This is the Rare Bird Alert for Friday, October 6, sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies.
Highlight species include: (* indicates new information on this species) NOTE: The RBA is now using the new AOU checklist and the order of families has changed. Surf Scoter (*Las Animas) Red-necked Grebe (Boulder) Black-bellied Plover (Boulder, Washington) American Golden-Plover (Adams, Washington) Dunlin (Adams) Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Washington) Red Phalarope (Boulder, Jefferson) JAEGER, species to be determined (Adams) PARASITIC JAEGER (*Las Animas) Sabine’s Gull (Chaffee) LAUGHING GULL (Weld) Mew Gull (Larimer) Caspian Tern (Logan, Washington) Pacific Loon (*Moffat) Broad-winged Hawk (*Adams, *Douglas) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Kiowa) TROPICAL KINGBIRD (Montrose) Cassin's Kingbird widespread in Colorado in recent weeks, eg, (*Douglas, *El Paso) Pygmy Nuthatch (Morgan) Eastern Bluebird (El Paso) Wood Thrush (Lincoln) Purple Finch (El Paso) Nashville Warbler (*Adams, La Plata, Larimer) CONNECTICUT WARBLER (Lincoln) Magnolia Warbler (El Paso, Weld) Blackburnian Warbler (Larimer) Pine Warbler (Larimer) Black-throated Green Warbler (Lincoln) Lark Sparrow (Clear Creek) Golden-crowned Sparrow (Arapahoe) Summer Tanager (El Paso) *ADAMS COUNTY:* —On September 24 Susan Rosine reported an American Golden-Plover on the Neidrach Nature Trail at Barr Lake SP, seen again on September 26 by Mautitz. ---On October 3 Norm Lewis & Brian Johnson reported 2 American Golden-Plovers at Barr Lake SP. ---On October 3 Norm Lewis reported a distant JAEGER near the nature center, species to be determined. ---On October 4 Meredith McBurney banded a Nashville Warbler at Barr Lake SP. ---On October 5 John Breitsch reported a Broad-winged Hawk at First Creek at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR. *ARAPAHOE COUNTY:* ---On October 2-4 Jared del Russo reported a Golden-crowned Sparrow at his home in Centennial. It was not found on October 5. ---On October 3 & 5 John Breitsch reported a Cassin’s Kingbird at First Creek at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR. *BOULDER COUNTY*: --On September 27 David Dowell reported a Red-necked Grebe & a Black-bellied Plover at Terry Lake. Both continued through Oct 3. ---On October 1 Nunes reported an immature Red Phalarope at Lagerman Reservoir, also seen by Bill Kaempfer & Aaron Yappert and on October 3 by Mark Minner-lee. *CHAFFEE COUNTY*: ---On October 1 Christian Hogenlocher saw a Sabine’s Gull at Buena Vista Ice Pond. *CLEAR CREEK COUNTY:* ---On October 3 Roger Linfield. On the same date he reported a Lark Sparrow in the Empire Town Park. *DOUGLAS COUNTY:* ---On October 5 Bart Deferme reported a Palm Warbler near Castlewood Canyon SP, at the corner of Willow Lake Dr. and Castlewood Canyon Rd. ---On October 5 Bea Weaver reported a Broad-winged Hawk at Castlewood Canyon SP. *EL PASO COUNTY:* ---On October 1 David Tønnessen reported a Magnolia Warbler at Adams Open Space in Fountain. ---On October 2 Jim Merritt reported a Summer Tanager at Ramah Reservoir SWA. It was seen again on October 3 by MaryLynne Ketcham & Alan Ketcham. ---On October 4 Alan Versaw reported a Purple Finch in his yard. ---On October Richard Bunn reported a Cassin’s Kingbird at Finch Rd, reached by going south from Hanover Rd, just east of Peyton Hwy. *JEFFERSON COUNTY:* ---On October 4 Loarraine Lanning reported that the Red Phalarope, present for about 10 days, continues at Chatfield SP--S Platte River Delta. —On September 30 Crystal Wilson reported a Black Phoebe at the Deer Creek Inlet at Chatfield SP; seen again on October 4 by Lorraine Lanning. —On September 30 Scott Somershoe reported 2 Cassin's Kingbirds at Clement Park & Johnson Reservoir. —On Sept 30 Scott Dieni reported a Cassin's Kingbird at Welchester Tree Park. ---On September 30 Gerald "Jerry" Baines reported a Cassin’s Kingbird from Crown Hill Regional Park. *KIOWA COUNTY:* ---On Oct 1 Mlodinov reported a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Neenoshee Res. *LA PLATA COUNTY:* ---On October 3 Susan Allerton reported a Nashville Warbler from Pastorius Reservoir. *LAS ANIMAS COUNTY:* ---On October 5 Glenn Walbek reported that on 2 he saw a PARASITIC JAEGER and 18 Surf Scoters in middle of nowhere in the Commanche NG. This middle of nowhere is different from Mark Peterson’s middle of nowhere, which was in Lincoln County. *LARIMER COUNTY:* —On September 25 David Leatherman reported a Blackburnian Warbler along the Poudre north of Prospect Road. See his post in Cobirds for more info. —On September 28 David Leatherman reported a Blackburnian Warbler at Grandview Cemetery in Ft. Collins. It was seen there daily through October 1, but was AWOL on October 3. —On September 29 & 30 Nick Komar reported a Mew Gull at Horseshoe Reservoir. —On September 29 Bob Harden reported a Nashville Warbler at Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary. —On September 29 Kelsey King reported a Pine Warbler at Rocky Mountain NP-- Hidden Valley. —On September 30 Nick Komar & David Wade reported Cassin's Kingbirds at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area. *LINCOLN COUNTY:* ---On October 1 Tim Smart saw a Black-throated Green Warbler at a private ranch. ---On October 4 Mark Peterson reported a CONNECTICUT WARBLER and a Wood Thrush on private property “in the middle-of-nowhere.” *MESA COUNTY:* ---On October 1 David Price saw a Cassin’s Kingbird at Mesa CR 10 wetland. *MOFFAT COUNTY:* ---On October 5 Jan Leonard reported a Pacific Loon at Big Bottom, southwest of Craig. *MONTROSE COUNTY: * ---On October 2 Coen and Brenda found and photographed a TROPICAL KINGBIRD. The bird was seen again today. It likes the area a mile and a half west of Nucla, just south of the intersection of CC road and 2700 road. This is one half mile south of the Sewer Ponds. They did not find it on October 4. *WASHINGTON COUNTY:* —On September 23 Ben Lagasse reported a Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Prewitt Reservoir. From 1-3 have been seen there daily through October 1 by various observers, then Tim Smart and David Dowell reported it on October 2. ---On October 2 Steve Kingswood reported a Black-bellied and an American Golden-Plover at Prewitt Reservoir. ---On October 2 Tim Smart and David Dowell reported a Caspian Tern at Prewitt Reservoir. *WELD COUNTY:* —On September 29 Steve Mlodinov reported a LAUGHING GULL at LUNA Reservoir, where it was seen again by Gene Rutherford on September 30. ---On October 1 Gene Rutherford reported a Magnolia Warbler at Eaton Cemetery. *Denver Field Ornithologists Field Trips: * *Chico Basin Ranch* *10/7/2017 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM* *Leader: Mark Amershek **mamers...@msn.com* <mamers...@msn.com>* or * *303-329-8646* *Trail Difficulty: *Moderate *New Directions*: We’ll meet at the King Soopers parking lot - 5544 Promenade Parkway, Castle Rock, CO 80108. This is a NEW location - it is NOT the OLD one at 100 Founders Parkway (the Kings Soopers has closed). Chico Basin Ranch is a working cattle ranch located in El Paso and Pueblo counties southeast of Colorado Springs. The driving distance from Castle Rock will be approximately 100 miles; a little over two hours. This is a fee area. We need volunteers with high clearance vehicles to drive on ranch roads. Let leader know if you can drive. The ranch will be birded by following the ranch roads in vehicles with stops to bird on level open areas such as ponds, wetlands, and grasslands. This will be an all-day trip so bring water, snacks, and lunch. Scopes will be handy but not necessary. A two-way radio per car would be helpful. We will bird until 4 p.m. and should be back at Castle Rock around 6 p.m. *Register online or contact leader* *This trip is full and you will be placed on the waiting list when you register.* *Catamount Trail (Green Mountain Trail to Catamount Reservoir) * 10/8/2017 6:30 AM - 2:00 PM Leader: Chris Gilbert chrisg...@gmail.com or 804-214-1508 Trail Difficulty: Strenuous Directions: Meet at Lowe's in Castle Rock near the outlet stores.. I-25 south, exit at Founders/Meadows Pkwy (exit 184), turn right (west), then right on Santa Fe Dr (Hwy 85), then right on New Beale St. Exact address 1360 New Beale St, Castle Rock, CO 80108 About the Trip We will meet and carpool to Green Mountain Falls, CO, about a one hour drive from the meeting spot. The hike will be a 6-mile round trip with some elevation gain at the start. We will see some waterfalls and great scenery. We should see many of the typical mountain birds like Steller's Jays and Evening Grosbeaks. Bring snacks, plenty of water, and a sack lunch; be weather savvy and ready. We will eat lunch up at the reservoir. Binoculars a must. Cameras are encouraged. Scopes are welcomed but not necessary (you'll have to carry it 6 miles if you bring it). Register online or contact leader. 1 person has registered for this trip. There are 11 spaces left. *Chatfield State Park, The Big Sit*! *10/8/2017 6:45 AM - 6:45 PM* *Leader: Joey Kellner **vir...@comcast.net* <vir...@comcast.net>* or * *303-978-1748* *Trail Difficulty: *Easiest trip of the year! *Directions* >From the Wadsworth Blvd entrance, go past the pay station to the stop sign, turn right at this 'T' and continue around the reservoir. Cross the S Platte River and continue up the hill. Turn left at the sign for the park headquarters and make a hard left into the large parking lot labeled Heronry Overlook. At the far right corner, a trail leads down to the Heron Overlook. State Parks pass or day pass required. *About the Sit* The Big Sit, an international birding event, has exacting, loose, and frivolous standards. Big Sitters count all the birds they see or hear from within a circle with a 17-foot diameter. Count sitters may send out scouts and beaters to find other birds and identify them as long as a Sitter sees them from within the circle. All around the world on this date, people will Sit Big. Come and join Joey Kellner and other recruits any time from (before) dawn to (after) dusk. Stay for an hour, a morning, or all day. Drop by whenever you like. Joey maintains an hourly chart of the birds that Sitters see from the circle. In the past few years he has tallied 55-65 species, including some real rarities! Bring chairs, breakfast, lunch, dinner, picnics, coffee, etc. Bring binoculars, scopes, and field guides. *This is a public event and there * *is no need to register.* *Cherry Creek SP Wetlands Loop (Arapahoe County)* *10/8/2017 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM* *Leaders: Karen von Saltza **kvonsal...@yahoo.com* <kvonsal...@yahoo.com>* or **303-941-4881** and* *Bill Wuerthele **wuert...@ecentral.com* <wuert...@ecentral.com>* or * *303-333-2519* *Trail Difficulty: *Easy *Directions* Meet at the Prairie Loop lot in Cherry Creek SP. From either park entrance, follow Lake View Rd to the Prairie Loop that is located at the south rim of the reservoir. State Parks pass or day pass required. *About the Trip* This is a half day of walking that passes through most of the important habitats found in the park over a distance of about 3 miles. Trails could be slippery or muddy. Bring water and snacks; lunch is optional. Beginning birders are welcome. *Register online or contact leader.* *6 people have registered for this trip. There is no maximum.* *For more information on the field trips go to* dfobirds.org. Good birding! Joe Roller Denver, CO jroll...@gmail.com -- 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/CAJpZcUBgUvbCVN0c%3DgodS%2BoWMptcT3SpydswresyeLqSSOqZEg%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
