COLORADO & WYOMING 
The 4 Carolina Wrens present in Aug and 
Sep in ne. and foothill counties of Colorado 
{Washington, El Paso, Fremont, and Pueblo) 
made a high number for the state. A House 
Wren in Colorado City, Pueblo 15 Nov (DS) 
was late. In contrast, the Winter Wren, a rare 
but regular migrant/winterer, in rural Prowers 
22 Aug QS) was very early. Not one but 2 
Sedge Wrens turned up: one was at Chico, El 
Paso 21 Oct (BM) and provided a first ranch 
record, the other was at Bent’s Old Fort, Otero 
2 Nov (p.a. JD). A Marsh Wren near Sun- 
dance, Crook 23 Nov QA, Jen Adams) was late 
for Wyoming. Possibly providing Wyoming’s 
2nd record (p.a.), a Gray-cheeked Thrush 
was reported from Casper 4 Oct (CM); in Col- 
orado, the species is annual in spring but ex- 
ceedingly rare in fall. The first Varied Thrush 
of the fall was at Crow Valley 1-4 Oct (M. 
Freiberg). Wyoming furnished one report of 
Varied Thrush, of a bird in Saratoga, Carbon 3 
Nov (E Bergquist). Late was a Brown Thrash- 
er in Cheyenne 28 Nov (F Lebsack). Al- 
though there are only 10 accepted records of 
Sprague’s Pipit, the species is believed to be a 
regular fall migrant on the e. Colorado plains, 
requiring only focused grassland searches. A 
group working the grasslands of Fox Ranch, 
Yuma was pleasantly rewarded with 5 
Sprague’s Pipits 4 Oct (TF et al.). 
A total of 29 species of warbler passed 
through Colorado, with e. strays being of spe- 
cial interest. A Blue-winged Warbler was in 
Pueblo 8 Sep (M. Yaeger), while a Golden- 
winged was photographed well out of range at 
Crystal Lakes, Lake near 3000 m elevation 1 
Sep (TK). Colorado produced 17 reports of 
Nashville Warbler, while Wyoming had one. 
Very late Northern Parulas included one at 
Chatfield Res., Jefferson 2 Nov (D. Kibbe, M. 
Goldthwaite); one in Lakewood, Jefferson 23 
Nov (C. Blair); and one nicely photographed 
in the mts. at Carbondale, Garfield 30 Nov 
that persisted into the winter season (D. 
Clark). In e. Colorado, 7 Chestnut-sided War- 
blers (slightly more than usual), 4 Magnolia 
Warblers, and 2 Black-throated Blue Warblers 
were tallied. A Black-throated Gray Warbler 
in Casper 8 Sep (G&JL) was well n. for 
Wyoming. Wayward Black-throated Green 
Warblers included one in rural Weld 14 Sep 
(AS) and one in Rifle, Garfield 26 Sep (CD, 
BW), the latter providing a very rare West 
Slope record. A Blackburnian Warbler visited 
Chico, Pueblo 6 Sep (tBG). Exciting for 
Wyoming was the 2nd state record of Pine 
Warbler, from Casper 8 Sep (G&JL). A Bay- 
breasted Warbler graced Crow Valley 1 Oct 
(AS); there are fewer than 40 records for Col- 
orado. A Prothonotary Warbler, a species rar- 
er here in fall than in spring, was at Cheraw, 
Otero 12 Sep (BnS, BdS, MP), and a Mourning 
Warbler skulked at Cherry Creek 5 Sep (S. 
Shaum). Four Hooded Warblers reported 
from Colorado in Sep represented a typical 
fall count, but one that lingered in Monte 
Vista, Rio Grande early Oct-8 Nov (ph. J. 
Nehring) was particularly late. Both potential 
5th Wyoming records, a Hooded Warbler was 
at Edness K. Wilkins S.P., Natrona 22 Sep 
(CM), and a Canada Warbler was pho- 
tographed in Casper 30 Aug (G&JL). 
TANAGERS THROUGH FINCHES 
Late Western Tanagers included singles in ru- 
ral Garfield 16 Nov (T. McConnell) and Fort 
Collins 30 Nov (]. Birek). A bit ne. of usual 
was the Canyon Towhee near Lamar, Prowers 
18 Sep QS). Westerly Field Sparrows included 
singles at Chatfield Res., Douglas 13 Sep QK), 
in rural Natrona 8 Oct (G&JL), and at Pueblo 
15 Nov (m.ob.). Rarely detected in migration 
in Wyoming, a Baird’s Sparrow was at Yant’s 
Puddle 5 Oct (CM; p.a.). A site near Bonny 
Res., Yumti supported a trifecta of rare Ain- 
modramus, with a Henslow’s Sparrow and a 
Le Conte’s Sparrow 3-4 Oct (AS, CW) and a 
Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow 4 Oct (CW); 
the first and last of these would each provide 
3rd Colorado records (p.a.). Two Red Fox 
Sparrows were noted, one at Castle Rock, 
Douglas 22 Oct (R. Olson), the other at Col- 
orado Springs, El Paso 29 Oct-3 Nov (T. Bre- 
villier, D. Chattier). A Golden-crowned Spar- 
row graced a Lakewood, Jefferson feeder 11- 
13 Oct (N. Lewis). Snow Buntings staged a 
small but early push into Colorado, with up 
to 2 at Antero Res. 24 Oct-9 Nov (LK, GW, 
ph. BS) and singles at Walden Res. 30 Oct 
(AS, TD) and at Jumbo Res., Sedgwick/Logan 
16 Nov (AS, NK). 
Two Northern Cardinals pushed westward 
to the Jefferson foothills, one in Deer Creek 
Canyon 5 Aug (fide M. Henwood), the other 
in Wheatridge 7-10 Aug 0- Fischer). A green 
Painted Bunting foraged at Rye Mountain 
Park, Pueblo 20 Aug (DS). Rare but regular in 
small numbers in Colorado, Rusty Blackbirds 
made the scene in rural Morgan 26 Oct (3 
birds; JK, CW) and Fort Collins 11 Nov (one; 
NK). Very rare on the plains and exceptional- 
ly early was the Pine Grosbeak at Lamar, 
Prowers 8 Oct (DAL). White-winged Cross- 
bills made a good showing across various 
high montane areas of Colorado beginning in 
Aug, with reports coming from Routt, Summit, 
Eagle, Delta, Gunnison, and Clear Creek (v.o.). 
Colorado had two reports of single Common 
Redpolls, one each from Jumbo Res, Sedgwick 
26 Oct QK, CW) and Leadville, Lake 16 Nov 
(TK). Wyoming also had two reports, one 
each at Casper 13 Nov-t (CM) and Evanston, 
Uinta 19 Nov (T. Gorman), the latter record 
being of more interest, as the species is quite 
rare in sw. Wyoming. 
Undocumented rarities: The following re- 
view species were reported in the period from 
Colorado with no documentation: Ruffed 
Grouse in Moffat', Red-throated Loon in Dou- 
glas, Jackson, Park, Pueblo', Pacific Loon in 
Mesa, Park', Brown Pelican in Larimer' 
Neotropic Cormorant in Jefferson', Tricolored 
Heron in Yutrra; Mississippi Kite in Mesa 
(West Slope review species); Buff-breasted 
Sandpiper in Washington (two reports). Weld; 
Red Phalarope in Boulder, Otero; Laughing 
Gull in Berrt, Crowley, Mew Gull in Arapahoe, 
Boulder (two reports), Larimer, Great Black- 
backed Gull in El Paso, Pueblo, Weld', Arctic 
Tern in Arapahoe' Pomarine Jaeger in Jeffer- 
son/Douglas', Long-tailed Jaeger in Morgan; 
Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Larimer, 
Prowers; Eastern Wood-Pewee in Washington 
(two reports); Alder Flycatcher in Pueblo; 
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in Otero; Sedge Wren 
in Yuma; Mourning Warbler in Pueblo; Le 
Conte’s Sparrow in Yuma; and Painted 
Bunting in Pueblo. 
Cited observers (subregional editors in bold- 
face): Jean Adams, Larry Arnold, Jason Bea- 
son, Jim Beatty (sw. Colorado), Todd 
Deininger, Coen Dexter (w.-cen. Colorado), 
John Drummond, Doug Faulkner 
(Wyoming), Ted Floyd, Paula Hansley Bill 
Kaempfer, Joey Kellner, Nick Komar, Gloria 
& Jim Lawrence (statewide RBA, Wyoming), 
David A. Leatherman, Tony R. Leukering, 
Tom Litteral, Forrest Luke (nw. Colorado), 
Bill Maynard, Tom McConnell, Terry McE- 
neaney (Yellowstone), Chris Michelson 
(Casper, WY), Rich Miller, Christian Nunes, 
Stan Oswald, Susan Patla Qackson, WY), 
Brandon K. Percival (se. Colorado), Mark Pe- 
terson, Bert Raynes O^ckson, WY), Andrea 
Robinsong, Bill Schmoker (Colorado Front 
Range), Lawrence S. Semo (n.e. Colorado), 
David Silverman, Tim Smart, Andrew 
Spencer, Brad Steger (BdS), Brian Steger 
(BnS), Lee Stigen (LS), Jane Stulp, Glenn 
Walbek (n.-cen. Colorado), Cole Wild, Bren- 
da Wright. Many other individual observers 
contributed information to this report but 
could not be acknowledged here; they have 
our appreciation. 
Lawrence S. Semo, 9054 Dover Street 
Westminster, Colorado 80021 (lsemo@swca.com) 
Tony Leukering, 102A Delaware Avenue 
Villas, New Jersey 08251 (greatgrayowl@aol.com) 
Bill Schmoker, 3381 Larkspur Drive 
Longmont, Colorado 80503 (bill@schmoker.org) 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 1 
125 
