Last Saturday, we had a beautiful morning bird walk at Walden Ponds. The day started off chilly with frost clinging to the trees and ground, but as the sun rose, the chill melted away giving way to a warm early spring day.
We were immediately greeted by the rowdy calls of Red-winged Blackbirds who were fighting to stake their territory claims in the cattails. Moving away from the water, we heard the first Song Sparrow songs of the season for nearly the whole group. This was an exciting moment as their song is a sure sign that spring is truly beginning to take hold in the Front Range.
As we continued our walk, we admired a collection of dabbling and diving ducks spread throughout the ponds. When we reached one of the larger ponds in Walden, we found a great mix of Ring-necked ducks, Mallards, and both Cackling and Canada geese swimming and foraging. A highlight among this mixed raft was a small group of Common Goldeneye that were actively engaged in courtship displays and copulation. To continue to add to the theme of early spring this morning, we observed what could have been the first Great-blue herons inspecting nests in an old rookery across the pond. Witnessing the possible first return of herons to the rookery for their breeding season was an exciting moment for everyone.
As we made our way down the trail, a very vocal female Belted Kingfisher caught our attention. She perched beautifully in the morning light and gave us a front row seat to a successful hunt. Everyone enjoyed watching and photographing this exceptionally charismatic individual.
For our last stop, we searched for Walden Ponds’ frequently spotted Eastern Screech-Owl. Unfortunately, the owl eluded us that morning — perhaps tucked away for a mid-morning nap. But nature always finds a way to offer surprises, and as we headed back toward our cars, a small flock of Cedar Waxwings passed overhead, their sharp calls adding a final high note to an already wonderful morning.
Though our bird list for the day totaled only 25 species, our walk was packed with early spring behaviors of singing, courtship, and other subtle shifts marking the changing of the seasons. With the warming weather ahead, I hope everyone has the chance to step outside this week to soak in early spring, and maybe even witness a few seasonal wonders of their own.
You can view our full trip list here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S217268120
Comments
Write Comment