ACES Morning Birding at Rock Bottom Ranch 05/27/25

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Tuesday, May 27, 2025, 7am-10am
Weather: Sunny
Location: Rock Bottom Ranch, Basalt, CO

We were treated to experiences with many returning migratory birds today, noting those that have just appeared in the mid valley as later arrivals. Western tanager was one such species, and we were delighted to find at least four of them in the strip of native habitat along the south side of the Rio Grande Trail. Wilson’s warbler, MacGillivray’s warbler, and Bullock’s oriole were three more fairly recently-arrived birds, In fact, the Wilson’s and MacGillivray’s warblers are still on the move, as they typically nest in higher elevation habitats. We also enjoyed great looks at adult wild turkeys, tree swallows, and Lewis’s woodpeckers. Bullock’s orioles flew around between stands of cottonwoods. A kestrel made a sweeping flight above us at the pollinator garden, and yellow warblers seemed to sing from every thicket around the ranch. The Say’s phoebes nesting under the ranch carport were busy delivering insects to their nestlings. It was impressive to watch how quickly they grabbed prey and delivered it. One mystery that we will try to solve at the next outing: the large raptor nest that was thought to be home to a family of bald eagles, seems to be a different species – we saw an adult ripping up food at the nest today, and it did not have a white head! Views are obscured by foliage, so we will try again to see definitive field marks next time. Join us tomorrow for Birding By Habitat at the Airport Open Space!

Species List:

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide