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


Rebecca Weiss

September 6, 2023

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

Wednesday, September 6, 2023, 7:30-10:30am
Weather: Sunny
Location: North Star Nature Preserve, Aspen, CO

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!

Species List:

Canada Goose
Gadwall
Hummingbird sp.
American Coot
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay
Black-billed Magpie
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Green-tailed Towhee
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide

Featured photo: House Wren.

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