This outing to the “other side” of North Star is always a summer highlight and a special chance for the public to experience the unique habitats of the preserve. The Open Space program run by Pitkin County manages this property and works with ACES to offer these public education opportunities. We began the morning with swallows feeding overhead and hummingbirds zooming by as we hiked to the back of North Star along the base of Richmond Ridge. Bird activity picked up as the sun reached the valley floor, activating the insects that form an important part of the base of the food chain here. We saw flocks of recently fledged red-winged blackbirds and many fledgling chipping sparrows. A couple of herons flew overhead. Several spotted sandpipers called from the river and others flew upriver or to other areas of the wetland complex. As we entered the alluvial fans covered in aspen stands and cottonwoods, we encountered a flock of evening grosbeaks, a juvenile mountain bluebird, and a number of juvenile red-naped sapsuckers. A couple of western tanagers were present, illuminated in spectacular light, and to our great delight, two Williamson’s sapsuckers perched on dead branches in the aspen forest, with one sitting to preen for excellent viewing. Williamson’s sapsuckers are uncommon in this area and it is always exciting to see them. One our way back, we saw cinnamon teal and mallards in the open water of the main wetland area. A sora swam across a portion of the open water and a Wilson’s snipe sat at the edge of the sedges where we were able to see its striped head and cryptically colored plumage in great light. It was a special treat to see the diversity of birdlife at North Star this morning. Join us for our next birding outing at North Star on August 7th!