ACES Rosy-Finch Study | March 22, 2018

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Thursday March 22, 2018, 8:30AM – 9:30AM.
Weather: Partly cloudy.
Location: At a private home on West Buttermilk Road.

Species Identified

Downy Woodpecker Steller’s Jay Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay Common Raven Black-capped Chickadee Mountain Chickadee Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Hepburn’s and Interior) Brown-capped Rosy-Finch Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon, Slate-colored, Pink-sided, Gray-headed) Red-winged Blackbird

Comments: 

This outing was offered as a special thank-you to ACES Bird Club Members and supporters, and as an opportunity to build momentum and enrichment for the Birding Program at ACES. We gathered around coffee, tea, and muffins to observe a flock of about 100 rosy-finches along with a few other local species feeding at birdfeeders. The unique and fascinating life history of rosy-finches was shared, along with information on current field research underway to monitor population and range trends for the nearly endemic Brown-capped Rosy-Finches in Colorado. Please visit this site to learn about the study and how you can help submit data from your own observations. These special birds are one of the species of concern in our state, mainly due to impacts of climate change on their high mountain habitat. Rosy-Finches can also be seen in Snowmass at bird feeders at Sam’s Knob and Elk Camp (accessible only if you are skiing). To learn more about how to become an ACES Bird Club member or become more involved in ACES birding program, click here!

Join us on Tuesday, April 3rd from 7:30AM – 10:30AM for Morning Birding at Hallam Lake, and stay tuned for the summer birding class schedule coming soon on ACES’ website!

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide 

Photo by Mark Fuller