> carrying around 20 ponds of gear (scope, tripod, big camera plus the 
>> backpack with water and food) so I didn't notice that much except when I as 
>> the gazebo scopeing the lake, then I did. 
>> Highlights of course were the Bald Eagles, I got 50 in total, braking 
>> ebird's filter. That could be an over count, it could be a under cont. They 
>> were flying around enough to make it hard. One of the best parts of so many 
>> eagles was they were vocalizing a lot, it was fun to listen to that awesome 
>> call. 
>> Along with the eagles there was two hug rafts of Redheads and Ring-billed 
>> ducks with some Scaups, both Lesser and Greater, along with some 
>> Canvasbacks. Then there was that hug raft of Mallards near the gazebo along 
>> with more Northern Pintails, around 120, then I have seen together. There 
>> was also three American White Pelicans that over wintered. 
>> After leaving the gazebo I walked further past the 2.5 mile marker and 
>> crossed over the inflow canal where I found a hug flock of Red-winged 
>> Blackirds. After picking over that mob, about 120, I found a young Rusty 
>> Blackbird in the flock. 
>> Another highlight was a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk. 
>> Good birding, 
>> Brian Johnson, 
>> Englewood CO 
>>
>>  
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>>  
>> .
>>  
>>
>>
>>   
>>
>> Katherine Holland
>>  
>>
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[cobirds] Cranes Overhead in the San Luis Valley!

[mvjo...@gmail.com]

Yesterday, a few waves of Sandhill Cranes came soaring into the Valley, 
bringing with them their signature calls of springtime. What excitement and 
joy. At the Monte Vista Refuge, I viewed about 200 birds but that will 
rapidly increase in the next few days. The Refuge will turn on the water 
this week and this will draw many more cranes, geese and ducks. A few 
Cackling Geese were present. Also note, there will not be a Crane Festival 
this year, but nothing says you cannot come down and enjoy the birds on 
your own. Will keep you posted. Remember the best time to view maximum 
numbers is about the first to second week of March. See you out there. 

John Rawinski
Monte Vista, CO

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Re: [cobirds] Mute swans Boulder County

[John Vanderpoel]

I think that everyone is well aware that these two are pets. I doubt they can 
fly.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 11, 2021, at 6:38 AM, 'William Fink' via Colorado Birds 
>  wrote:
> 
> I just want to ask the same question as Ira Sanders re Mute swans -the 
> mute’s at Lagerman are constantly being reported to ebird and I have never 
> seen them anywhere else besides swimming placidly around on their farm 
> pond-does anyone think these are wild birds? Thanks Bill Fink. Longmont 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
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