Morning Birding Species List | February 4, 2020

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Tuesday, February 4, 2020, 8AM – 11AM
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 8 degrees F – 14 degrees F
Location: Glory Hole Park and West Buttermilk Road
 

Species Identified

Canada Goose Gadwall Mallard Green-winged Teal Eurasian Collared-Dove Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Steller’s Jay Black-billed Magpie American Crow Black-capped Chickadee Mountain Chickadee Pygmy Nuthatch American Dipper Brown-capped Rosy-Finch House Sparrow

 

Comments:

The short species lists of winter birding outings simply cannot convey the many special moments experienced along the snowy trails today! With open views free of summer foliage and the largely white backdrop of snow and winter sky, birds “pop” visually, with vivid colors and interesting behaviors. Today’s highlights on this cold, wintry morning included: male mallards giving high, thin whistle calls along with an upward head movement (one of their breeding display behaviors); the spectacular, iridescent colors of green-winged teal and mallards; seeing an American dipper in flight fairly high above ground through a forest on its way from one body of water to another; a pygmy nuthatch that flew to a tree trunk about 5 feet from our group, giving us an up-close, binocular-free view; hairy and downy woodpeckers foraging together for excellent comparisons; and a single brown-capped rosy-finch. During our indoor lessons with tea to help us thaw out, we learned about the Finch Forecast and birding at the American Prairie Reserve. Join us for the next Morning Birding outing on Tuesday, March 3rd at Hallam Lake!

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide 

 

Photo by Dale Armstrong