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2 Sep program: Limber Pine and Clark’s Nutcrackers, Pine Beetles and Blister Rust, 9/9/2010 [Scott Severs ] 2 Sep Pacific Loon still present at McIntosh Lake, 9/2 [Scott Severs ] 2 Sep Dixon Reservoir update (Larimer County) ["Nick Komar" ] 1 Sep RMBO Barr Banding Report, Wednesday [M MC*BURNEY ] 1 Sep RMBO picnic birds and record attendance [Charles Hundertmark ] 1 Sep Lower Latham report [Bob Spencer ] 1 Sep September 2010 D.F.O. Field Trips [] 1 Sep September 1, 2010, Rare Bird Alert for Colorado [JOYCE TAKAMINE ] 1 Sep Black-throated Gray & Virginia's Warblers + Gray Flycatchers in Fremont Co PJ [SeEtta Moss ] 31 Aug County List updates reminder [Mark Peterson ] 31 Aug RMBO Banding, Barr Lake, 8/31/10 [M MC*BURNEY ] 31 Aug Rock Wren, arapahoe county [mln66 ] 31 Aug Additional Uppies - Adams County 8/27 & 8/31 [Scott Severs ] 31 Aug Re: A critically important announcement -- well, not critica l, but... ["mar1joy AT juno.com" ] 31 Aug TCR Manager Contact Info ["Mel Goff" ] 31 Aug Turkey Crk Ranch, El Paso Co, Tuesday [Steven Brown ] 31 Aug rock wren/Centennial ["Karl Stecher Jr." ] 31 Aug Re: A critically important announcement -- well, not critical, but... [Julia Bond ] 31 Aug Access Info for Turkey Creek Ranch, El Paso County ["Mel Goff" ] 31 Aug Re: A critically important announcement -- well, not critical, but... [Charlie Lawrence ] 31 Aug Nocturnal migration, etc., Boulder County, Aug. 30th-31st [Ted Floyd ] 31 Aug August 31, 2010, Rare Bird Alert for Colorado [JOYCE TAKAMINE ] 31 Aug More than you wanted to know about Turkey Vulture faces [SeEtta Moss ] 31 Aug Boulder Reservoir Pectoral Sandpiper [David Waltman ] 31 Aug Boulder Reservoir birds [David Waltman ] 30 Aug Birds on the move [] 30 Aug current animal activity in hackberry trees ["Dave Leatherman" ] 30 Aug Turkey Creek Ranch, El Paso County , 8/30/10 ["Mel Goff" ] 30 Aug migrants at Last Chance [Joe Roller ] 30 Aug A critically important announcement -- well, not critical, but... [] 30 Aug NE Colorado Field Trip 8/28-29 [William H Kaempfer ] 30 Aug 46 Wood Ducks at Walden Ponds ["Cara Stiles" ] 30 Aug August 30, 2010, Rare Bird Alert for Colorado [JOYCE TAKAMINE ] 29 Aug Southeast Colorado --- LONG-TAILED JAEGER and Western Flycatcher [Mark Peterson ] 29 Aug Bird ID help (picture) [kickback ] 29 Aug McCown's Longspur at Feeder/Nunn ["The \"Nunn Guy\"" ] 29 Aug Cedar Waxwing sightings? ["Mitchell, Christina" ] 29 Aug White-eyed Vireo continues, Larimer [Eric DeFonso ] 29 Aug Longmont nighthawks ["j.d. birchmeier" ] 29 Aug Re: Loon molt [Donna Nespoli ] 29 Aug August 29, 2010, Rare Bird Alert for Colorado [JOYCE TAKAMINE ] 28 Aug Huerfano County - Loggerhead Shrike, Common Loon [Polly Neldner ] 28 Aug RMBO Barr Lake Banding Station, Report and Schedule [M MC*BURNEY ] 28 Aug Back in Florida [David Simpson ] 28 Aug Common Tern Prewit [Todd Deininger ] 28 Aug La Veta, Huerfano County Birds [Beverly ] 28 Aug Common Tern - Barr Lake - Adams Co ["Ira Sanders" ] 28 Aug Re: Terns, Union Reservoir, Weld County, Aug. 27th [Suzi PLOOSTER ] 28 Aug Pine Warbler-Dixon Reservoir Larimer County [Josh Bruening ] 28 Aug Barr Lake shorebirds - Adams Co - Long-billed Curlew` ["Ira Sanders" ] 28 Aug Terns, Union Reservoir, Weld County, Aug. 27th [Ted Floyd ] 28 Aug No Ruffs @ Lower Lathum ["Jessica J. Oberbeck " ] 28 Aug Is the Ruff still at Lower Latham Red? ["MARIE C LEE" ] 28 Aug Long-eared Owl, Lake County first [Tim Kalbach ] 28 Aug Fort Morgan WW Dove and MS Kite [Todd Deininger ] 28 Aug August 28, 2010, Rare Bird Alert for Colorado [JOYCE TAKAMINE ] 28 Aug Mississippi Kite fledgling in Rocky Ford [SeEtta Moss ] 27 Aug Crow Valley and Lower Latham [Bob Spencer ] 27 Aug Mississippi Kites , Colorado Springs [] 27 Aug Re: Loon molt [Marcel Such ] 27 Aug Re: Loon molt [rostrhamus ] 27 Aug Re: Loon molt [Robert Zilly ] 27 Aug Chihuahuan Raven Colorado Springs, El Paso County [kfoopooh ] 27 Aug Re: Loon molt [] 27 Aug Connecticut Warbler-maybe? Crow Valley Campground [Josh Bruening ] 27 Aug Reddish Egret, Bent County, 8/27 [Duane Nelson ] 27 Aug gas company fined for bird deaths (link to article) [Dennis Garrison ] 27 Aug Ruddy Turnstone Jumbo Res Sedgwick Cty [Steve ] 27 Aug August 27, 2010, Rare Bird Alert for Colorado [JOYCE TAKAMINE ] 26 Aug Nightflight, Thursday [Steven Brown ] 26 Aug Re: Loon molt ["Nick Komar" ] 26 Aug Loon molt and Uppies over Boulder (longish) [] 27 Aug Norma's Grove (Weld) 8/26 [Cole Wild ] 26 Aug Mr Bill quiz [] 26 Aug CONNECTICUT WARBLER/Crow Valley-Weld ["Rachel Hopper" ] 26 Aug Connecticut Warbler, Crow Valey Campground [gwalbek ] Subject: program: Limber Pine and Clark’s Nutcrackers, Pine Beetles and Blister Rust, 9/9/2010 From: Scott Severs <scottesevers AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 10:20:28 -0600 The following program may be of interest to some of you. From the Boulder chapter of the Colorado Native Plant Society. -- Scott Scott Severs Longmont, CO http://groups.yahoo.com/group/co_odes/ _____________________________________________ September 9, 2010 Jeffry Mitton: Limber Pine and Clark’s Nutcrackers, Pine Beetles and Blister Rust Limber pine and Clark’s nutcracker are in a co-dependent relationship that has evolved over time: Limber pines rely on nutcrackers to harvest, disperse and plant their seeds, while nutcrackers rely on limber pine seeds to get through the winter. This mutualism is threatened by an unprecedented mountain pine beetle epidemic and the invasion of white pine blister rust. Jeff Mitton started as an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at CU in 1974, where he is now professor. Mitton’s research interests focus on the genetics of natural populations of plants and animals. He has worked on marine and freshwater mussels, killifish, trout, pines, aspen, and spruce. Mitton writes a biweekly column entitled “Natural Selections” for the Boulder Camera, which describes the natural history and ecological interactions of plants and animals in Colorado. Programs for the Boulder chapter of the Colorado Native Plant Society are held on the second Thursday of the month, September through April, in the community room at REI, in Boulder at 1789 28th Street. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Pacific Loon still present at McIntosh Lake, 9/2 From: Scott Severs <scottesevers AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 10:06:58 -0600 Plus egrets, a lone Clark's Grebe, a trio of Ruddy Ducks, migrant Bank Swallows, and a White-crowned Sparrow, etc. If they are drawing down water, it's barely evident. Shorebirds consisted of a lone Least Sandpiper, Killdeer, and Spotted Sandpipers. Plus some unidentified high flyers that could not be enticed to land. Loon diving frequently as recently reported. -- Scott Scott Severs Longmont, CO http://groups.yahoo.com/group/co_odes/ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Dixon Reservoir update (Larimer County) From: "Nick Komar" <quetzal65 AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 08:50:57 -0600 Dixon Reservoir’s north end thicket was quite birdy this morning, although nothing new was apparent. The White-eyed Vireo was still present, but silent. A Northern Waterthrush continues from last week. The Blue Grosbeak family is quite evident as the young have now fledged. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: RMBO Barr Banding Report, Wednesday From: M MC*BURNEY <meredithmcburney AT msn.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 20:53:39 -0600 Hi Birders, I join Ted Floyd in hoping for a wind change, and hoping when it does change we will see more birds coming through. In addition to a relatively modest number of new birds each day, we are recapturing 8-10 birds banded in the prior 2-3 days. Relatively few new arriving; more than usual seem to be sticking around. For Wednesday: House Wren 3 American Robin 1 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Yellow Warbler 1 American Redstart 1 MacGillivray’s Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 1 Wilson’s Warbler 13 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Plus 11 banded in the prior few days. Banding station open daily through next Tuesday. Likely closed Wednesday. Meredith Meredith McBurney Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory 303/329-8091 303/349-0245 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: RMBO picnic birds and record attendance From: Charles Hundertmark <cahmark AT q.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 23:43:56 +0000 Meredith McBurney previously posted the birds netted at the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory picnic Saturday. Here is a list of birds seen on picnic field trips. (Baird's Sandpiper, Snowy Egrets, and many others were still around today along with Barn Owls.) Canada Goose Wood Duck Mallard Pied-billed Grebe Western Grebe American White Pelican Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Great Egret Snowy Egret Swainson's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk American Kestrel American Coot American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Willet Baird's Sandpiper Franklin's Gull Ring-billed Gull California Gull Forster's Tern Rock Pigeon Eurasian Collared-Dove Mourning Dove Common Nighthawk Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Olive-sided Flycatcher Western Wood-Pewee Willow Flycatcher Say's Phoebe Western Kingbird Eastern Kingbird Warbling Vireo Black-billed Magpie Bank Swallow Barn Swallow Black-capped Chickadee White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Townsend's Solitaire American Robin European Starling Yellow Warbler Townsend's Warbler Common Yellowthroat Wilson's Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Chipping Sparrow Lark Sparrow Blue Grosbeak Red-winged Blackbird Western Meadowlark Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Common Grackle American Goldfinch The picnic set a new record for attendance with more than 200 people (final numbers still being tallied). We appreciate the support of all who attended, donated to the auction, and participated in the auction. Chuck Hundertmark Board of Directors RMBO 2546 Lake Meadow Drive Lafayette, CO 80026 Phone/fax: 303-604-0531 Cell: 720-771-8659 cahmark AT q.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Lower Latham report From: Bob Spencer <bobolink AT indra.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 14:08:34 -0600 Hi Cobirders. I thank those who Checked last Saturday Morning. On Friday when I got there there were several hundred shorebirds of good variety. Another birder was at the west end of the flooded meadow. He seemed to be taking pictures ( I hope) and checking stuff. He turned around before I got that far and I did not recognize him. Any way I was super tired and the Ruff were near the shore along with a red legged type like a Red Shank. I didn't have the telescope with me but didn't really need it and no heat waves! On Joey Kellner's DFO trip Sunday I was able to go. We made that flooded Lower Latham meadow on Rd 48 our last stop. The number shorebirds was only about one tenth of what was there Friday early afternoon with a big dark cloud overhead making poor light at times. I am working on using my telescope with a digiscope device and my camera. Slow setting up! Great birding out there. Bob Spencer -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: September 2010 D.F.O. Field Trips From: CorvidColo AT aol.com Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 12:00:17 EDT Denver Field Ornithologists September 2010 Field Trips September 4 and 5, 2010 Labor Day Weekend, NO TRIPS scheduled Submitted by Chris A. Blakeslee - DFO Board Member Centennial, Colorado CorvidColo AT aol.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: September 1, 2010, Rare Bird Alert for Colorado From: JOYCE TAKAMINE <jabiru55 AT msn.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 04:57:35 -0600 Date: September 1, 2010 e-Mail: rba AT cfo-link.org phone: 303-659-8750 compiler: Joyce Takamine This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 5 am sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. Highlight species include (*Denotes that there is new information for this species in this report Pacific Loon (Boulder) LEAST BITTERN (Bent) REDDISH EGRET (Bent) Mississippi Kite (El Paso, Logan, Morgan) Ruddy Turnstone (Sedgwick) RUFF (Weld) LONG-TAILED JAEGER (Bent) Sabine's Gull (Mesa) White-winged Dove (Morgan) PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER (Bent) Great Crested Flycatcher (Kiowa, Washington) White-eyed Vireo (Larimer) Bell's Vireo (Adams) PHILADELPHIA VIREO (Weld) Tennessee Warbler (Bent) Nashville Warbler (Dolores, El Paso) Blackpoll Warbler (Bent) Black-throated Gray Warbler (Dolores, *Fremont) PINE WARBLER (Larimer) Black-and-white Warbler (Bent, Weld) BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (Dolores) Ovenbird (*Washington) Northern Waterthrush (Bent, El Paso) CONNECTICUT WARBLER (Weld) Field Sparrow (Weld) Northern Cardinal (Logan) To skip this recording to leave a message, press the star key at any time. Please leave your name, phone number, detailed directions including the county and dates for all sightings. It would be helpful if you would spell your last name. Adams County: --A Bell's Vireo was banded at the Barr Lake Banding Station on August 26 as reported by McBurney. Bent County: --A white-morph REDDISH EGRET was reported by Duane Nelson at the west end of John Martin on August 18. From CR JJ just east of CR 20 turn south towards reservoir and meander until you reach the cliff at the edge of the reservoir. The egret was seen again on August 19 by Wild and on August 20 by Arnesen at the west end of John Martin. Peterson reported that the REDDISH EGRET was seen again on August 29 at the west end of John Martin. --At Green Heron Slough, Duane Nelson reported a Black-and-white Warbler and Northern Waterthrush on August 27. The Black-and-white Warbler was seen again on August 29 by Peterson. --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Duane Nelson at Hasty Campground on August 27. --A LEAST BITTERN was reported by Peterson at Fort Lyon Marshes on August 29. --At Hasty Campground, Peterson reported a female type Blackpoll Warbler, a Tennessee Warbler and a possible PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER on August 29. --A LONG-TAILED JAEGER was reported by Peterson at the west end of John Martin on August 29. Boulder County: --The Pacific Loon first reported by Blatchley on July 10 at McIntosh Lake, was seen again on August 27 by Zilly and on August 28 by Nespoli. Dolores County: --Dexter reported a Nashville Warbler and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER on August 26 on the way to Glade Lake. The birds were 10.5 miles from the Bradfield Bridge on FR 504 headed to Glade Lake. --A Black-throated Gray Warbler was reported by Morris at Glade Lake on August 28. El Paso County: --At Sonderman Park in Colorado Springs on August 25, Lee reported Northern Waterthrush and Nashville Warbler. --Mississippi Kites were reported by Drummond in Colorado Springs on August 26 and 27. Fremont County: --A Black-throated Gray Warbler was reported by Moss at Seep Springs on August 31. Seep Springs is west of Red Canyon Park. Red Canyon Park is 8 miles north of Canon City on CR 9. Kiowa County: --2 Great Crested Flycatchers were reported by Peterson at the Locust Grove at NeeNoshe on August 29. Larimer County: --A White-eyed Vireo was reported by Biggerstaff at Dixon Reservoir in Fort Collins on August 24 and was refound by Bruening on August 28 and by DeFonso on August 29. --A male PINE WARBLER was reported by Bruening on the north edge of Dixon Reservoir on August 28. Logan County: --Mississippi Kites were reported by Kaempfer at Cheairs Park in Sterling on August 28. --A Northern Cardinal was reported by Kaempfer at Stop 6 in Tamarack SWA on August 29. Mesa County: --A Sabine's Gull was reported by Arnold at Vega SP on August 28. Morgan County: --Deininger reported that the CFO field trip had a White-winged Dove and Mississippi Kite in Fort Morgan on August 28. Sedgwick County: --A Ruddy Turnstone was reported by Erthal at Jumbo Reservoir on August 27. Search along the rocky shoreline. Washington County: --A Great Crested Flycatcher and Ovenbird were reported by Roller at Last Chance on August 30. Weld County: --A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was reported by Hopper at Crow Valley Campground on August 26. It was last seen south of the main picnic area. --A PHILADELPHIA VIREO and eastern Field Sparrow were reported by Wild at Norma's Grove on August 26. Norma's Grove is east of the intersection of CR 57 and CR 100. --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Bruening at Crow Valley Campground on August 27 in the SW corner. --RUFFS were reported by Bob Spencer at Lower Latham on August 27. September 4-5: No field trips scheduled, Labor Day Weekend. Good Birding, Joyce Takamine Boulder -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Black-throated Gray & Virginia's Warblers + Gray Flycatchers in Fremont Co PJ From: SeEtta Moss <seettam AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 00:39:51 -0600 Late yesterday afternoon while checking on habitat integrity in a BLM location called Seep Springs I spotted an adult male Black-throated Gray Warbler (a good sign) and got some photos of him that I have uploaded to my BirdsAndNature blog. Two nights before, between 7-7:30 pm, I saw 1-2 Gray Flycatchers and 1 Virginia's Warblers in Red Canyon Park. Both locations are composed of very nice and some old growth pinyon-juniper habitat. The Seep Springs Area is located directly west of Red Canyon Park in Fremont County -you just follow the one road through Red Canyon Park to the adjacent Seep Springs (this is a primitive area with no amenities and dirt roads are pretty rugged due to recent stormwater runoff). Red Canyon Park is located 8 miles north of Canon City on CR9 (see Colo County Birding). These species will soon be migrating south. SeEtta Moss Canon City -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: County List updates reminder From: Mark Peterson <mpeterson33 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:39:19 -0700 (PDT) COBirders, Please have your Lifetime County List updates to me by Friday September 3rd. ----- Mark Peterson Colorado Springs -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: RMBO Banding, Barr Lake, 8/31/10 From: M MC*BURNEY <meredithmcburney AT msn.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:37:21 -0600 Hi Birders, Happy to have the slightly cooler weather! Banded 31 birds today: Western Wood-pewee 1 Dusky Flycatcher 3 Warbling Vireo 1 House Wren 4 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Yellow Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 1 Wilson’s Warbler 18 Song Sparrow 1 We will be open every day through next Tuesday. (Day closed next week will be Wed or Thurs.) Meredith Meredith McBurney Barr Lake Banding Station Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory 303/329-8091 303/349-0245 (cell) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Rock Wren, arapahoe county From: mln66 <mnewport AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:15:55 -0600 Rock Wren in Cherry Creek State Park. First in the park for me. It seemed very content feeding behind the bathrooms at the Cottonwood Creek Trail Trailhead parking lot. This is the new bathrooms next to the cottonwood marsh. Matt Newport Aurora -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Additional Uppies - Adams County 8/27 & 8/31 From: Scott Severs <scottesevers AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:14:36 -0600 I was lucky enough to encounter two Upland Sandpipers recently in the mist of avian surveys. One on Friday 8/27 alighted in a prairie dog town about an hour after dawn and began foraging while emanating a couple of calls, and this morning 8/31, also about an hour or so after dawn one was heard overhead headed eastward. Detections were near the Todd Creek golf course. Both were detected by ear first, thanks to Ted's link to the flight call on xeno-canto. I also saw the tail ends of a flock of mystery shorebirds, unfortunately too far away and saw them too late to get an ID. Large groups of Snowy Egrets exploiting the ponds at Todd Creek golf course. A Greater Yellowlegs also called overhead flying southward. Happy migration, -- Scott Scott Severs Longmont, CO http://groups.yahoo.com/group/co_odes/ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Re: A critically important announcement -- well, not critica l, but... From: "mar1joy AT juno.com" <mar1joy@juno.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:44:02 GMT Tony and all, I'm heartily in agreement with those who support the quiz. Thank you to Tony for taking the time to present challenging photos and in-depth answers, and to CFO for providing the venue for the quiz. It's changed the way I approach bird ID, in a big way. After "lurking" for some time, I started actually submitting answers a little over a year ago, challenging myself to do 10 quizzes and keep my success rate above 50 percent. If I managed that, I'd continue, if not, well... I think I've only missed two quizzes in that time, because I was traveling. I've always been, and probably always be, a pretty casual birder, staying fairly close to home, so I didn't have great expectations. It's amazing at how differently a person looks at these photos, and at the process of bird ID, when confronted with a commitment to write up an answer for someone with Tony's qualifications -- and then actually hit "send." I hope more folks will take the challenge, and that the quiz can continue. Thanks again, Margie Joy Pueblo West, CO Hey all: Yup, it's that time of week, again, time for the posting of the solution to last week's Mr. Bill Mystery Quiz. You can find it by clicking on the link at the CFO home page (www.cfo-link.org). And, don't forget to check out this week's quiz and submit your answer before next Sunday midnight. The response rate has dropped considerably and we're trying to figure out whether and in what form the quiz continues. Tony Leukering Villas, NJ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: TCR Manager Contact Info From: "Mel Goff" <melgoff AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:19:51 -0600 All, I have received permission to post contact info for the facilities manager at Turkey Creek Ranch. Stephanie Kowaluk Facility Manager Turkey Creek Ranch DFMWR, Rec and Leisure Dept 719-524-1403 email: stephanie.kowaluk AT us.army.mil Stephanie is a very friendly lady, and interested in hearing about any birds we see at TCR. She says the best time to actually see TURKEYS is before 0800, (that is 8:00am for any civilian types out there). Even though TCR is closed to events on Monday and Tuesday each week, we are welcome to bird. Just check in, as stated in my last email. Good birding! Mel Goff Colorado Springs -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Turkey Crk Ranch, El Paso Co, Tuesday From: Steven Brown <sbrown37 AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:02:06 -0600 Hi COBirders, Following Mel Goff's post yesterday, I had to go see if there were indeed that many Lewis' Woodpeckers at the ranch. There are. Incredible. In the picnic area when you first arrive arrive at the ranch (all well signed), there was a constant movement of woodpeckers of all ages though the oaks, poles, grass - gathering acorns, flycatching, ground feeding in the grass, and chasing. All were shy, and it was hard to get very close for any good pictures, but they were all over the place. I don't think I've ever seen more than 2-3 in one place before. Also seen - mostly the same species as Mel reported yesterday. Lots of sparrows, mostly Chipping, but also Lark,Vesper, Brewers, and a Clay-colored. Lots of W Bluebirds (50+), W Scrub Jays (20+), Yellow-rumped (Audubon's, and one Myrtle) Warblers, Spotted Towhees - mostly young ones, (20+). The coolest spotting for me today, was a lone Clark's Nutcracker that did two separate fly-bys. Seems pretty low elevation, and oaks and elms lining grassy fields seems like the wrong habitat! Maybe a lost youngster? Anyhow, the area is highly recommended, and was very quiet on a Tuesday. Wonderful! Steve Brown Colorado Springs -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: rock wren/Centennial From: "Karl Stecher Jr." <kstecher AT idcomm.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:33:17 -0600 I just had an imm rock wren visit my feeder near Orchard and Colorado Blvd, Centennial . Karl Stecher Centennial -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Re: A critically important announcement -- well, not critical, but... From: Julia Bond <jebond333 AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:30:34 -0600 I concur. I even think about the list when I am photographing birds. I ask myself....how many bird species are in the pic and would this be a good pic for the quiz? Keep it going, please :) Julia Bond Boulder, CO On Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 9:21 AM, Charlie Lawrence wrote: > Hey Tony- > KEEP THE QUIZ GOING!!! > I'm probably like a lot of people. I haven't submitted an answer to the > quiz for several years. I tell myself that I don't have the time to spend > to look through my field guides but to be honest I'm just too lazy. I still > keep a guess in my head and read your answer very carefully. I would guess > that for every one person who submits an answer there, there are 10-15 > people who read the answer. I love this quiz. The way that a lot of people > become good birders is to have a mentor who shows them different species and > teaches them what identification marks to look for. This quiz is like a > mentor for everyone. We are so lucky in Colorado to have someone of your > expertise who is willing to spend their your time to teach people. I know > it takes a lot of time and you don't get enough positive feedback. I used > to keep a paper copy of each quiz. Now I just keep a list of the quiz > numbers and what species or species it is about. The information in these > quizzes is invaluable. If I have identification problem with a species, I > will go back and see if Tony has had anything to say about it. And usually > there is something helpful there. I'd love to see a search engine hooked to > it so a person could easily find what has been discussed about a certain > species. Would that be possible, Rachael? Anyway, please don't stop doing > the quiz. The birders in Colorado need more of the information that is > contained in your head. Thanks for all the knowledge that you've given me > over the past few years. > > Charlie Lawrence > Centennial, CO > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: coloradodipper AT aol.com > To: cobirds AT googlegroups.com > Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 1:07:42 PM > Subject: [cobirds] A critically important announcement -- well, not > critical, but... > > Hey all: > > Yup, it's that time of week, again, time for the posting of the solution to > last week's Mr. Bill Mystery Quiz. You can find it by clicking on the link > at the CFO home page (www.cfo-link.org). And, don't forget to check out > this week's quiz and submit your answer before next Sunday midnight. The > response rate has dropped considerably and we're trying to figure out > whether and in what form the quiz continues. > > Tony Leukering > Villas, NJ > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Colorado Birds" group. > To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Colorado Birds" group. > To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. > -- Julia Bond Boulder, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Access Info for Turkey Creek Ranch, El Paso County From: "Mel Goff" <melgoff AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:34:35 -0600 All, I have had several requests for information about access to Turkey Creek Ranch. I emailed the facilities manager for TCR, and below is her reply. Please try to abide by her request to check in, and this will be a nice place for all of us birders. Mel, Fort Carson is still doing a 100% id check. I ask that non DoD card holders and DoD card holders to check in with the staff. This way, TCR can fulfill the requirements per garrison, have accountability, and have a general idea where people are in case of an emergency. Mondays and Tuesdays, TCR is closed and like you said the other day... the best time to watch for birds. TCR has limited staffing on those days, and it can be a challenge to locate someone on 1200 acres. My government cell number is located on the Mercantile door (bldg 10,013) and if they can't find someone... to call that number and inform me. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Re: A critically important announcement -- well, not critical, but... From: Charlie Lawrence <acwo AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:21:17 +0000 (UTC) Hey Tony- KEEP THE QUIZ GOING!!! I'm probably like a lot of people. I haven't submitted an answer to the quiz for several years. I tell myself that I don't have the time to spend to look through my field guides but to be honest I'm just too lazy. I still keep a guess in my head and read your answer very carefully. I would guess that for every one person who submits an answer there, there are 10-15 people who read the answer. I love this quiz. The way that a lot of people become good birders is to have a mentor who shows them different species and teaches them what identification marks to look for. This quiz is like a mentor for everyone. We are so lucky in Colorado to have someone of your expertise who is willing to spend their your time to teach people. I know it takes a lot of time and you don't get enough positive feedback. I used to keep a paper copy of each quiz. Now I just keep a list of the quiz numbers and what species or species it is about. The information in these quizzes is invaluable. If I have identification problem with a species, I will go back and see if Tony has had anything to say about it. And usually there is something helpful there. I'd love to see a search engine hooked to it so a person could easily find what has been discussed about a certain species. Would that be possible, Rachael? Anyway, please don't stop doing the quiz. The birders in Colorado need more of the information that is contained in your head. Thanks for all the knowledge that you've given me over the past few years. Charlie Lawrence Centennial, CO ----- Original Message ----- From: coloradodipper AT aol.com To: cobirds AT googlegroups.com Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 1:07:42 PM Subject: [cobirds] A critically important announcement -- well, not critical, but... Hey all: Yup, it's that time of week, again, time for the posting of the solution to last week's Mr. Bill Mystery Quiz. You can find it by clicking on the link at the CFO home page ( www.cfo-link.org ). And, don't forget to check out this week's quiz and submit your answer before next Sunday midnight. The response rate has dropped considerably and we're trying to figure out whether and in what form the quiz continues. Tony Leukering Villas, NJ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Nocturnal migration, etc., Boulder County, Aug. 30th-31st From: Ted Floyd <tedfloyd57 AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:17:31 -0700 Hello, Birders. Earlier "today," Tuesday, August 31st, in the 2am hour, winds aloft were southwesterly (not good), but there was nonetheless a modest flight of nocturnal landbird migrants (30+ flight calls per hour) over Greenlee Preserve, Lafayette, Boulder County. It was mainly expected stuff: Wilson's Warblers and Chipping Sparrows, plus a few others. I also heard a single Upland Sandpiper, at 2:06 a.m. Which brings me to a recent remark by everybody's favorite Colorado birder-in-exile, Tony Leukering: > I've recently read most of the posts about the McIntosh loon and > nocturnal flights of migrants and had a few things to write in response. > First off, the pattern that I see in Ted's Upland Sandpipers-over-Boulder > data, is that insomniacs detect more nocturnally-migrating Uppies than > do most other birders. I mean, I'm almost always up around 11:30 pm, > but only rarely so after 2 am. Thus, I hear very few Uppies going over, > Boulder or elsewhere. First, I'm not an insomniac. It's just that I don't like sleeping... ;) Regarding nocturnal migration, it's important to consider that Upland Sandpipers are *not* strictly nocturnal migrants. They migrate day and night...to which you might say, "Gee, when do they ever rest?" And that's where it gets fascinating. In recent conversations with Bob Gill, an expert on long-distance migration by shorebirds, I've learned that a key assumption of mine about Boulder County's Upland Sandpipers may well be wrong. After hearing Upland Sandpipers on nocturnal migration over Boulder County in July and August of 2009, I assumed that these birds were coming in from nearby--northeastern Colorado, the Nebraska Panhandle, etc. But Bob says that's probably not the case. Instead, he thinks we're listening to no-nonsense, high-altitude, super-strong flyers on practically non-stop flights from as far away as cental Alaska. We're hearing the overland equivalent of those amazing trans-Pacific shorebird migrants like Bar-tailed Godwit and Bristle-thighed Curlew. "Our" Upland Sandpipers may well fly all night, and then they just keep going--throughout the next day, and perhaps into the next night, and so forth... So why don't we hear them by day? Well, that's the cool part. They're up there, but we don't notice, or we misidentify them. By day, there are lots of other distractions--for starters, all the things we can SEE in broad daylight. That distracts us. Or: We do hear Upland Sandpipers by day, but we misidentify them. It was gratifying, in a way, to learn just a few days ago that one of Colorado's greatest birders had until recently ALSO been been confusing the Upland Sandpiper's flight call with the distinctive call of the Curve-billed Sandpiper. Me too! (Until I "discovered" the difference, just last year.) Seriously, the "quiddyquit!" call of the sandpiper can sound surprisingly similar to the "whit-whit-wheet!" of the thrasher. By day, in south-central Colorado's canyonlands, you might well just write off that diurnal migrant Upland Sandpiper as a "distant Curve-billed Thrasher." This developing Upland Sandpiper saga is a classic example, it seems to me, of the human tendency to stick to what we know. We all "know" that the skies of Colorado aren't filled with the flight calls of high-altitude migrant Upland Sandpipers en route from Alaska to Bolivia; and since we "know" that, we concoct alternative realities. Either we don't hear the flight calls at all, or we write them off as Curve-billed Thrashers or Lesser Yellowlegs (that's another alternative hypothesis I've encountered) or something. I love it. To me, the absolute greatest joy of birding--in life, really--is getting thrown for a loop. Seven years ago, I had no idea you could go out at night in late July in the Front Range and hear large numbers of Chipping Sparrows on nocturnal migration; five years ago, I still had no idea what those Chipping Sparrows actually were doing, namely, migrating by night to their faraway molting grounds. Just two years ago, I had no idea you could reliably expect to hear Upland Sandpipers flying over Boulder County; and just one year ago, I had no idea those sandpipers were probably on long-distance flights from places far to our north and west. Continuing in this vein, I got thrown for a loop just yesterday morning, Monday, August 30th, while listening to a very heavy dawn flight over Lafayette. Rather than ramble on about it, I'll just direct you to comments I've already posted to the NFC-L (nocturnal flight calls) list: http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NFCL.html#1283211864 Oh, and I have a final thought. If you've been outdoors at all for the past week or so, you've surely noticed that we've been languishing under icky south winds seemingly forever. Well, that's supposed to change over the next few days, with a variable but generally northerly flow. (Or vector. Nick Komar: flow=vector, heh!) Anyhow, I cautiously predict that there may be a good night flight at some point by week's end. ------------------------------- Ted Floyd Editor, Birding Follow Birding magazine on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BirdingMagazine ------------------------------- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: August 31, 2010, Rare Bird Alert for Colorado From: JOYCE TAKAMINE <jabiru55 AT msn.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:45:57 -0600 Date: August 31, 2010 e-Mail: rba AT cfo-link.org phone: 303-659-8750 compiler: Joyce Takamine This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 5 am sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. Highlight species include (*Denotes that there is new information for this species in this report Pacific Loon (Boulder) LEAST BITTERN (Bent) REDDISH EGRET (Bent) Mississippi Kite (El Paso, *Logan, Morgan) Ruddy Turnstone (Sedgwick) RUFF (Weld) LONG-TAILED JAEGER (Bent) Sabine's Gull (Mesa) White-winged Dove (Morgan) PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER (Bent) Great Crested Flycatcher (Kiowa, *Washington) White-eyed Vireo (Larimer) Bell's Vireo (Adams) PHILADELPHIA VIREO (Weld) Tennessee Warbler (Bent) Nashville Warbler (Dolores, El Paso) Blackpoll Warbler (Bent) Black-throated Gray Warbler (Dolores) PINE WARBLER (Larimer) Black-and-white Warbler (Bent, Weld) BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (Dolores) Ovenbird (*Washington) Northern Waterthrush (Bent, El Paso) CONNECTICUT WARBLER (Weld) Field Sparrow (Weld) Northern Cardinal (*Logan) To skip this recording to leave a message, press the star key at any time. Please leave your name, phone number, detailed directions including the county and dates for all sightings. It would be helpful if you would spell your last name. Adams County: --A Bell's Vireo was banded at the Barr Lake Banding Station on August 26 as reported by McBurney. Bent County: --A white-morph REDDISH EGRET was reported by Duane Nelson at the west end of John Martin on August 18. From CR JJ just east of CR 20 turn south towards reservoir and meander until you reach the cliff at the edge of the reservoir. The egret was seen again on August 19 by Wild and on August 20 by Arnesen at the west end of John Martin. Peterson reported that the REDDISH EGRET was seen again on August 29 at the west end of John Martin. --At Green Heron Slough, Duane Nelson reported a Black-and-white Warbler and Northern Waterthrush on August 27. The Black-and-white Warbler was seen again on August 29 by Peterson. --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Duane Nelson at Hasty Campground on August 27. --A LEAST BITTERN was reported by Peterson at Fort Lyon Marshes on August 29. --At Hasty Campground, Peterson reported a female type Blackpoll Warbler, a Tennessee Warbler and a possible PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER on August 29. --A LONG-TAILED JAEGER was reported by Peterson at the west end of John Martin on August 29. Boulder County: --The Pacific Loon first reported by Blatchley on July 10 at McIntosh Lake, was seen again on August 27 by Zilly and on August 28 by Nespoli. Dolores County: --Dexter reported a Nashville Warbler and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER on August 26 on the way to Glade Lake. The birds were 10.5 miles from the Bradfield Bridge on FR 504 headed to Glade Lake. --A Black-throated Gray Warbler was reported by Morris at Glade Lake on August 28. El Paso County: --At Sonderman Park in Colorado Springs on August 25, Lee reported Northern Waterthrush and Nashville Warbler. --Mississippi Kites were reported by Drummond in Colorado Springs on August 26 and 27. Kiowa County: --2 Great Crested Flycatchers were reported by Peterson at the Locust Grove at NeeNoshe on August 29. Larimer County: --A White-eyed Vireo was reported by Biggerstaff at Dixon Reservoir in Fort Collins on August 24 and was refound by Bruening on August 28 and by DeFonso on August 29. --A male PINE WARBLER was reported by Bruening on the north edge of Dixon Reservoir on August 28. Logan County: --Mississippi Kites were reported by Kaempfer at Cheairs Park in Sterling on August 28. --A Northern Cardinal was reported by Kaempfer at Stop 6 in Tamarack SWA on August 29. Mesa County: --A Sabine's Gull was reported by Arnold at Vega SP on August 28. Morgan County: --Deininger reported that the CFO field trip had a White-winged Dove and Mississippi Kite in Fort Morgan on August 28. Sedgwick County: --A Ruddy Turnstone was reported by Erthal at Jumbo Reservoir on August 27. Search along the rocky shoreline. Washington County: --A Great Crested Flycatcher and Ovenbird were reported by Roller at Last Chance on August 30. Weld County: --A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was reported by Hopper at Crow Valley Campground on August 26. It was last seen south of the main picnic area. --A PHILADELPHIA VIREO and eastern Field Sparrow were reported by Wild at Norma's Grove on August 26. Norma's Grove is east of the intersection of CR 57 and CR 100. --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Bruening at Crow Valley Campground on August 27 in the SW corner. --RUFFS were reported by Bob Spencer at Lower Latham on August 27. September 4-5: No field trips scheduled, Labor Day Weekend. Good Birding, Joyce Takamine Boulder -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: More than you wanted to know about Turkey Vulture faces From: SeEtta Moss <seettam AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:32:40 -0600 I was never particularly interested in the differences of features on Turkey Vulture faces until I took these photos that showed an awful lot of white looking stuff on one of the bird's faces, but not on the face of the other bird. I should have noticed this some years ago when I lived near a pig farm that used to throw 'leftovers' that drew a flock of Turkey Vultures all summer. They would fly right above me as I walked my dogs (and a cat) in some empty fields where they loafed and they sometimes hovered only 20 feet above (they acted like they were checking field marks for felidae, canid and hominid) providing very close views. After finding little on internet about this I got out my faithful *Raptors of Western North America*--by golly Brian Wheeler states these are tubercles are found on more easterly birds and range from none to very extensive. He states,"*Very extensive tubercles:* Large mass of white bumps on the lores, under and above the eyes, and on the crown." and it has only been found on *Cathartes aura septentrionalis--*that's the "Eastern" subspecies. The birds I photographed seem to meet his definition for 'moderate' tubercles which he notes are fairly common on the subspecies* C.a. meridionalis* found in Colorado. I have uploaded photos of one these (plus one pic with it's nictitating membrane over it's eye and one without tubercles) on my BirdsAndNature SeEtta Moss Canon City http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Boulder Reservoir Pectoral Sandpiper From: David Waltman <djwaltman AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 02:08:04 +0000 (UTC) Oops. Previous report failed to mention one Pectoral Sandpiper with the Least and Baird's. David Waltman Boulder -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Boulder Reservoir birds From: David Waltman <djwaltman AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:48:44 +0000 (UTC) Like Noah's Ark, at the NW corner of Boulder Reservoir this evening: Black Tern, 2 Least Sandpiper, 2 Baird's Sandpiper, 2 David Waltman Boulder -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Birds on the move From: sk8inginfo AT aol.com Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:02:46 -0400 Hi, COBirders~ Had a surprise visit in my yard from a Pygmy Nuthatch today. As I am just a few blocks east of downtown Colorado Springs, El Paso County, my regular visitor is the White-breasted. Today, the two were hanging together, the White-breasted making his little grunt noise, while the chipper Pygmy was trilling and whistling. Also had an empidonax perch quickly in the elm tree, then off it went. The Downy and both chickadees rounded out the flock. Tamie Bulow The Springs -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: current animal activity in hackberry trees From: "Dave Leatherman" <daleatherman AT msn.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:30:21 -0600 Bill Kaempfer mentioned checking hackberries on his recent CFO/Boulder Bird Club field trip to NE Colorado. As you may know, hackberry insects and birds/squirrel activity related to them is one of my mini-hobbies (i.e., some people are easily amused). In the last issue of Colorado Birds we talked about hackberry gall-making psyllids, of which there are at least 4 types in Colorado. The two most common ones in planted Northern Hackberry are the nipplegall and the blistergall. The nipplegalls present themselves are big bumps on the undersides of leaves, very evident at this time of year. The blistergalls are either dark green or purplish-black blotches on the leaves. Sometimes both types of galls appear on the same leaf. Today on one of my regular visits to Grandview Cemetery, I noticed both Fox Squirrel and Black-capped Chickadee activity involving predation on developing psyllid nymphs within galls. The activities of both predators results in premature leaf drop of hackberry leaves under hackberry trees. When I looked at these leaves, there were two things going on. The tops of the nipplegalls were either bitten off or there were little peck holes in the blisters. Squirrels were doing the former, chickadees the latter. In the past I have also seen a variation on the theme by chickadees that involves their pulling a leaf from its branch, placing it atop a fairly big branch and standing on the leaf with each foot on opposite outside edges, and then wailing thru the heart of blisters with their beak. If you were to pick up such a leaf and hold it up to the light, you'd see holes precisely thru the middle of the blisters. If you think the holes form the pattern of the Big Dipper, I know you have a medical marijuana license. Other species I've seen remove psyllids from within galls include House Finches and Evening Grosbeaks. The REAL action involving migrant birds and hackberry comes when the nymphs developing within the galls reach adulthood and emerge to find overwintering sites in bark crevices on the host hackberry or any nearby tree. If the weather is right, this emergence can be compressed into a 1-2 week period and the trees are swarming with mini-morsals. Usually this occurs between mid-September and mid-October and benefits mid-to-late autumn migrating passerines. Connecticut and Golden-winged Warblers probably don't know what Colorado hackberry psyllids taste like, but Blackburnian, Yellow-throated, and Black-throated Greens and Blues do (along with kinglets, creepers, nuthatches, and many others). I would appreciate hearing about any observations related to hackberry psyllids and bird (or squirrel) predation. Thanks. Dave Leatherman -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Turkey Creek Ranch, El Paso County , 8/30/10 From: "Mel Goff" <melgoff AT comcast.net> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:27:12 -0600 Wow. Jeanne and I were at Turkey Creek Ranch, south of Colorado Springs on Hwy 115 for 4 hours today. We have never seen anything like the Lewis's Woodpeckers at Turkey Creek Ranch. We saw them in 3 different parts of the ranch, and I think the 35 number may have been close or a little low. We got very good looks at them, especially from two different picnic areas. There were sparrows there by the hundreds. I wish my sparrow ID skills were better, because I am sure I missed some in the crowds of chipping and lark sparrows. We spoke to the facilities manager, Stephanie Kowaluk, and she said she would love to have birders report their sightings to her so that she can begin compiling a checklist for the ranch. Let me know if you have any questions about TCR. Below is our eBird report for the morning. Good birding. Mel and Jeanne Goff Turkey Vulture 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 American Kestrel 3 Broad-tailed Hummingbird 3 Lewis's Woodpecker 35 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 3 Olive-sided Flycatcher 5 Western Wood-Pewee 6 Say's Phoebe 6 Western Kingbird 8 Plumbeous Vireo 1 Warbling Vireo 3 Western Scrub-Jay 16 Black-billed Magpie 11 American Crow 7 Common Raven 3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3 Violet-green Swallow 3 Barn Swallow 25 Cliff Swallow 14 Black-capped Chickadee 3 Bushtit 21 White-breasted Nuthatch 7 House Wren 3 Western Bluebird 40 American Robin 15 Gray Catbird 2 European Starling 7 Yellow Warbler 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 25 Spotted Towhee 1 Cassin's Sparrow 5 Chipping Sparrow 250 Lark Sparrow 40 Common Grackle 6 Bullock's Oriole 1 House Finch 30 American Goldfinch 4 Evening Grosbeak 2 House Sparrow 6 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: migrants at Last Chance From: Joe Roller <pergrn AT aol.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:10:58 -0600 There were a few migrants at Last Chance, Washington County this morning. My favorites were Great Crested Flycatcher Ovenbird Am Redstart lots of Wilson's female Baltimore Oriole Nothing very unusual, but it was nice to see a juvy N Mockingbird, Hammond's Flycatcher and another empid sp. Joe Roller, Denver Birds seem to be turning over in every location, with no two days the same at any site. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: A critically important announcement -- well, not critical, but... From: coloradodipper AT aol.com Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:07:42 -0400 Hey all: Yup, it's that time of week, again, time for the posting of the solution to last week's Mr. Bill Mystery Quiz. You can find it by clicking on the link at the CFO home page (www.cfo-link.org). And, don't forget to check out this week's quiz and submit your answer before next Sunday midnight. The response rate has dropped considerably and we're trying to figure out whether and in what form the quiz continues. Tony Leukering Villas, NJ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: NE Colorado Field Trip 8/28-29 From: William H Kaempfer <William.Kaempfer AT Colorado.EDU> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:30:41 -0600 John Vanderpoel and I led a CFO/Boulder Bird Club field trip this past weekend to NE Colorado. Conditions were very hot (97F high on both days) and water levels were high but there wasn't much wind and shore conditions were actually pretty good at N. Sterling State Park, Red Lion SWA and Jumbo Reservoir. We had many interesting birds but few rarities, surprising however was the scarcity of heron, owl, warbler, swallow, blackbird and diving duck species. Our trip list was only 106 compared with upper 120s last year. We made our first stop on Saturday morning in Ft. Morgan where we met Pete Walker and Bruce Bosley to check out a breeding family of White-winged Doves and Mississippi Kites. We continued on to Prewitt Reservoir where intense insect activity pushed us away from the west inlet canal area. Walking below the dam was more pleasant, it not more successful. We did have a group of gulls and terns along the dam that included at least two Common Terns. Next we continued on to the cemetery in Sterling where we noted that the primary tree seems to be hackberry (with gall covered leaves). Perhaps the ample feeding opportunities gave any rare warblers (like an e-birds reported Golden-winged Warbler) room to hide from us. A real highlight followed in Sterling itself where we had Mississippi Kites over flying Cheairs Park. We heard an unusual, plaintive call that we had also heard near the kites we found in Ft. Morgan and finally realized that it was young kites begging. Several time we had adults come in with insects (grasshoppers on one occasion) to feed the young of which there were at least three in different trees. We took a short break at our motel (have you ever considered a field trip with a pool break before?) and then set out for a late afternoon visit to North Sterling State Park. The west end of this park usually has pretty good shore habitat and so it did this year with lots of Stilt and Baird's Sandpipers and Wilson's Phalaropes along with one Marbled Godwit. Upon exiting the park we had a close encounter with a 4 foot rattlesnake along the road. Todd Deininger tried to make friends, but the rattler would have none of it. Sunday morning we got up and headed off to Tamarack SWA. We wandered around stop 6 for a while which was full of Red-headed Woodpeckers, but most other birds were lurking quietly. I did have a brief glimpse of a Northern Cardinal there. We went back to the through road and stopped at stop 13 which was excellently filled with kingbirds, sparrows (including Field), buntings and our only Townsend's Warbler of the day. Perhaps the best bird of the trip was an amazingly cooperative Gray Flycatcher that kept foraging from the fence along the road between stop 13 and the maintenance shop. Red Lion was our next stop, and a place that had been bone dry three weeks before had lots of water and shorebirds the best of which was a close in Pectoral Sandpiper that all were able to study. Finally on to Jumbo which has great shore right now. If Jumbo gets too low, shorebirds can become inaccessible, but not so right now-there are more than 1,000 shorebirds that can be easily viewed from the roads, dams and campsites. Over all we had 7 Long-billed Curlews (all juvenile in Logan), 4 Willets (Logan and Sedgwick), 4 Sanderlings (Logan and Sedgwick) and 3 Black-bellied Plovers (adults in different stages of disrobing all in Logan). Finally, the SE campground had a pair of Downy Woodpeckers still taking food into a nest cavity. Overall it was a fun trip even without the rarities that can be had out there at this time of year. I do want to thank everyone along for putting up with and helping me cope with my infirmities, but the trip must go on! Bill Kaempfer Boulder -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: 46 Wood Ducks at Walden Ponds From: "Cara Stiles" <cara_stiles AT comcast.net> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:12:55 -0600 I counted 46 Wood Ducks on Weiser Pond, yes, 46. They were in a wide range of plummages, with some of the drakes almost entirely out of eclipse plummage. There were also 2 females on Cottonwood Marsh. With water levels finally lowering, there were also 2 Snipes and 1 Greater Yellowlegs on Cottonwood, not a big deal but a nice memory of when shorebirds frequented the shores there. Cara Stiles Boulder, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: August 30, 2010, Rare Bird Alert for Colorado From: JOYCE TAKAMINE <jabiru55 AT msn.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:39:03 -0600 Date: August 30, 2010 e-Mail: rba AT cfo-link.org phone: 303-659-8750 compiler: Joyce Takamine This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Monday, August 30, 2010 at 5 am sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. Highlight species include (*Denotes that there is new information for this species in this report Pacific Loon (*Boulder) LEAST BITTERN (*Bent) REDDISH EGRET (*Bent) Green Heron (Boulder) Mississippi Kite (El Paso, Morgan) Ruddy Turnstone (Sedgwick) RUFF (Weld) LONG-TAILED JAEGER (*Bent) Sabine's Gull (Mesa) White-winged Dove (*Morgan) PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER (*Bent) Great Crested Flycatcher (*Kiowa) White-eyed Vireo (*Larimer) Bell's Vireo (Adams) PHILADELPHIA VIREO (Weld) Tennessee Warbler (*Bent) Nashville Warbler (Dolores, El Paso, Moffat) Blackpoll Warbler (*Bent) Black-throated Gray Warbler (*Dolores) PINE WARBLER (Larimer) Black-and-white Warbler (*Bent, Broomfield, Weld) BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (Dolores) Northern Waterthrush (Bent, Boulder, El Paso, Moffat) CONNECTICUT WARBLER (Weld) Field Sparrow (Weld) Indigo Bunting (Boulder) To skip this recording to leave a message, press the star key at any time. Please leave your name, phone number, detailed directions including the county and dates for all sightings. It would be helpful if you would spell your last name. Adams County: --A Bell's Vireo was banded at the Barr Lake Banding Station on August 26 as reported by McBurney. Bent County: --A white-morph REDDISH EGRET was reported by Duane Nelson at the west end of John Martin on August 18. From CR JJ just east of CR 20 turn south towards reservoir and meander until you reach the cliff at the edge of the reservoir. The egret was seen again on August 19 by Wild and on August 20 by Arnesen at the west end of John Martin. Peterson reported that the REDDISH EGRET was seen again on August 29 at the west end of John Martin. --An imm Black-and-White Warbler was reported by Duane Nelson at Van's Grove on August 24. --At Green Heron Slough, Duane Nelson reported a Black-and-white Warbler and Northern Waterthrush on August 27. The Black-and-white Warbler was seen again on August 29 by Peterson. --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Duane Nelson at Hasty Campground on August 27. --A LEAST BITTERN was reported by Peterson at Fort Lyon Marshes on August 29. --At Hasty Campground, Peterson reported a female type Blackpoll Warbler, a Tennessee Warbler and a possible PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER on August 29. --A LONG-TAILED JAEGER was reported by Peterson at the west end of John Martin on August 29. Boulder County: --At Walden Ponds on August 22, Floyd reported 3 Green Herons, Northern Waterthrush and Indigo Bunting. On August 23, Klaver reported 1 Green Heron on the north side of Cottonwood Marsh. --The Pacific Loon first reported by Blatchley on July 10 at McIntosh Lake, was seen again on August 27 by Zilly and on August 28 by Nespoli. Broomfield County: --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Semo at Interlocken on August 24. Dolores County: --Dexter reported a Nashville Warbler and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER on August 26 on the way to Glade Lake. The birds were 10.5 miles from the Bradfield Bridge on FR 504 headed to Glade Lake. --A Black-throated Gray Warbler was reported by Morris at Glade Lake on August 28. El Paso County: --At Sonderman Park in Colorado Springs on August 25, Lee reported Northern Waterthrush and Nashville Warbler. --Mississippi Kites were reported by Drummond in Colorado Springs on August 26 and 27. Kiowa County: --2 Great Crested Flycatchers were reported by Peterson at the Locust Grove at NeeNoshe on August 29. Larimer County: --A White-eyed Vireo was reported by Biggerstaff at Dixon Reservoir in Fort Collins on August 24 and was refound by Bruening on August 28 and by DeFonso on August 29. --A male PINE WARBLER was reported by Bruening on the north edge of Dixon Reservoir on August 28. Mesa County: --A Sabine's Gull was reported by Arnold at Vega SP on August 28. Moffat County: --A male Tennessee Warbler and Northern Waterthrush were reported by Luke at Loudy-Simpson Park in Craig on August 14. The Tennessee Warbler and Northern Waterthrush were seen again on August 17 by Litteral. On August 20, Hilf reported Tennessee and Nashville Warbler and Northern Waterthrush at Loudy-Simpson. On August 24, Dodson reported a Northern Waterthrush at Loudy-Simpson. Morgan County: --Deininger reported that the CFO field trip had a White-winged Dove and Mississippi Kite in Fort Morgan on August 28. Sedgwick County: --A Ruddy Turnstone was reported by Erthal at Jumbo Reservoir on August 27. Search along the rocky shoreline. Weld County: --A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was reported by Hopper at Crow Valley Campground on August 26. It was last seen south of the main picnic area. --A PHILADELPHIA VIREO and eastern Field Sparrow were reported by Wild at Norma's Grove on August 26. Norma's Grove is east of the intersection of CR 57 and CR 100. --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Bruening at Crow Valley Campground on August 27 in the SW corner. --RUFFS were reported by Bob Spencer at Lower Latham on August 27. September 4-5: No field trips scheduled, Labor Day Weekend. Good Birding, Joyce Takamine Boulder -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Southeast Colorado --- LONG-TAILED JAEGER and Western Flycatcher From: Mark Peterson <mpeterson33 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:11:18 -0700 (PDT) COBirders, Brad Steger and I headed down to southeast Colorado to do a little birding and follow-up on some of Duane Nelsons recently reported birds.  REDDISH EGRET was our target bird along with a few other things that we wanted to look for.  Our first stop was at the Ft Lyon marshes, where we were looking for LEAST BITTERN.  We had a Least Bittern fly up out of the marsh and then drop right back in amongst the tall cattails.  We then headed over to Green Heron slough near Road JJ and 16.  We re-found the BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER that Duane had reported from a couple of days before.  Next stop was Van's Grove, this place always seems to produce something but today although a little birdy did not produce anything of real note. Now we headed out to the previously described spot on the north side of John Martin Reservoir to look for the Reddish Egret.  While looking for the egret a dark juvenile Jaeger came patrolling the area.  The bird never took after the nearby sterna terns or any of the gulls.  It floated around at the far west end of the reservoir before heading back to the east end where we lost track of the bird.  In the meantime, we had no luck finding the Egret.   We had called Duane in case he was available and could come out and bird with us.  Unfortunately, we were unable to show Duane the Jaeger as it had disappeared.  We are not sure if it has left or was just maybe along the shoreline somewhere chasing grasshoppers?  We worked almost the entire north side of the reservoir without finding either the Jaeger or the Egret but at one point we had a VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, very rare in Bent County.  Next we headed to Lake Hasty campground.  There were many YELLOW and WILSON'S WARBLERs in the campground  The real notable finds here were one female-type BLACKPOLL WARBLER and one TENNESSEE WARBLER.  We also had an empidonax flycatcher that piqued our interest but then disappeared. Next we headed to try for the Egret again.  This time we were successful!  The bird was right out in the open where we had been looking all morning.  Not sure where it had been hiding all morning?  After enjoying the Egret we had to go back and pick up our vehicle at Hasty.  While on the way back we discussed the empidonax flycatcher and agreed that it was a Wester type flycatcher and also thought it was suggestive of Pacific-slope.  So when we got back we looked around for the bird with no luck.  We decided to play Pacific-slope tape and within less than a minute the bird was right on top of us.  We studied the bird and again all agreed that the bird is suggestive of Pacific-slope.  We then decided to play Cordilleran Flycatcher which the bird basically seem to have no response to.  Then a little later we repeated the process and again it responded to the Pacific-slope.  Unfortunately, the bird never made any noise that any of us heard.  Of course, this by no means makes the bird a Pacific-Slope Flycatcher.  Anyway, certainly an interesting bird. We then headed to to Tempel Grove and it was very slow so we picked up and went to the Locust Grove at NeeNoshe.  This turned out to be very productive.  There were again a lot of birds, including:  GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER (at least 2), CASSIN'S VIREO, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK.  There were also a number of shorebirds at NeeNoshe.  Next Brad and I continued north and hit the set of trees around the county office in Eads.  Right off we found a large flock of warblers and in no time we found three AMERICAN REDSTARTS.  There were also about 15-20 Wilson's Warblers and less than 10 Yellow Warblers.  We searched the rest of the area and briefly saw another empidonax flycatcher but it disappeared before we could do much with it. All in all, it was a nice day, I believe we ended with ~126 species.  Thank you to Duane for finding the Egret and Warbler and keeping track of them.  Hopefully the Jaeger will be re-found! ----- Mark Peterson Colorado Springs -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Bird ID help (picture) From: kickback <bill_kosar AT msn.com> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:20:37 -0700 (PDT) I think this is a red winged blackbird, possibly a juvenile, and I would appreciate other opinions. http://avoapples.com/birds/IMG_0135_4x6.gif I saw at Chico ranch on Aug 28. Thanks Bill Kosar bill_kosar AT msn.com Colorado Springs -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: McCown's Longspur at Feeder/Nunn From: "The \"Nunn Guy\"" <lefkogt AT coloradobirder.info> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 13:54:48 -0700 (PDT) McCown's Longspur just dropped in at one of our backyard water feeders. We've never seen them take water but they have been here for seed/grasshoppers (which I think we are now up to "one billion" of them) Thanks Gary Lefko/Nunn http://coloradobirder.ning.com/ -- Home of the "Nunn Guy" -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Cedar Waxwing sightings? From: "Mitchell, Christina" <Christina.Mitchell AT ucdenver.edu> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 13:26:57 -0600 I am writing on behalf of Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center again. A lone Cedar Waxwing is ready to be released. Is anyone seeing a group anywhere in the Front Range? The bird was found in the Boulder County area, but finding a flock somewhere would be a reason to request a waiver of the DOW requirement to release within 10 miles of where it was found. Respond to me off-list if you've seen any waxwings. Thanks in advance for any help. Tina Mitchell volunteer, Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: White-eyed Vireo continues, Larimer From: Eric DeFonso <bay.wren AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 13:19:39 -0600 Hi all, I made a *very* short visit to Dixon this morning - really, I was only there about 10 minutes or so at 9:00am. But that was plenty of time it turned out to find the White-eyed Vireo. He was singing away quite loudly and repetitively and afforded several very nice looks, all from the trailside brush just south of the wooden footbridge below the dike. Thanks again to Brad Biggerstaff for finding this excellent Larimer bird, and to Josh Bruening for reporting it yesterday. I might not have otherwise made the effort (an effort that was wonderfully minimal as it turned out). -- Eric DeFonso Fort Collins, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Longmont nighthawks From: "j.d. birchmeier" <jdbirchmeier AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:05:38 -0700 (PDT) I was working the garden around sunset (7:15-7:30) and saw 6-7 nighthawks start working on the high insects over 11th and Collyer. They then moved off to the northeast. The city of Longmont has announced they are lowering the water level at McIntosh Lake to inspect the dam, so Boulder County will finally get some shoreline to attract the fall migrants. Check often and report back. J.D.(Birch) Birchmeier Longmont -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Re: Loon molt From: Donna Nespoli <moondog27art AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:41:01 -0700 (PDT) Spent some time yesterday watching the loon during two intervals, 5pm to 530p and 7p to 830p. We saw him dive quite frequently, about 20 second dives. Also, he was plowing through the water with his head under, I assume fishing for the schools of small silver fish near the surface that are everywhere in Lake Mac. Also, towards dusk he spent alot of time preening and flapping. At one point he climbed up on a buoy to dry his wings. We did not get many good pictures bc we did not have the camera with us the first interval. Got a few marginal photos later in the evening. Nothing artfully done but enough to show him flapping and swimming. Anyone interested in the photos can email me. Happy birding. Donna Nespoli On Aug 27, 5:47 pm, rostrhamus wrote: > The saga gets even more interesting next week as McIntosh will be > partially drained for outlet gate repairs. Good for shorebirds? Not so > good forloon?? > > http://www.ci.longmont.co.us/news/longmont/newsletters/2010/082710.htm > > Scott Severs > Longmont > > On Aug 27, 5:25 pm, Robert Zilly wrote: > > > Hi Folks, > > > I just returned from watching the Big Mac PacLoonand it was diving > > frequently. Many of the dives were very short, 1 - 4 seconds. A few were > > closer to 10 seconds and one time when I got to 20 seconds I looked around > > and realized it had swum out of view while under. It was also spending a lot > > of time simply holding its head under. The clartity of the water was rather > > poor. You cannot see the bottom three feet from shore. There was just a > > slight breeeze and it was only making a ripple on the surface. I wonder if > > its behavior could be due to the water conditions rather than illness of > > injury? > > > I also found a City of Longmont doc which states that fishermen could expect > > to catch carp, walleye, and crappie. And the shoreline has always been > > popular with large waders like Great Egret and Great-blue Heron. > > > Bob Zilly, > > Longmont -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: August 29, 2010, Rare Bird Alert for Colorado From: JOYCE TAKAMINE <jabiru55 AT msn.com> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 04:47:34 -0600 Date: August 29, 2010 e-Mail: rba AT cfo-link.org phone: 303-659-8750 compiler: Joyce Takamine This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Sunday, August 29, 2010 at 5 am sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. Highlight species include (*Denotes that there is new information for this species in this report Pacific Loon (*Boulder) REDDISH EGRET (Bent) Green Heron (Boulder) Mississippi Kite (*El Paso, *Morgan) Ruddy Turnstone (Sedgwick) RUFF (Weld) Sabine's Gull (*Mesa) White-winged Dove (*Morgan) White-eyed Vireo (*Larimer) Bell's Vireo (*Adams) PHILADELPHIA VIREO (Weld) Nashville Warbler (Dolores, El Paso, Moffat) PINE WARBLER (*Larimer) Black-and-white Warbler (Bent, Broomfield, Weld) BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (Dolores) Northern Waterthrush (Bent, Boulder, El Paso, Moffat) CONNECTICUT WARBLER (Weld) Field Sparrow (Weld) Indigo Bunting (Boulder) To skip this recording to leave a message, press the star key at any time. Please leave your name, phone number, detailed directions including the county and dates for all sightings. It would be helpful if you would spell your last name. Adams County: --A Bell's Vireo was banded at the Barr Lake Banding Station on August 26 as reported by McBurney. Bent County: --A white-morph REDDISH EGRET was reported by Duane Nelson at the west end of John Martin on August 18. From CR JJ just east of CR 20 turn south towards reservoir and meander until you reach the cliff at the edge of the reservoir. The egret was seen again on August 19 by Wild and on August 20 by Arnesen at the west end of John Martin. Nelson reported that the REDDISH EGRET was seen again on August 27 at the west end of John Martin. --An imm Black-and-White Warbler was reported by Duane Nelson at Van's Grove on August 24. --At Green Heron Slough, Duane Nelson reported a Black-and-white Warbler and Northern Waterthrush on August 27. --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Duane Nelson at Hasty Campground on August 27. Boulder County: --At Walden Ponds on August 22, Floyd reported 3 Green Herons, Northern Waterthrush and Indigo Bunting. On August 23, Klaver reported 1 Green Heron on the north side of Cottonwood Marsh. --The Pacific Loon first reported by Blatchley on July 10 at McIntosh Lake, was seen again on August 27 by Zilly. Broomfield County: --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Semo at Interlocken on August 24. Dolores County: --Dexter reported a Nashville Warbler and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER on August 26 on the way to Glade Lake. The birds were 10.5 miles from the Bradfield Bridge on FR 504 headed to Glade Lake. El Paso County: --At Sonderman Park in Colorado Springs on August 25, Lee reported Northern Waterthrush and Nashville Warbler. --Mississippi Kites were reported by Drummond in Colorado Springs on August 26 and 27. Larimer County: --A White-eyed Vireo was reported by Biggerstaff at Dixon Reservoir in Fort Collins on August 24 and was refound by Bruening on August 28. --A male PINE WARBLER was reported by Bruening on the north edge of Dixon Reservoir on August 28. Mesa County: --A Sabine's Gull was reported by Arnold at Vega SP on August 28. Moffat County: --A male Tennessee Warbler and Northern Waterthrush were reported by Luke at Loudy-Simpson Park in Craig on August 14. The Tennessee Warbler and Northern Waterthrush were seen again on August 17 by Litteral. On August 20, Hilf reported Tennessee and Nashville Warbler and Northern Waterthrush at Loudy-Simpson. On August 24, Dodson reported a Northern Waterthrush at Loudy-Simpson. Morgan County: --Deininger reported that the CFO field trip had a White-winged Dove and Mississippi Kite in Fort Morgan on August 28. Sedgwick County: --A Ruddy Turnstone was reported by Erthal at Jumbo Reservoir on August 27. Search along the rocky shoreline. Weld County: --A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was reported by Hopper at Crow Valley Campground on August 26. It was last seen south of the main picnic area. --A PHILADELPHIA VIREO and eastern Field Sparrow were reported by Wild at Norma's Grove on August 26. Norma's Grove is east of the intersection of CR 57 and CR 100. --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Bruening at Crow Valley Campground on August 27 in the SW corner. --RUFFS were reported by Bob Spencer at Lower Latham on August 27. The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, August 29 will be to Northeastern Colorado, Prewitt and Jackson Reservoirs led by Joey Kellner (303-978-1748). Meet the leader at 0530 at the Division of Wildlife, 6060 No. Broadway. Habitat Stamp for State Wildlife Areas and State Parks Pass Required. This is an all day trip so bring lunch and plenty of water. Be sure to bring insect repellent and sunscreen. Call the leader to register. September 4-5: No field trips scheduled, Labor Day Weekend. Good Birding, Joyce Takamine Boulder -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Huerfano County - Loggerhead Shrike, Common Loon From: Polly Neldner <pollywren AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 22:13:20 -0600 While traveling to Silver Mountain to see a potential client today we checked in on the Common Loon at Daigre Lake State Wildlife Area. It appears to be doing well. A Belted Kingfisher joined it. On the Yellowstone Road we saw: A pair of Swainson's Hawks Blue Grosbeaks Pine Siskins Lesser Goldfinches (black-backed) Juvenile and adult Lazuli Buntings Red-tailed Hawk Mountain Bluebirds Western Wood-Peewees Steller's Jay Western Scrub Jays Chipping Sparrows White-breasted Nuthatches Eastern Kingbird Western Kingbirds A pair of Common Ravens Turkey Vultures Western Meadowlarks Loggerhead Shrike (the highlight of the day...first one we have seen on Huerfano County this year!) Barn Swallows (imm. and adults) American Robin Lark Sparrows Chipping Sparrows Northern Flicker As we arrived home at 151 Cty Road 359 in La Veta we were greeted by an unusual number of Western Tanagers, Evening Grobeaks, and Lark Sparrows. The numbers of these birds seem to be way up this year...at least they are in our neck of the woods. All in all it has been an exciting year for our yard. We have added 6 new birds to our yard list this year the include: Band-tailed Pigeon 5/14/2010 Orchard Oriole 5/21/2010 Baltimore Oriole 5/21/2010 (these two appeared to be traveling together...arrived and left together) Ash-throated Flycatcher 6/23/2010 Horned Lark 8/20/2010 (while this species is common in our area this is the first time they have visited the yard) Lark Sparrow 8/27/2010 (again a very common bird for our area...but the first time we have seen them in the yard) This brings our yard bird list to 113 species! Polly Wren and Paul Neldner La Veta, CO Huerfano County -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: RMBO Barr Lake Banding Station, Report and Schedule From: M MC*BURNEY <meredithmcburney AT msn.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:55:23 -0600 Hi Birders, We had more visitors than birds today, the first day of the banding season and the annual RMBO BBQ with the Birds. It is time for the 90 degree weather to end! We banded Thursday and Friday as well (while orienting our banders for our Western Slope and Nebraska stations). The highlight was a Bell’s Vireo, captured on Thursday, we think a first for the station. Here’s the rundown for the 3 days: Western Wood-pewee 1 Willow Flycatcher 3 Hammond’s Flycatcher 2 Dusky Flycatcher 1 Bell’s Vireo 1 Cassin’s Vireo 1 House Wren 25 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Yellow Warbler 13 Townsend’s Warbler 1 Northern Waterthrush 1 Common Yellowthroat 3 Wilson’s Warbler 27 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 American Goldfinch 1 41 birds on Thurs, 25 on Fri, 18 on Sat. The station with be closed Sunday (I have a last minute personal matter to attend to) and Monday. Then open every day, Tuesday, 8/31 through Labor Day, Monday, September 6. I will keep you posted through this listserve about birds and schedule as the season progresses. You can also check the RMBO blog. Looking forward to seeing you this fall! Meredith Meredith McBurney Bird Bander, Barr Lake Banding Station Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory 303/329-8091 303/349-0245 (cell) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Back in Florida From: David Simpson <simpsondavid AT mac.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:59:54 -0400 We are back in Florida, the land of humidity. It is nice to have to push through the air again. I got 5 or 6 life birds. Having been to CO and WY in the past and picked up a lot of western birds here in FL over the years, I did not expect a whole lot more. My wife got 20 or more new photo birds including a nice action shot of a Broad-tailed hummingbird and a diving Prairie falcon. I had a lot of fun studying "Audubon's" warblers, Violet-green swallows, and various others. I will be getting back with more detailed updates, replies to emails, etc. over the weekend. Eventually, I will have some detailed reports on my blog and website. Thanks for all the help. I'm looking forward to coming back again some day. David Simpson Fellsmere, FL -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Common Tern Prewit From: Todd Deininger <blueskyhkd AT comcast.net> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:24:31 -0600 The CFOP trip today also had two Common Terns at Prewit this morning. Todd Deininger -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: La Veta, Huerfano County Birds From: Beverly <goldiloucks AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:24:04 -0700 (PDT) Since he doesn’t post here, I thought I’d let you know that my friend Dave who lives on CR 360 at Wahatoya Valley near La Veta here in Huerfano County. He has seen a great number of fall migrators the past several days; many in the New Mexican Locust along the road. He says, of course, best viewing is early morning and again in the early evenings. He mentioned: • Townsend’s Warblers • Yellow-rumped Warblers • Virginia’s Warbler • MacGillivary’s Warbler • Orange-crowned Warblers • Plumbeous Vireo • Blue-gray Gnatcatcher • …and a good sized Grebe (Red-necked?) first time in a pond near School Creek Road The only other thing of note: the (Polly Wren’s) solitary Common Loon continues to hang around in Diagre Lake at the Wahatoya Wildlife Area here. I did watch a Belted Kingfisher fly low, just above the water, the entire length of the lake. I love that place! In my own yard, I'm still fighting Eurasian Doves and Red-winged Blackbirds...but also have a reasonable number of Evening Grosbeaks that come regularly, along with House Finches, Pine Siskins and of course House Sparrows. Oh, and dozens of Hummingbirds, though Calliopes...not so much. I've also seen a large number of dragonfly-types...could they know I'm building a pond? Beverly Jensen La Veta, Huerfano Co., CO www.RuralChatter.blogspot.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Common Tern - Barr Lake - Adams Co From: "Ira Sanders" <greatauk AT msn.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:37:12 -0600 After seeing Ted's post, I felt compelled to note that we also had a Common Tern at Barr Lake today. Ira Sanders Golden, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Re: Terns, Union Reservoir, Weld County, Aug. 27th From: Suzi PLOOSTER <splooster AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 14:18:12 -0600 Yea, maybe so, but everyone knows what"unidentified" means, and most of the world doesn't know what "spuh" means. Seems silly to me to try to and invent new words when we already have an adequate word to describe what we mean. Suzi Plooster Lafayette, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Pine Warbler-Dixon Reservoir Larimer County From: Josh Bruening <87211jjb AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:04:25 -0700 (PDT) Good day! A quick morning of birding at Dixon Res (also known as Pine Ridge Natural Area) yielded a few nice birds. Of note are the following 1-Pine Warbler (male) on the north edge of the res that disappeared into the dense thicket and underbrush near the water's edge and I never saw him again. I hope he hangs for a moment 3- Townsend's Warbler in the same vicinity 1- White-eyed Vireo still present also in the same vicinity. I must have said something that ticked him off 'cause he was livid. I pleaded with him to calm down and be quiet so the other birds wouldn't hear. But it was too late. 6 Warbling Vireos showed up to investigate why their cousin was all up in arms. Following them were 3 Macgillivray's Warblers, 2 Yellow Warblers, about a dozen Gray Catbirds, and I stopped counting the Wilson's Warblers. I was quite amazed that this one little bird's distress call was heeded by so many. I don't remember seeing that before. It was a great 1/2 hour of birding though. 1 pair of Blue Grosbeaks-nice to see them there. Of all my forays to this place it was a new bird for this location for me. And there were quite a few Lesser Goldfinches around fairly stressed out about a nearby Cooper's Hawk. Everything else was fairly normal. I made a quick stop at Grandview Cemetery and it was dead! (no pun intended) Good Birding! Josh Bruening Fort Collins -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Barr Lake shorebirds - Adams Co - Long-billed Curlew` From: "Ira Sanders" <greatauk AT msn.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:06:52 -0600 Birders, This am, Tammy, me and the others on our bird walk saw: Long-billed Curlew ( 1 on the west (south?) island Pectoral Sandpiper 2 Sanderling 2 Baird's Willet 1 (off the Neidrach Boardwalk) Ira Sanders Golden, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Terns, Union Reservoir, Weld County, Aug. 27th From: Ted Floyd <tedfloyd57 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:46:38 -0700 Hello, Birders. On the way back from the Wyoming Hereford Ranch, Laramie County, Wyoming (trip report, http://tinyurl.com/239pzvu), yesterday, Friday, Aug. 27th, Andrew I stopped by Union Reservoir, Weld County. In the extreme northwestern corner of the reservoir, we saw a nice little flock of terns, including 2 Black Terns, 4 Common Terns, and 5 Forster's Terns. According to eBird, those are the first Common Terns reported thus far this fall in Colorado. Over at nearby Jim Hamm Nature Study Area, in blessed Boulder County, we saw 1 unidentified mangled Sterna tern. And that unidentfied tern--we'll call it Sterna spuh--brings up a point I've been meaning to make. It's wonderful that so many Colorado birders are getting into eBird, and I'd like to point out that eBird offers birders the option to enter "spuhs" for practically all unidentified birds. Like that Sterna spuh Andrew and I saw flying by Jim Hamm. My guess it was a Forster's, but I'm just not sure. So I entered it as Sterna spuh, a perfectly legitimate "listing" option. In my opinion, Colorado eBirders aren't entering nearly as many "spuhs" as they should. If you're out birding for the better part of a day, and if you do NOT see or hear any spuhs, then you probably aren't paying attention. Recently, I was looking over an enumeration of "spuhs" from Colorado, and I noticed that they tend to come from some of the best birders in North America: Marshall Iliff, Chris Wood, people like that. Those guys know hard IDs: Glossy Ibis, Chihuahuan Raven, Blue-headed Vireo, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Mourning Warbler, stuff like that. But they also know when to say "I don't know," and their lists will often have entries like Plegadis spuh, raven spuh, "Solitary Vireo" spuh, Catharus spuh, and Oporornis spuh. There's no shame in entering spuhs. In fact, it's quite the contrary. If you're entering "spuhs," you'll quickly earn the respect of the birding community. ------------------------------- Ted Floyd Editor, Birding Follow Birding magazine on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BirdingMagazine ------------------------------- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: No Ruffs @ Lower Lathum From: "Jessica J. Oberbeck " <jjoberbeck AT msn.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:36:57 +0000 I just left Lower Lathum, there are no Ruffs there. I saw some peeps, some avocet, about a dozen Stilt Sandpipers & one Wilson's Phalarope. I must admit the WIPH threw me for a bit of a loop because it was standing while it fed. Just before I left it started to swim in circles & comfirmed my thinking. Jessi Oberbeck Westminster, CO Sent from my palm phone -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Is the Ruff still at Lower Latham Red? From: "MARIE C LEE" <mclee72 AT msn.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 09:43:37 -0600 Has anyone heard if the Ruffs are still at Lower Latham Reservoir ? Thanks, Cecile Lee Elbert, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Long-eared Owl, Lake County first From: Tim Kalbach <pbdipper AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 09:25:19 -0600 There's a very active Long-eared Owl patrolling the willow thickets at Crystal Lakes, Lake County this morning. A first county record, I believe; my GPS has the elevation at slightly under 9500 ft. I have identifiable photos, though distant. Tim Kalbach Leadville, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Fort Morgan WW Dove and MS Kite From: Todd Deininger <blueskyhkd AT comcast.net> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 08:38:41 -0600 The CFO field trip today saw White-Winged Dove and Mississippi Kite in Fort Morgan this morning. Todd Deininger Longmont -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: August 28, 2010, Rare Bird Alert for Colorado From: JOYCE TAKAMINE <jabiru55 AT msn.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 04:54:29 -0600 Date: August 28, 2010 e-Mail: rba AT cfo-link.org phone: 303-659-8750 compiler: Joyce Takamine This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Saturday, August 28, 2010 at 5 am sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. Highlight species include (*Denotes that there is new information for this species in this report Pacific Loon (Boulder) NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Larimer) REDDISH EGRET (*Bent) Green Heron (Boulder) Ruddy Turnstone (*Sedgwick) Dunlin (Weld) RUFF (*Weld) White-eyed Vireo (Larimer) PHILADELPHIA VIREO (Weld) Nashville Warbler (Adams, Dolores, El Paso, Moffat) Black-and-white Warbler (*Bent, Broomfield, *Weld) BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (Dolores) Northern Waterthrush (Adams, *Bent, Boulder, El Paso, Moffat) CONNECTICUT WARBLER (Weld) Field Sparrow (Weld) Indigo Bunting (Boulder) To skip this recording to leave a message, press the star key at any time. Please leave your name, phone number, detailed directions including the county and dates for all sightings. It would be helpful if you would spell your last name. Adams County: --At Barr Lake banding station, Mc Burney reported 1 Nashville Warbler and 1 Northern Waterthrush on August 21 and 22. Bent County: --A white-morph REDDISH EGRET was reported by Duane Nelson at the west end of John Martin on August 18. From CR JJ just east of CR 20 turn south towards reservoir and meander until you reach the cliff at the edge of the reservoir. The egret was seen again on August 19 by Wild and on August 20 by Arnesen at the west end of John Martin. Nelson reported that the REDDISH EGRET was seen again on August 27 at the west end of John Martin. --An imm Black-and-White Warbler was reported by Duane Nelson at Van's Grove on August 24. --At Green Heron Slough, Duane Nelson reported a Black-and-white Warbler and Northern Waterthrush on August 27. --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Duane Nelson at Hasty Campground on August 27. Boulder County: --At Walden Ponds on August 22, Floyd reported 3 Green Herons, Northern Waterthrush and Indigo Bunting. On August 23, Klaver reported 1 Green Heron on the north side of Cottonwood Marsh. --The Pacific Loon first reported by Blatchley on July 10 at McIntosh Lake, was seen again on August 22 by Guarente on the south side by the Volley Ball courts. Broomfield County: --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Semo at Interlocken on August 24. Dolores County: --Dexter reported a Nashville Warbler and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER on August 26 on the way to Glade Lake. The birds were 10.5 miles from the Bradfield Bridge on FR 504 headed to Glade Lake. El Paso County: --At Sonderman Park in Colorado Springs on August 25, Lee reported Northern Waterthrush and Nashville Warbler. Larimer County: --3 Dunlin were reported by Stiles at Timnath Reservoir on August 21 and the Dunlin were seen again on August 22 by Kaempfer. --A possible NEOTROPIC CORMORANT was reported by Lefko at Timnath Reservoir on August 22. --A White-eyed Vireo was reported by Biggerstaff at Dixon Reservoir in Fort Collins on August 24 and was refound by Komar on August 25. Moffat County: --A male Tennessee Warbler and Northern Waterthrush were reported by Luke at Loudy-Simpson Park in Craig on August 14. The Tennessee Warbler and Northern Waterthrush were seen again on August 17 by Litteral. On August 20, Hilf reported Tennessee and Nashville Warbler and Northern Waterthrush at Loudy-Simpson. On August 24, Dodson reported a Northern Waterthrush at Loudy-Simpson. Sedgwick County: --A Ruddy Turnstone was reported by Erthal at Jumbo Reservoir on August 27. Search along the rocky shoreline. Weld County: --A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was reported by Hopper at Crow Valley Campground on August 26. It was last seen south of the main picnic area. --A PHILADELPHIA VIREO and eastern Field Sparrow were reported by Wild at Norma's Grove on August 26. Norma's Grove is east of the intersection of CR 57 and CR 100. --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Bruening at Crow Valley Campground on August 27 in the SW corner. --RUFFS were reported by Bob Spencer at Lower Latham on August 27. The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, August 28 will be to Rigli Ranch led by Joe Rigli (980-768-7121). Meet the leader at the ranch by 0830. From Hudson, go east on CO 52 until it turns north. Don't turn north, but continue east on Morgan County Road F to CR 14, then turn north for approximately one mile to the first house on the left by box cars. Bring Lunch and extra water. Saturday, August 28 is Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory's "Annual BBQ with the Birds" from 7:00 am. to 2:00 pm at The Old Stone House at Barr Lake, Brighton. for more information go to www.rmbo.org. The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, August 29 will be to Northeastern Colorado, Prewitt and Jackson Reservoirs led by Joey Kellner (303-978-1748). Meet the leader at 0530 at the Division of Wildlife, 6060 No. Broadway. Habitat Stamp for State Wildlife Areas and State Parks Pass Required. This is an all day trip so bring lunch and plenty of water. Be sure to bring insect repellent and sunscreen. Call the leader to register. Good Birding, Joyce Takamine Boulder -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Mississippi Kite fledgling in Rocky Ford From: SeEtta Moss <seettam AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:40:47 -0600 Part of my birding this week in the La Junta area included some time I spent in nearby Rocky Ford where I located a fledgling Mississippi Kite in a residential neighborhood. It's watchful parent remained in a tree about 150 feet from the tree where the fledgling perched. The other parent paid quick visits to bring food to the fledgling. The apparently hungry fledgling called frequently to be fed and made two forays in apparent attempts to get it's own food--no evidence of success but it did fly fairly well. It seems late to have a fledgling still so clearly dependent on parents for food. Though the *Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas I *documented a fledgling on August 25, *Colorado Birds *shows most of them migrating out of Colorado in about 3 weeks. I got several short video tape clips of the fledgling and one parent that I have uploaded to my BirdsAndNature blog and I will have a few still pics up there soon. SeEtta Moss Canon City http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Crow Valley and Lower Latham From: Bob Spencer <bobolink AT indra.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 23:17:15 -0600 hi Cobirders Went up to Crow Valley first Friday morning. Almost 11AM and very little activity too warm. I did see Mark Chavez and Huffsetter (?) soon joined by Dick Schottler all had watched for the Connecticut Warbler. They did not see it neither did I. I also met David Simpson and wife Dee from Florida. We birded together for a short while. Saw a small Flycatcher, his wife photographed and we were unable to identify. We came across a few warblers including two male Townsend Warblers. I ate lunch and headed for Lower Latham and the flooded meadow on the south side of Rd 48. There were hundreds of Shore birds here. Great variety. There were 4 Black-necked Stilts and 6 American Avocets. Lots Killdeer and sandpipers I made tentative ids. There was one larger sandpiper with very red legs possible female Spotted Redshank ( really impossible!) Sibley shows one in Kansas. Also there were two female Ruffs nearby with characteristic hump in middle of back with feathers loose. I hope all this stuff is still there early Saturday and someone can get pictures. I didn't take camera today of course! Bob Spencer resides N.W. of Golden -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Mississippi Kites , Colorado Springs From: Jxdrummo AT aol.com Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:42:33 EDT Co birders : I have had two sightings of Mississippi Kites in the past two days in downtown Colorado Springs. One yesterday morning flying east west over the Interstate at the Garden of the Gods exit and today around noon at the Patty Jewitt Golf Course. John Drummond Monument -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Re: Loon molt From: Marcel Such <mpsuch AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:59:34 -0600 When Joel and I observed the loon on July 26th, it dove frequently and readily enough (every couple of minutes). It would stay under for 30 seconds at most and seemed to have its head underwater for most of the time otherwise. It had a fairly good success rate, as it came up with what I believe were shad (a non-game fish which I know to be in the lake) every dozen or so dives. Marcel Such NW of Lyons, CO mpsuch AT gmail.com suchboys.blogspot.com On Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 5:25 PM, Robert Zilly wrote: > Hi Folks, > > I just returned from watching the Big Mac Pac Loon and it was diving > frequently. Many of the dives were very short, 1 - 4 seconds. A few were > closer to 10 seconds and one time when I got to 20 seconds I looked around > and realized it had swum out of view while under. It was also spending a lot > of time simply holding its head under. The clartity of the water was rather > poor. You cannot see the bottom three feet from shore. There was just a > slight breeeze and it was only making a ripple on the surface. I wonder if > its behavior could be due to the water conditions rather than illness of > injury? > > I also found a City of Longmont doc which states that fishermen could > expect to catch carp, walleye, and crappie. And the shoreline has always > been popular with large waders like Great Egret and Great-blue Heron. > > Bob Zilly, > Longmont > > > > > On Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 3:27 PM, wrote: > >> Nick et al.: >> >> While wing molt may not be the cause of the McIntosh PALO not diving, >> there are any number of other possibilities, such as illness. However, it >> might behoove us to know what it's eating, if anything. If nothing, that >> could provide more suggestion in the vein of illness or other infirmity. >> However, loons eat things other than fish, though usually considered >> obligate piscivores. From the Common Loon BNA account (I couldn't get to >> the PALO account) -- bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/: >> >> "Crustaceans—e.g., crayfish (Decapoda) constitute major part of diet when >> fish are scarce or water is murky (1.0 m visibility), up to about a third of >> diet for males and more for females (Barr 1973). >> On some Wisconsin lakes, observed adults and chicks regularly observed >> foraging on snails (W. Piper, pers. com.). Leeches (Hirudinea) are >> occasionally an important food, and individuals that are stressed or ill >> sometimes eat vegetation (Barr 1973 )." >> >> Having no chance to go see the loon in question, others will have to >> provide the data on the bird's foraging, or lack thereof. >> >> Tony Leukering >> Villas, NJ >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Nick Komar >> To: coloradodipper AT aol.com; cobirds AT googlegroups.com >> Sent: Thu, Aug 26, 2010 11:47 pm >> Subject: Re: [cobirds] Loon molt >> >> Many thanks to Tony Leukering for setting the record straight on >> underwater wing-powered locomotion (or rather, lack thereof) among loons, >> and also for sharing his vast wealth of ornithological knowledge with our >> Colorado birding community, making us all wealthier (in knowledge, anyway). >> I should have done some basic research before sticking my foot in my mouth >> in a public forum like Cobirds. I have now done the appropriate homework to >> learn more about underwater locomotion among diving birds. A number of bird >> taxa including alcids, diving petrels, some shearwaters, and our Rocky >> Mountain dippers use their wings to power underwater diving as well as >> aerial flight, but not loons. Interestingly, I learned that some of these >> species undergo very heavy wing molt and yet still dive during these periods >> of wing molt. So, it begs the question (maybe Tony can answer this as well), >> why is the Boulder Pacific Loon not diving as would be typical foraging >> behavior for this species. >> >> Thanks again, Tony! >> >> Nick Komar >> Fort Collins CO >> >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Colorado Birds" group. >> To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com >> . >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Colorado Birds" group. > To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Re: Loon molt From: rostrhamus <scottesevers AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:47:22 -0700 (PDT) The saga gets even more interesting next week as McIntosh will be partially drained for outlet gate repairs. Good for shorebirds? Not so good for loon?? http://www.ci.longmont.co.us/news/longmont/newsletters/2010/082710.htm Scott Severs Longmont On Aug 27, 5:25 pm, Robert Zilly wrote: > Hi Folks, > > I just returned from watching the Big Mac Pac Loon and it was diving > frequently. Many of the dives were very short, 1 - 4 seconds. A few were > closer to 10 seconds and one time when I got to 20 seconds I looked around > and realized it had swum out of view while under. It was also spending a lot > of time simply holding its head under. The clartity of the water was rather > poor. You cannot see the bottom three feet from shore. There was just a > slight breeeze and it was only making a ripple on the surface. I wonder if > its behavior could be due to the water conditions rather than illness of > injury? > > I also found a City of Longmont doc which states that fishermen could expect > to catch carp, walleye, and crappie. And the shoreline has always been > popular with large waders like Great Egret and Great-blue Heron. > > Bob Zilly, > Longmont -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Re: Loon molt From: Robert Zilly <bzbirder AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:25:18 -0600 Hi Folks, I just returned from watching the Big Mac Pac Loon and it was diving frequently. Many of the dives were very short, 1 - 4 seconds. A few were closer to 10 seconds and one time when I got to 20 seconds I looked around and realized it had swum out of view while under. It was also spending a lot of time simply holding its head under. The clartity of the water was rather poor. You cannot see the bottom three feet from shore. There was just a slight breeeze and it was only making a ripple on the surface. I wonder if its behavior could be due to the water conditions rather than illness of injury? I also found a City of Longmont doc which states that fishermen could expect to catch carp, walleye, and crappie. And the shoreline has always been popular with large waders like Great Egret and Great-blue Heron. Bob Zilly, Longmont On Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 3:27 PM, wrote: > Nick et al.: > > While wing molt may not be the cause of the McIntosh PALO not diving, there > are any number of other possibilities, such as illness. However, it might > behoove us to know what it's eating, if anything. If nothing, that could > provide more suggestion in the vein of illness or other infirmity. However, > loons eat things other than fish, though usually considered obligate > piscivores. From the Common Loon BNA account (I couldn't get to the PALO > account) -- bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/: > > "Crustaceans—e.g., crayfish (Decapoda) constitute major part of diet when > fish are scarce or water is murky (1.0 m visibility), up to about a third of > diet for males and more for females (Barr 1973). > On some Wisconsin lakes, observed adults and chicks regularly observed > foraging on snails (W. Piper, pers. com.). Leeches (Hirudinea) are > occasionally an important food, and individuals that are stressed or ill > sometimes eat vegetation (Barr 1973 )." > > Having no chance to go see the loon in question, others will have to > provide the data on the bird's foraging, or lack thereof. > > Tony Leukering > Villas, NJ > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Nick Komar > To: coloradodipper AT aol.com; cobirds AT googlegroups.com > Sent: Thu, Aug 26, 2010 11:47 pm > Subject: Re: [cobirds] Loon molt > > Many thanks to Tony Leukering for setting the record straight on > underwater wing-powered locomotion (or rather, lack thereof) among loons, > and also for sharing his vast wealth of ornithological knowledge with our > Colorado birding community, making us all wealthier (in knowledge, anyway). > I should have done some basic research before sticking my foot in my mouth > in a public forum like Cobirds. I have now done the appropriate homework to > learn more about underwater locomotion among diving birds. A number of bird > taxa including alcids, diving petrels, some shearwaters, and our Rocky > Mountain dippers use their wings to power underwater diving as well as > aerial flight, but not loons. Interestingly, I learned that some of these > species undergo very heavy wing molt and yet still dive during these periods > of wing molt. So, it begs the question (maybe Tony can answer this as well), > why is the Boulder Pacific Loon not diving as would be typical foraging > behavior for this species. > > Thanks again, Tony! > > Nick Komar > Fort Collins CO > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Colorado Birds" group. > To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Chihuahuan Raven Colorado Springs, El Paso County From: kfoopooh <kfoopooh AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:54:25 -0700 (PDT) I had a Chihuahuan Raven calling in a tree across the street from my house for about 30 minutes this afternoon before it flew away. It was pulling some bark off the tree and from my scope view, it had some wing feather sheaths showing. Debbie Barnes Colorado Springs, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Re: Loon molt From: coloradodipper AT aol.com Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:27:47 -0400 Nick et al.: While wing molt may not be the cause of the McIntosh PALO not diving, there are any number of other possibilities, such as illness. However, it might behoove us to know what it's eating, if anything. If nothing, that could provide more suggestion in the vein of illness or other infirmity. However, loons eat things other than fish, though usually considered obligate piscivores. From the Common Loon BNA account (I couldn't get to the PALO account) -- bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/: "Crustaceans—e.g., crayfish (Decapoda) constitute major part of diet when fish are scarce or water is murky (1.0 m visibility), up to about a third of diet for males and more for females (Barr 1973). On some Wisconsin lakes, observed adults and chicks regularly observed foraging on snails (W. Piper, pers. com.). Leeches (Hirudinea) are occasionally an important food, and individuals that are stressed or ill sometimes eat vegetation (Barr 1973)." Having no chance to go see the loon in question, others will have to provide the data on the bird's foraging, or lack thereof. Tony Leukering Villas, NJ -----Original Message----- From: Nick Komar To: coloradodipper AT aol.com; cobirds AT googlegroups.com Sent: Thu, Aug 26, 2010 11:47 pm Subject: Re: [cobirds] Loon molt Many thanks to Tony Leukering for setting the record straight on underwater wing-powered locomotion (or rather, lack thereof) among loons, and also for sharing his vast wealth of ornithological knowledge with our Colorado birding community, making us all wealthier (in knowledge, anyway). I should have done some basic research before sticking my foot in my mouth in a public forum like Cobirds. I have now done the appropriate homework to learn more about underwater locomotion among diving birds. A number of bird taxa including alcids, diving petrels, some shearwaters, and our Rocky Mountain dippers use their wings to power underwater diving as well as aerial flight, but not loons. Interestingly, I learned that some of these species undergo very heavy wing molt and yet still dive during these periods of wing molt. So, it begs the question (maybe Tony can answer this as well), why is the Boulder Pacific Loon not diving as would be typical foraging behavior for this species. Thanks again, Tony! Nick Komar Fort Collins CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Connecticut Warbler-maybe? Crow Valley Campground From: Josh Bruening <87211jjb AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:23:55 -0700 (PDT) Hey all! Headed to Crow Valley this morning to try and re-find the Connecticut Warbler. There were several possible sightings but no definite ID. This bird is tough to see and doesn't like to leave the brush. I had to leave around 11:30am and Mark Chavez and Kirk Huffstater (hope I spelled those names right) were still searching. I'm sure they'll post if they got a good look at the bird. Other sightings included 1-Black and White Warbler -southwest corner 1- Cassin's Vireo- just south of the picnic area 8-10 Townsend's Warblers all over the campground 2 Macgillivray's Warblers Many Wilson's and Yellow Warblers 1- Yellow-breasted Chat 2- Warbling Vireos and the usual suspects Good Birding! Josh Bruening Fort Collins -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Reddish Egret, Bent County, 8/27 From: Duane Nelson <dnelson1 AT centurytel.net> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:05:33 -0600 Birders, The white morph Reddish Egret first found on the west end of John Martin Reservoir on August 18th is still present as of August 27th. Easiest viewing access is from the north, but the bird is usually about 1 1/2 miles distant from the vantage point on cliffs above the mudflats. Closer views are possible from the south, but the drive is much more complicated. Today, there were three Snowy Egrets and one Great Egret with the Reddish Egret, so seeing a white heron is not exactly conclusive ID. The Reddish Egret is notably long-legged, stocky bodied, and long necked, and feeds in typical Reddish Egret fashion. It is significantly larger than the Snowy Egrets, and a bit smaller than the Great Egret. Land birds were pretty good this morning in Bent County. Green Heron Slough had a weakly-singing Black-and-White Warbler and a Northern Waterthrush. Hasty Campground hosted yet another Black-and-White Warbler. Duane Nelson Las Animas, Bent County, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: gas company fined for bird deaths (link to article) From: Dennis Garrison <dennisgarrison AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:40:21 +0000 From the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Friday 27 August 2010: http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/encana_to_pay_200000_over_bird Dennis Garrison Paonia, Delta County -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Ruddy Turnstone Jumbo Res Sedgwick Cty From: Steve <waxwing2 AT q.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:58:59 -0700 (PDT) Cobirders, Erthal reports a Bloody Turnstone on the Sedgwick County side of Jumbo reservoir. The bird was found at the end of a point that extends out into the reservoir. Search along the rocky shoreline for this bird. Good Birding, Steve Stachowiak Highlands Ranch, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: August 27, 2010, Rare Bird Alert for Colorado From: JOYCE TAKAMINE <jabiru55 AT msn.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:40:33 -0600 Date: August 27, 2010 e-Mail: rba AT cfo-link.org phone: 303-659-8750 compiler: Joyce Takamine This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Friday, August 27, 2010 at 5 am sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. Highlight species include (*Denotes that there is new information for this species in this report Pacific Loon (Boulder) NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Larimer) REDDISH EGRET (Bent) Green Heron (Boulder) Piping Plover (Bent) Dunlin (Larimer, Weld) White-eyed Vireo (Larimer) PHILADELPHIA VIREO (*Weld) Nashville Warbler (Adams, *Dolores, El Paso, Moffat) Black-throated Gray Warbler (Mesa) Black-and-white Warbler (Bent, Broomfield) BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (*Dolores) Northern Waterthrush (Adams, Boulder, El Paso, Moffat, Pueblo) CONNECTICUT WARBLER (*Weld) Field Sparrow (*Weld) Chestnut-collared Longspur (Mineral) Indigo Bunting (Boulder) To skip this recording to leave a message, press the star key at any time. Please leave your name, phone number, detailed directions including the county and dates for all sightings. It would be helpful if you would spell your last name. Adams County: --At Barr Lake banding station, Mc Burney reported 1 Nashville Warbler and 1 Northern Waterthrush on August 21 and 22. Bent County: --A white-morph REDDISH EGRET was reported by Duane Nelson at the west end of John Martin on August 18. From CR JJ just east of CR 20 turn south towards reservoir and meander until you reach the cliff at the edge of the reservoir. The egret was seen again on August 19 by Wild and on August 20 by Arnesen at the west end of John Martin. Nelson reported that the REDDISH EGRET was seen again on August 24 at the west end of John Martin. --A juv Piping Plover was reported by Wild at John Martin in the same spot with the REDDISH EGRET on August 19. --An imm Black-and-White Warbler was reported by Duane Nelson at Van's Grove on August 24. Boulder County: --At Walden Ponds on August 22, Floyd reported 3 Green Herons, Northern Waterthrush and Indigo Bunting. On August 23, Klaver reported 1 Green Heron on the north side of Cottonwood Marsh. --The Pacific Loon first reported by Blatchley on July 10 at McIntosh Lake, was seen again on August 22 by Guarente on the south side by the Volley Ball courts. Broomfield County: --A Black-and-white Warbler was reported by Semo at Interlocken on August 24. Dolores County: --Dexter reported a Nashville Warbler and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER on August 26 on the way to Glade Lake. The birds were 10.5 miles from the Bradfield Bridge on FR 504 headed to Glade Lake. El Paso County: --At Sonderman Park in Colorado Springs on August 25, Lee reported Northern Waterthrush and Nashville Warbler. El Paso/Pueblo Counties: --A Northern Waterthrush was reported by Drummond at Rose Pond (Pueblo) at Chico Basin Ranch (fee area) on August 18. Larimer County: --3 Dunlin were reported by Stiles at Timnath Reservoir on August 21 and the Dunlin were seen again on August 22 by Kaempfer. --A possible NEOTROPIC CORMORANT was reported by Lefko at Timnath Reservoir on August 22. --A White-eyed Vireo was reported by Biggerstaff at Dixon Reservoir in Fort Collins on August 24 and was refound by Komar on August 25. Mineral County: --A female type Chestnut-collared Longspur was reported by Beatty on August 18. It was south of Mineral County Airport near Creede in a partially developed subdivision. Mesa County: --A Black-throated Gray Warbler was reported by Robinson at Connected Lakes on August 19. Moffat County: --A male Tennessee Warbler and Northern Waterthrush were reported by Luke at Loudy-Simpson Park in Craig on August 14. The Tennessee Warbler and Northern Waterthrush were seen again on August 17 by Litteral. On August 20, Hilf reported Tennessee and Nashville Warbler and Northern Waterthrush at Loudy-Simpson. On August 24, Dodson reported a Northern Waterthrush at Loudy-Simpson. Weld County: --A basic plumaged Dunlin was reported by Sanders at Lower Latham on August 19. --A male CONNECTICUT WARBLER was reported by Hopper at Crow Valley Campground on August 26. It was last seen south of the main picnic area. --A PHILADELPHIA VIREO and eastern Field Sparrow were reported by Wild at Norma's Grove on August 26. Norma's Grove is east of the intersection of CR 57 and CR 100. The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, August 28 will be to Rigli Ranch led by Joe Rigli (980-768-7121). Meet the leader at the ranch by 0830. From Hudson, go east on CO 52 until it turns north. Don't turn north, but continue east on Morgan County Road F to CR 14, then turn north for approximately one mile to the first house on the left by box cars. Bring Lunch and extra water. Saturday, August 28 is Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory's "Annual BBQ with the Birds" from 7:00 am. to 2:00 pm at The Old Stone House at Barr Lake, Brighton. for more information go to www.rmbo.org. The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, August 29 will be to Northeastern Colororado, Prewitt and Jackson Reservoirs led by Joey Kellner (303-978-1748). Meet the leader at 0530 at the Division of Wildlife, 6060 No. Broadway. Habitat Stamp for State Wildlife Areas and State Parks Pass Required. This is an all day trip so bring lunch and plenty of water. Be sure to bring insect repellent and sunscreen. Call the leader to register. Good Birding, Joyce Takamine Boulder -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Nightflight, Thursday From: Steven Brown <sbrown37 AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:50:39 -0600 Hi COBirders, With this string of gorgeous evenings, calm and clear, I had to be out watching the moon for crossings. After a great show Tuesday, I didn't see more than 4-5 birds Wednesday night between 9:00 and 9:30. Tonight I watched with the moon a little lower in the sky (but, of course, appearing later) from 8:45-9:30. The rate tonight was about one crossing/3-4 minutes, and several of those I noticed were bats. Tuesday was the best, but I think I'm hooked now, and will try some more evenings until the weather changes (or moon rise is too late!). Good night birding, Steve Brown Colorado Springs -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Re: Loon molt From: "Nick Komar" <quetzal65 AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:47:17 -0600 Many thanks to Tony Leukering for setting the record straight on underwater wing-powered locomotion (or rather, lack thereof) among loons, and also for sharing his vast wealth of ornithological knowledge with our Colorado birding community, making us all wealthier (in knowledge, anyway). I should have done some basic research before sticking my foot in my mouth in a public forum like Cobirds. I have now done the appropriate homework to learn more about underwater locomotion among diving birds. A number of bird taxa including alcids, diving petrels, some shearwaters, and our Rocky Mountain dippers use their wings to power underwater diving as well as aerial flight, but not loons. Interestingly, I learned that some of these species undergo very heavy wing molt and yet still dive during these periods of wing molt. So, it begs the question (maybe Tony can answer this as well), why is the Boulder Pacific Loon not diving as would be typical foraging behavior for this species. Thanks again, Tony! Nick Komar Fort Collins CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Loon molt and Uppies over Boulder (longish) From: coloradodipper AT aol.com Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:57:38 -0400 Hi all: I've recently read most of the posts about the McIntosh loon and nocturnal flights of migrants and had a few things to write in response. First off, the pattern that I see in Ted's Upland Sandpipers-over-Boulder data, is that insomniacs detect more nocturnally-migrating Uppies than do most other birders. I mean, I'm almost always up around 11:30 pm, but only rarely so after 2 am. Thus, I hear very few Uppies going over, Boulder or elsewhere. Mostly, though, I wanted to comment on the debate about the McIntosh Res. Pacific Loon and loon flight-feather molt. What and why? All loon species (and presumably individuals) conduct a complete flight-feather molt each year, with the timing of such varying between ages and species. Like waterfowl, loons drop all of their flight feathers at once (or very nearly so), becoming flightless for a fairly substantial period (1-2 months). It is believed that this benefits these species more than a more-typical-for-birds slower and staggered flight-feather molt, as it reduces the time during which flight is impaired by missing feathers. Yes, their flight gets supremely impaired with no flight feathers, but it works. There just aren't a lot of predators out on the open water that can tackle a bird the size of a loon. It should also be noted that it would behoove a species that finds it necessary to use its wings in foraging to NOT drop all of its flight feathers for such a long period of time. Loons do not use their wings under water, rather using their somewhat outsized feet to propel them. Where and when? On the East Coast, Common and Red-throated loons are both common and widespread migrants and winterers, but they have very different strategies to dealing with timing their flight-feather molt. Adult Common Loons migrate away from breeding grounds in alternate plumage, arrive on winter grounds, and commence their pre-basic molt, which includes flight feathers. On the other hand, Red-throated Loons conduct their pre-basic molt on or near the breeding grounds, arriving on wintering areas in basic plumage and with their flight-feather molt already completed. Thus, if one goes out on the ocean in winter, all of the Red-throated Loons fly away, and most of the Commons dive or patter off with their useless wings rowing them along. Note that, above, I wrote that "most of the Commons." This is the smooth segue to the variance among ages of timing and/or location of the flight-feather molt. First-year Common Loons primarily stay on the winter grounds during their first summer, conducting their pre-basic molt, which includes their flight feathers. Most young Red-throated Loons depart NJ latitudes for points north or elsewhere and, presumably, conduct their pre-basic molt (including flight feathers) nearer the breeding grounds. My lifer Pacific Loon was a summering bird in New Jersey, lo these many years ago, that was conducting its flight-feather molt, was ragged, and very much (in some regards) disappointing to one hoping to see a stunning bird. The McIntosh Res. Pacific Loon is simply going through the normal processes of almost all other Pacific Loons: conducting its pre-basic molt on the safety of a larg(ish) body of water while killing time waiting to go to the breeding grounds next summer. Whether all or most young Pacifics follow the Common strategy or not, the Boulder Co. bird is in no way in more danger than is any of its conspecifics of that age. Having none of my references at hand here in Alabama, I cannot send you to particular passages or pages in certain references, but I would suggest checking out the various behavior and ecology bird books (Sibley's, Kaufman's, and the yellow-covered one whose authors' names I cannot recall right now) or even the old Audubon Encyclopedia of North American Birds (edited by John Terres). I would bet that it's all in there. Sincerely, Tony Leukering Villas, NJ P.S. Now is a great time to go out and find migrant Mourning Warblers!! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Norma's Grove (Weld) 8/26 From: Cole Wild <birdingwild1 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:44:37 +0000 (UTC) On my way back from Crow Valley this afternoon (8/26) I decided to make a quick stop at Norma's Grove (just east of the intersection CR 57 and CR 100). There was a Large number of sparrow, mostly Lark Buntings, Chipping Sparrows and Lark Sparrows. I was able to pull out a couple Brewer's and 1 "eastern" FIELD SPARROW. A few other birds there was 1 bright PHILADELPHIA VIREO, a couple of Wilson's Warblers, 1 Prairie Falcon, and 1 Sage Thrasher. Rachel, great find and ID on the Connecticut Warbler. Thanks for letting everyone know so quickly! Cole Wild Loveland -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Mr Bill quiz From: coloradodipper AT aol.com Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:27:26 -0400 Hi all: I have posted the solution to last week's Mr. Bill Mystery Quiz (www.cfo-link.org) from down here in hot-and-humid land. Enjoy, Tony Leukering Villas, NJ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: CONNECTICUT WARBLER/Crow Valley-Weld From: "Rachel Hopper" <r-hopper AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:53:58 -0600 COBirders, Just got a call from Glenn Walbek. Glenn, Loch Kilpatrick, Cole Wild and Joe Roller were able to re-find the CONNECTICUT WARBLER in essentially the same spot I found it in this morning. They feel it is most likely a female. I strongly suspect this bird will not stick so I would suggest getting to CVCG today if you are interested in trying to find it. It has been hanging around south of the picnic area at the base of a willow tree just where the trail dips down and goes beneath the big Cottonwood this side of the fence. They were all able to see it several times for a few seconds each time on low perches, in flight and walking on the ground. None of us were able to get photos. In addition to this great bird, there were several Townsend's Warblers and a Cassin's Vireo at the campground along with the other usual suspects. On Tuesday, I also had a Pygmy Nuthatch at CVCG which I am sure has to be a fairly rare county record. ------------------- Rachel Hopper Ft. Collins Check out the CFO Website: www.cfo-link.org -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en. Subject: Connecticut Warbler, Crow Valey Campground From: gwalbek <gwalbek AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:31:24 -0700 (PDT) Folks, Rachel Hopper reports a male Connecticut Warbler at Crow Valley Campground, Weld County. The bird was last seen south of the main picnic area. Glenn Walbek Castle Rock, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds AT googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.