Birding By Habitat Field Trip: Snowmass Village

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Thursday, August, 11 2021 7:30am-12pm
Weather: Sunny
Location: Snowmass Village

Comments: 

The Snowmass Village area and Brush Creek Valley always deliver when it comes to birding! At this elevational range and geographic position in the Roaring Fork Valley, a great diversity of birds can be found among the varied habitat types present. We began the morning at the Rodeo wetlands where we enjoyed an abundance of birds around the main pond and surroundings. Highlights here included excellent views of three species of hummingbirds and four species of warblers. We observed hummingbirds feeding at flowers and in copious swarms of insects. Warblers were active in shrubs and cottonwoods. Waxwings, both adults and juveniles, foraged on chokecherries.  Next, we found a catbird and more warblers among the willows along East Brush Creek. Heading up to the Nature Trail, we enjoyed pockets of activity in edge habitat areas where meadow, forest, and riparian ecosystems converged. Here, the warblers, flycatchers, wrens, and robins were actively foraging in willows, alders, and among wildflowers. A family of western tanagers was a special highlight in the mixed aspen/conifer forest. We also added yellow-rumped warbler, warbling vireo, and western wood-pewee to our list along this special trail.  Join us next Tuesday for Morning Birding at Rock Bottom Ranch!

Species List: 

Mallard
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-naped Sapsucker
Western Wood-Pewee
Warbling Vireo
Steller’s Jay
Black-billed Magpie
Violet-green Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
House Finch
Pine Siskin
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer’s Blackbird
Orange-crowned Warbler
Virginia’s Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Western Tanager
 

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide