ACES // City of Aspen Open Space Birding: Marolt Open Space 9/5/2024

Bird activity was high in certain spots: along the gravel access road between H-82 and the AHS buildings, in the community garden, and around the mining museum complex. We studied the many species of sparrows present, along with streaky brown finches for comparison. Hummingbirds were abundant as they hawked insects and fed at flowers in the garden. The American and lesser goldfinches that flocked together provided another excellent comparison for ID trails in these similar birds. We were very excited to see a Cassin’s vireo, a species that migrates through the area in early fall, and thrilled to see an olive-sided flycatcher preening at the top of the cottonwood canopy in excellent view for a long time. The olive-sided flycatcher was showing its conspicuous white tufts on the sides of the rump, probably because it was preening – these tufts are not always visible on a bird whose plumage is perfectly sleeked. Fall migration brings great birds to the varied habitats at the Marolt Open Space! Join us tomorrow for more fall migration birding at North Star Nature Preserve, and on Monday at Jaffee Park!