ACES Morning Birding at Hallam Lake 12/03/24

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Tuesday, December 3, 2024, 8:00-11:00 am
Weather: Sunny
Location: Hallam Lake, Aspen CO

A very deep snowpack covered the preserve this morning after a huge storm dumped two feet of snow on Aspen last week. Bird activity was average for a sunny winter day, but our observations today were far from average! Our first birds in the parking lot were pygmy nuthatches in the cottonwood canopy. Inside the preserve, we saw a kingfisher and one dozen ring-necked ducks at fairly close range in excellent light. Dipper activity then came to life as several dippers zoomed across the lake in various directions. After a couple of chases with lots of flight calling, the dippers seemed to favor the hiding cover beneath the overhanging snow and grasses at the shore of the lake. We put three spotting scopes on the ring-necked ducks as we walked out to the far point on the shore of the main lake, focusing on the males’ brilliant golden eye color and the hint of purple sheen on their head plumage. The top highlight of the morning was a golden eagle roosting in a spruce tree next to one of the heron nests, and we moved along various trails to find the optimal angle for views of this spectacular bird. The eagle eventually flew, but we were able to watch it for a solid 20-25 minutes. On the way to the marsh viewing platform, we found the deep tracks of a large bear who had walked there only 2-3 days ago; one track showed clear claw marks. We topped off the morning with a great view of a song sparrow foraging on red berries and a walk out to the bridge over the Roaring Fork River where two dippers flew over the bridge just as we arrived. They flew so close that they caused us to instinctively duck! Today’s mini lesson focused on warm footwear for winter birding. And in response to a question about dipper life history: fledgling dippers typically disperse upstream or across drainages. In general, dipper movements correlate seasonally to their needs as food availability changes in sections of rivers (especially related to elevation and ice cover) and as limited nesting sites are sought in spring. Join us for the Aspen Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, December 15th!

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