ACES Morning Birding at Rock Bottom Ranch 7/23/2024

Tuesday, July 23, 2024, 7:00-10:00am
Weather: Sunny
Location: Rock Bottom Ranch, Basalt, CO

While the morning started with good bird activity, most small birds were staying out of sight in the foliage of the shrubby hillside along the Rio Grande Trail. We heard catbirds, western flycatchers, song sparrows, and nuthatches here. Red-tailed hawks moved about throughout the morning, and were mobbed by a pair of kestrels whose fledglings were nearby. The juvenile kestrels preened and gave food begging calls, providing us with excellent views and fun behaviors to watch. We saw many other young birds, including a red-winged blackbird and a Virginia rail that were very close to our group along the cattail ditch. Fledgling red-naped sapsuckers and Lewis’s woodpeckers interacted with their adults in the cottonwood galleries. Nesting season is wrapping up for many birds and singing has tapered off dramatically, marking mid-summer. Join us on July 31st for a special birding outing to Maroon Creek Wetlands and the Maroon Creek Trail!

Species List:

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide

Featured photo: Killdeer