Morning Birding at Hallam Lake 9/13/22

---

Tuesday, September 13, 2022, 7:30am-10:30am
Weather: Mostly sunny
Location: Hallam Lake, Aspen, CO

 

Meeting in parking lots is common for birding outings, and at Hallam Lake we’ve discovered that this practice gives us more time outside where the birds are. Today, ACES’ parking lot delivered, and we started the morning with an exciting flurry of activity among migrating and resident species. Pygmy nuthatches, chickadees, and a western wood-pewee were our first birds, followed by a hairy woodpecker, robins of various age-related plumages, a white-breasted nuthatch, and a Steller’s jay. Walking to the post office trail, we observed cedar waxwings and evening grosbeaks along with siskins and house finches. A western kingbird appeared at the top of a residential spruce tree and a western tanager was foraging in tangled shrubs on the trail back to Hallam Lake. Within Hallam Lake preserve, we got more practice with waxwings and grosbeaks – learning juvenile plumages of both species. A few hummingbirds, a dipper, and a spotted sandpiper were additional highlights. Migration is in full swing, and bird behaviors and activities reflect that. Fall migration season is extra exciting because the young of the year increase overall bird abundance as well as the likelihood of seeing uncommon species as these inexperienced birds sometimes take very different migration paths. Join us for a unique birding experience in the lower Roaring Fork Gorge at Jaffee Park on Thursday, when we’ll hike upstream to observe dippers, yellow-rumped warblers, and raptors as well as taking in the dramatic geology of this rugged reach of the river!

Species List: 

Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Mallard
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Belted Kingfisher
Red-naped Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Pygmy Nuthatch
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
Evening Grosbeak
House Finch
Green-tailed Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Yellow Warbler

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide

Featured photo: Mountain chickadee