Morning Birding at Rock Bottom Ranch Species List

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Tuesday, July 21, 2020 7AM – 10AM
Weather: Mostly sunny
Location: Rock Bottom Ranch

Species Identified:

Mallard
Mallard-Domestic Hybrid
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Sandhill Crane
Red-tailed Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Western Wood-Pewee
Cordillera Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Bullock’s Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Yellow Warbler
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak

 

Comments:

 

Mid summer is a wonderful time to observe newly fledged families and early dispersing or migrating species.  Today’s migration highlight was two sandhill cranes that flew low over the ranch in excellent light.  Juveniles and immatures of the following species were also seen:  Lewis’s woodpecker, warbling vireo, yellow warbler, Cooper’s hawk, and mallard.  Other highlights were a Bullock’s oriole and a nest with three young hawks in it.  The baby hawks were too young for a positive ID and no adult appeared, although the nest’s setting and general habitat were appropriate for Cooper’s hawk.  We will watch this nest during our next outing for sure!  A family of Lewis’s woodpeckers gave us an excellent study of these birds as we saw them actively using nearly the entire area of our birding route.  It was an excellent morning with lots of exciting birds.  Join us next time at Rock Bottom Ranch on August 4th when we hope to identify the hawks in the nest!  Meanwhile, our next field trip is July 23rd, a hike on Upper Lost Man Trail to look for ptarmigans and other alpine birds.

 

 

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide

Photo by Dale Armstrong