ACES Birding Field Class with Bill Schmoker, Tune Up: Birdsongs & Behavior | June 29 & 30, 2019

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Friday & Saturday, June 29 & 30, 2019, 7AM – 2PM
Weather: Mostly sunny
Location: Hallam Lake and Castle Creek Valley (Conundrum Road, Catto Center at Toklat, upper Castle Creek Road), Basalt Library Wetlands, Emma area, Frying Pan Road

Friday, June 29: Hallam Lake and Castle Creek Valley: Conundrum Road, Toklat, upper Castle Creek Road

Species Identified

Canada Goose Mallard Gadwall Broad-tailed Hummingbird American Coot Spotted Sandpiper Cooper’s Hawk Red-naped Sapsucker Northern Flicker Western Wood-Pewee Cordilleran Flycatcher Warbling Vireo Steller’s Jay Black-billed Magpie American Crow Tree Swallow Violet-green Swallow Black-capped Chickadee White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Mountain Bluebird Swainson’s Thrush Hermit Thrush American Robin Pine Siskin Chipping Sparrow Fox Sparrow Song Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird MacGillivray’s Warbler Yellow Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Wilson’s Warbler Western Tanager

Saturday, June 30: Basalt Library Wetlands, Emma area, Frying Pan Road

Species Identified

Mallard Rock Pigeon Eurasian Collared-Dove Band-tailed Pigeon White-throated Swift Broad-tailed Hummingbird Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Red-tailed Hawk Lewis’s Woodpecker Northern Flicker American Kestrel Peregrine Falcon Western Wood-Pewee Cordilleran Flycatcher Western Kingbird Warbling Vireo Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay Black-billed Magpie American Crow Tree Swallow Violet-green Swallow Barn Swallow Black-capped Chickadee American Dipper Mountain Bluebird American Robin Gray Catbird European Starling Cedar Waxwing House Finch American Goldfinch Song Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Yellow Warbler Lazuli Bunting

Comments:

Bill’s two-day class focused on making and using recordings of bird sounds for study purposes (and for eBird) as well as observing and understanding bird behaviors. We had two excellent trips in the Aspen area and in the mid-valley where we visited a variety of habitats and saw a good sampling of local birdlife. Classroom sessions provided the nuts and bolts of understanding, making, and using bird sound recordings, while field time allowed for practice with ear-birdins, using smart phones and other devices to practice making recordings, and observing many interesting bird behaviors. Highlights were many, including: newly fledged mountain bluebirds, western wood-pewees constructing a nest, active red-naped sapsucker nests, a peregrine falcon, a large flock of band-tailed pigeons, a dipper nest, and excellent practice with learning birdsongs in the field. Bill’s extensive knowledge, engaging teaching style, and good humour made these field sessions extra fun and educational. Join us next Wednesday for Birding By Habitat: Crystal River Valley with Mark Fuller and Rebecca Weiss.

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide 

 

Photo by Jeff Finesilver