ACES Morning Birding at Hallam Lake 08/12/25

Early migration and dispersal of post-breeding birds is underway: behaviors, seasonal foods, and use of habitats is changing as many birds move from their nesting territories into the greater world and on their southbound migrations. Highlights today included juvenile red-naped sapsuckers, kingfishers actively fishing in the lake, and many hummingbirds including a female rufous showing lots of rufous in the flanks, tail, and rump. A very exciting highlight was a family flock of purple martins that foraged high in the airspace above Hallam Lake – this is the first time purple martin has been seen and documented during a Morning Birding outing at Hallam Lake! In our region, purple martins are very uncommon, having narrow nesting habitat requirements: in extensive aspen groves with snow-fed ponds and plenty of old woodpecker cavities for nesting. This was a special treat, and we took our time observing these large members of the swallow family with the scope. We wrapped up with pygmy nuthatches that we heard in two places, where the birds were just far enough away in the high cottonwood canopy to be out of view. Join us next Thursday for the final hummingbird study of the season!