ACES Birding By Habitat: Red Canyon Trail 5/24/22

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Tuesday, May 24, 2022, 8am-11:30am
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Location: Red Canyon Trail, Woody Creek

This hike is an exploration of pinyon-juniper woodland habitat as far upvalley as it extends before transitioning to pure juniper woodlands with rising elevation. Additional habitats on this hike included sagebrush shrubland, mountain shrubland, riparian forest, and pasture/hay meadow. We were entertained at the start of the hike by an active flock of ravens over the lower flank of Triangle Peak, observing lots of aerial stunts, high speed chases, and vocalizations. Hummingbirds seemed especially abundant along the route, although most other birds were less active. Other highlights included watching aerial interactions and hearing the calls of Red-tailed Hawks above the hillside, seeing three Bullock’s Orioles, finding a White-breasted Nuthatch nest, and seeing a Black-throated Gray Warbler at close range. We also enjoyed many wildflowers, a couple of elk herds on the pastureland, and stunning views of the West Elk Range. Join us for our next birding outing!

Species List: 

Canada Goose
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Red-tailed Hawk
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Cordillera Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Common Raven
Mountain Chickadee
Violet-green Swallow
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
European Starling
American Robin
House Finch
Chipping Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow
Green-tailed Towhee
Bullock’s Oriole
Brewer’s Blackbird
Virginia’s Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Black-throated
Gray Warbler
Western Tanager

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide

Featured photo: Bullock’s Oriole