Birding By Habitat: Woody Creek/Lenado

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Thursday, August 4, 2022
Weather: Mostly sunny
Location: Woody Creek/Lenado, CO

 

At Woody Creek, the riparian cottonwood forest and upland surroundings were brimming with birds, most notably the swallows actively feeding in the airspace and preening while perched on utility wires. These birds are gathering into large flocks and staging for their southbound migration. Woodpeckers were active in the large cottonwoods. Lewis’s woodpeckers also seemed to be eating serviceberries along the road. We could see abundant flying insects in the sun, with flycatchers taking advantage of this food source. As we drove up the valley of Woody Creek, we saw scrub-jays and waxwings. At Lenado, the main highlight was the cedar waxwings that were hawking insects over the beaver ponds, providing us with excellent views in great light. Yellow-rumped warblers were also hawking insects, and wrens and song sparrows moved about in the low vegetation. We discussed life zones and habitats, focusing on the montane environments of this trip and associated birdlife. Join us next week for Morning Birding at Rock Bottom Ranch!

 

Species List: 

Eurasian Collared- Dove
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Western Wood-Pewee
Cordilleran Flycatcher
Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay
Steller’s Jay
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Mountain Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
Pine Siskin
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide

Featured photo: Pine Siskin