ACES x Pitkin County Open Space: Birding at North Star Nature Preserve 9/6/23

The chilly morning started with an orientation to North Star Nature Preserve and the unique habitats that support birds here. We looked at an impressive list of species that have been documented on the property and some special highlights that have been seen during migration seasons. Bird activity today was primarily found in spots where small mixed flocks foraged together. We had excellent looks at Orange-crowned Warblers, juvenile White-crowned Sparrows, and two Great Blue Herons. Song Sparrows were active in the willows, including one that bathed beneath a willow in shallow water near the river’s shore. Kinglets and Chickadees were active in the trees, Red-winged Blackbirds were visible as they flew low over the expansive grasslands, and Gadwalls foraged on the water in the small pond near the west end of the preserve. We saw one hummingbird which was a female or juvenile, and watched Steller’s Hays and Woodhouse’s Scrub-jays making flights across open areas. A Cooper’s Hawk and a Red-tailed Hawk soared above the ridge of Aspen Mountain, giving us a great comparison of these two species. Join us on Friday for birding at the Marolt Open Space!