Marolt Open Space Fall Migration Birding Species List

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Monday, August 31, 2020, 7:30 AM – 9:30AM
Weather: Mostly Sunny
Location: Marolt Open Space

Species Identified:

Canada Goose
Mallard
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Great Blue Heron
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Cordilleran Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Green-tailed Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Orange-crowned Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Western Tanager
Lazuli Bunting

Comments:

 

Fall migration is an exciting time when birds flock together and pockets of activity can be found in food-rich habitats, such as those at the Marolt Open Space.  This parcel at the entrance to Aspen, with its historic mining and ranching features, is truly a birding hotspot.  Corners of fields, roadsides, old railroad trackways, stands of trees, a community garden, and several ponds together create a patchwork of habitats with diverse structures.  Today’s goal was to experience the bustling bird activity, and the Marolt Open Space more than delivered!  We birded along the dirt access road, in the community garden, along the open fields edged by the historic Midland trackway, the vicinity of the mining museum, and the Bergman Trail.  The top highlight of the trip was finding a blue-winged warbler foraging in low vegetation near the mining museum.  This is an eastern bird that is rare in Colorado and is listed on our local checklist under the Casual & Accidental heading.  The individual we observed was an adult male, and one of our birders took photos to document it.  We reflected on how to handle the excitement of a rare bird sighting:  take time to observe the bird while it is in view, memorizing as many of its field marks as possible; then get out a guide book or app to try to identify it.  We had the luxury of watching this bird for long enough to refer to the bird and the book at the same time.  Other highlights included a couple of female lazuli buntings, lark sparrows, Wilson’s warblers, western tanagers, yellow-rumped warblers, and many hummingbirds.  We enjoyed the abundance and diversity today, as well as the interesting mining history at this special site.  Join us on Thursday for another fall migration outing to the Gorge of the Roaring Fork!

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide

Photo by Jeff Finesilver