ACES Birding By Habitat: Rock Bottom Ranch to Catherine Store 9/25/24

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Tuesday, September 25, 2024, 7:30-11:30 am
Weather: Sunny & Warm
Location: Rock Bottom Ranch to Catherine Store in Basalt, CO

This new birding field trip is a hike experience during fall migration through some of the richest mid-valley habitat along the Rio Grande Trail, focusing on the section that closes seasonally in winter to support deer and other wildlife in this area. We began at Rock Bottom Ranch, birding our way through the property and onto the Rio Grande Trail for this point-to-point hike experience. Our focus was to find pockets of bird activity and observe the diverse and patchy habitats along our route. We found Wilson’s warblers, red-winged blackbirds, red-naped sapsuckers, and wild turkeys at Rock Bottom Ranch. Northern flickers gave us excellent observations of their intricate plumage patterns and colors. We also discussed eclipse plumage in waterfowl as we saw mallards in various stages of molt. A mystery duck on the far pond appears to be a type of teal, but in eclipse plumage it is a challenge to figure out whether it is a cinnamon or blue-winged teal. On the Rio Grande Trail, we enjoyed gorgeous fall colors and more warblers, including Wilson’s, orange-crowned, and yellow-rumped. We got excellent views of both adult and juvenile red-tailed hawks in flight, comparing their field marks. We also saw many black-capped chickadees and at least one Cassin’s vireo. We looked at various tree species and the foods and nesting value they hold for birds. Our last bird was a bald eagle; we enjoyed a fantastic sighting of this bird perched over the trail. Join us through the month of October for Morning Birding on Tuesdays at Hallam Lake and Rock Bottom Ranch!

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