Compiler: Joyce Takamine Date: March 10, 2014 email: rba AT cfobirds.org phone: 303-659-8750
This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 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. Highlight species include (* indicates new information on this species in this report). Greater White-fronted Goose (Denver) BRANT (*Douglas) TUNDRA SWAN (Boulder) Long-tailed Duck (Denver) Barrow's Goldeneye (Jefferson, *Larimer) MEW GULL (Arapahoe) Lesser Black-backed Gull (Arapahoe, Bent, Weld) Thayer's Gull (Arapahoe, Bent, Denver, Jefferson, *Kiowa, Weld) ICELAND GULL (Weld) GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Arapahoe) Glaucous Gull (Arapahoe, Bent, Denver, Jefferson, Pueblo) GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL (Weld) Lapland Longspur (Weld) Sagebrush Sparrow (Montrose) Harris's Sparrow (Montrose) GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (Jefferson) Rusty Blackbird (*El Paso) Great-tailed Grackle (Boulder, *El Paso, Weld) Common Redpoll (Rio Grande) ARAPAHOE 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). --On March 3, Walbek reports a similar assortment of gulls from Aurora Res, best seen from the SW corner. BENT COUNTY: --On March 8 Mlodinow reported Glaucous Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, and Thayer's Gull at John Martin Reservoir. BOULDER COUNTY: --On February 1, Wilberding reported a TUNDRA SWAN at Cottonwood Marsh; the swan was seen there again on February 23 by Breitsch, and may still be around. On March 8, at Cottonwood Marsh, Hansely reported TUNDRA SWAN and Great-tailed Grackle. DENVER COUNTY: --On March 8 Tina Jones reported 2nd-cyc Glaucous Gull at Marston Reservoir. --On March 3, T. Jones reports two Glaucous & one Thayer's Gull from Marston Res. --On March 4 Baker reports a Greater White-fronted Goose on the NE side of Sloans Lake, near Stuart Street. Sloans Lake is near Sheridan and 17th Ave. --Vickery reports seeing a Long-tailed Duck on the South Platte on February 27. It was across the river from the aquarium, with a group of Gadwalls and Mallards. On March 1, Breitsch saw it just SW of Speer Blvd bridge. 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 Nunes at Redstone Park on March 8. Kaemfper reported that the Brant was seen by the DFO Field Trip on March 9 at Redstone Park. EL PASO COUNTY: --On March 10, Peterson reported a f Rusty Blackbird on a pond where Stetson Hills Rd crosses Sand Creek W of intersections with Peterson. The bird was a the north end of the pond. There were also 8 Great-tailed Grackles at the pond. 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, west of the tower. On February 28, Kibbe reports the Barrow's Goldeneye continues on the northwest corner of the reservoir. It persisted on March 3, according to a report by Suddjian. --On March 2, Teuton and Brooke saw the continuing Golden-crowned Sparrow at Red Rocks Trading Post. The bird seems to be making infrequent appearances. On March 3, Suddjian reported a flock of 11 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS along Plum Creek at Chatfield SP, downstream of the Plum Creek bridge. KIOWA COUNTY: --A Thayer's Gull was reported by Mlodinow at Adobe Creek Reservoir on March 8. LARIMER COUNTY: --A pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes was reported by Baron at Timnath Reservoir on March 10. They were seen from the parking lot of open space (South Shore) off of CR 40. MONTROSE COUNTY: --On March 7, Dexter reported Sagebrush Sparrow and Harris's Sparrow on West 5th Ave near the Nucla Sewer Ponds. PUEBLO COUNTY: --On March 3 Percival reports a 1st yr Glaucous Gull at Pueblo Reservoir south Marina. RIO GRANDE COUNTY: --A Common Redpoll was reported by Simmons behind Homelake Cemetery at Monte Vista on March 9. WELD COUNTY: --On March 9 Starace reported 6 Great-tailed Grackles 2 miles S of CR 48 and CR 47. --Lefko reports Lapland Longspurs call over head in "Raptor Alley", WCR 100 x WCR 23 x WCR 102 x WCR 27 on February 27. They continued on March 2, when he also found an ad. Lesser Black-backed Gull at Drake Lake. --On March 2 Mlodinow reports these gulls at Woods Lake, east of Severance: a near adult Great Black-backed Gull, a continuing second year ICELAND GULL, 4 Thayer's Gulls & a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Upcoming DFO Field trips: The DFO Field Trip for Sunday , March 16 will be to Barr Lake SP led by Mark Amershek and Bruce Neuman. Limit of 12 participants. Please register with leader before hand, inclement weather might cause a change. Mark's phone: (303-329-8646) or email: mamershek AT msn.com Meet the leaders at 7:30 am at the Barr Lake SP Visitor Center. You will need a State Parks Pass or get a day pass at the park entrance. Bring Binocs, scopes, water and dress for predicted weather. Walk on mostly flat concrete pathways for 3-4 miles. We will be checking out water fowl, raptors, and early migrant birds. This is a half day trip with conclusion around noon. There will be an opportunity for those interested in an extension trip to the DIA loop in the afternoon. Bring lunch or snacks if continuing. Good Birding, Joyce Takamine 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. 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