ACES Morning Birding at Rock Bottom Ranch 09/16/25

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Tuesday, September 16, 2025, 7:30am-10:30am

Weather: Mostly sunny

Location: Rock Bottom Ranch

 

Migration continues to bring a variety of bird species through the valley, and today’s highlights included Wilson’s warblers, an eastern kingbird, a Say’s phoebe, and lesser goldfinches. Local resident birds are moving about and some are gathering into flocks as they shift to seasonally abundant foods. We saw a small flock of evening grosbeaks eating the fruits of Russian olive, American goldfinches feasting on thistle seeds, and red-winged blackbirds clinging to the large seedheads of sunflower plants as they pried out seeds to crack and eat. We learned about the basics of sparrow identification, comparing chipping sparrows with Lincoln’s sparrows, and enjoyed the ongoing, fussy calls of a marsh wren in the cattails. Join us next Tuesday for more fall birding at Hallam Lake!

 

Species List:

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide

Featured Photo: Spotted Towhee