Morning Birding at Rock Bottom Ranch Species List | August 21, 2018

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Tuesday, August 21, 2018, 7:30AM – 10:30AM
Weather: Partly sunny, brief rain showers
Location: Rock Bottom Ranch and Rio Grande Trail

Species Identified
Canada Goose Mallard Rock Pigeon Eurasian Collared-Dove Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Golden Eagle Red-tailed Hawk Lewis’s Woodpecker Northern Flicker Western Wood-Pewee Cordilleran Flycatcher Western Kingbird Warbling Vireo Black-billed Magpie American Crow Violet-green Swallow		Northern Rough-winged Swallow Barn Swallow Black-capped Chickadee White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren American Robin Gray Catbird Cedar Waxwing House Finch Lesser Goldfinch Spotted Towhee Chipping Sparrow Song Sparrow Bullock’s Oriole Red-winged Blackbird Yellow Warbler Wilson’s Warbler Western Tanager Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting

Comments:

Bird activity this morning was very busy! Highlights were vocal families of Red-tailed Hawks and Ospreys, two juvenile Golden Eagles (white at base of tail was clearly visible and exciting to see!), and Northern Flickers.  We were able to study the subtle field marks of a juvenile Osprey: buffy ‘chevrons’ or feather edges of contour feathers and brown iris color. Many young birds were on the wing, including American Robins, Spotted Towhees, Warbling Vireos, and Bullock’s Orioles. A male Lazuli Bunting gave us another excellent study opportunity with straight-on, back, and side views of this distinctive species. Non-singing Warbling Vireos seemed to be flocking together, perhaps feeding as a group and preparing to migrate. Swallows were present, although in fairly low numbers as these birds are gradually departing the valley. We covered some basic field craft tips for new birders (most useful tip of the day: lock eyes on a bird, then bring binoculars up to eyes), and talked about the upcoming Yampa Valley Crane Festival next week in Steamboat Springs as a fun Colorado birding event to consider attending. Join us next Tuesday for Morning Birding at Hallam Lake!

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide 

 

Photo by Dale Armstrong