Morning Birding at Rock Bottom Ranch Species List | September 18, 2018
Tuesday, September 18, 2018, 8AM - 11AM
Location: Rock Bottom Ranch & Rio Grande Trail
Weather: Mostly sunny
| Species Identified |
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Cooper's Hawk
Lewis's Woodpecker
Red-naped Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Western Wood-Pewee
Plumbeous Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Bushtit
House Wren
American Robin
Sage Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
Brewer's Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow Warbler |
Comments:
The bird activity this fall has been fabulous, with a rich abundance and diversity of species. The key to finding bonanzas of birds is locating rich concentrations of food sources - that is where the birds will be during this time of intense foraging as birds are molting, dispersing, and migrating. We found birds such as White-crowned Sparrows, Lincoln's Sparrows, Song Sparrows, House Finches, and goldfinches at gardens and weedy areas where seeds and insects were abundant, as well as Cedar Waxwings, Northern Flickers, and Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays in mountain shrubland habitats loaded with chokecherries, serviceberries, acorns, and other rich foods. Cottonwood trees and other deciduous trees and shrubs were busy with vireos, chickadees, and sapsuckers. At Rock Bottom Ranch, these habitats are in close proximity to water, making them true hotspots for birds. Special highlights today were a flock of about 20 Bushtits and an immature Sage Thrasher. We were also able to study four species of sparrows and four species of woodpeckers, providing a great chance to learn their different field marks. Join us for Morning Birding next Tuesday, September 25th at 8am at Hallam Lake!
~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide
Photo by Dale Armstrong
