Tag: Boulder

January 14, 2023 Bird Walk to Sandstone Ranch with Aron Smolley

Posted on January 16, 2023 by - Bird Walks, Blog

Saturday, January 14th Bird Walk: Sandstone Ranch with Aron Smolley

Kicking off 2023 with our first bird walk of the year, we returned to Sandstone Ranch and its variable habitats to boost our year list with some diversity. Although our target bird- the northern shrike- and several of the expected species, such as American tree sparrow and belted kingfisher, eluded us today, there was some interesting bird activity, and a great time was had by all.

Ferruginous Hawk chasing immature Bald Eagle. Photo by Jamie Simo.

Canada and cackling geese were numerous as we made our way from the parking lot towards the riparian area. A ball of horned larks swooped and swirled around the hills to our left and a downy woodpecker flew overhead. A pair of American kestrels caught our attention with their high-pitched calls, and everyone was able to view them through our Zeiss spotting scope. A great blue heron flew by while blue jays and mourning doves flitted about the trees over the creek. As soon as we crossed the first bridge, we had a burst of action from two immature bald eagles and a ferruginous hawk all chasing each other. From the smell we assumed there must have been an animal carcass nearby- soon after we discovered a deceased goose on the island in the river. We spent some time scanning for water birds and had one common goldeneye and one common merganser among the ubiquitous mallards and Canada geese.

Northern Harrier eating a goose carcass. Photo by Jamie Simo.

The highlight of today by far was the female northern harrier that gave me my closest view of this bird to date! She flew directly in front of us, low and slow and in perfect lighting. The cherry on top was that she descended upon the dead goose, and everyone got to witness the graphic spectacle of her feeding upon it. HPAI concerns aside, this was quite fascinating to observe through a high-powered scope. It’s not every day you get to see a northern harrier perched on the ground, much less eating prey.

From that spot we also had quite a few other raptors; mostly immature bald eagles (at one point we had seven individuals in one field of view!) as well as several red-tailed hawks, all very different plumages. A couple of white-tailed deer made their presence known as we started heading back to the parking lot. We stopped a few more times for western meadowlarks, song and white-crowned sparrow, and a gigantic adult bald eagle flyover. Final species for the day was a gang of wild turkeys that followed us out and prompted a hilarious conversation about collective nouns for animals. All in all, another successful bird walk. Happy new year everyone and happy birding!

Bird List:

Canada goose: ~200

Cackling goose: ~50

Mallard:~50

Common goldeneye: 1

Common merganser: 1

Great blue heron: 1

Downy woodpecker: 1 

Northern flicker: 1

American kestrel: 2

Mourning dove: 5

Rock pigeon: 6

Blue jay: 8

Bald eagle: 8

Ferruginous hawk: 1

Red tailed hawk: 4

Northern harrier: 2

American crow:10

Wild turkey: 7

Horned lark: ~20

Song sparrow: 2

White crowned sparrow: 5

American goldfinch: 1

October 8, 2022 Bird Walk to White Rocks Trail with Aron Smolley

Posted on October 8, 2022 by - Bird Walks, Blog

We could not have asked for a more magical day to spend birding for today’s walk along the White Rocks Trail. Our group showed up raring to go and we set off down the trail; black-capped chickadees, American goldfinches, and spotted towhees greeted us as we walked by. The sound of a belted kingfisher reached our ears and, sure enough, we spotted it perch hunting over the riparian area towards the beginning of the trail.

As the morning mist dissipated, we came across a very cooperative red-tailed hawk perched in a snag right by the trail and everyone got excellent views of its field marks through the Zeiss Gavia spotting scope. Further along, we started hearing killdeer and, sure enough, we looked up and observed a group of 5 migrating overhead.

Female Wood Duck. Photo by Jamie Simo.

At the first pond, we watched a northern harrier zoom past as an osprey ate its breakfast of fish on a post. An American white pelican showed up as we glassed over the waterfowl on the pond- a surprise treat for all of us. Other birds of note on the pond included a cackling goose, a cooperative pair of great-blue herons, a couple of pied-billed grebes, and 8 beautiful wood ducks- including one stunning male perched up in a tree. Ring-billed gulls chased each other over the pond and gadwalls gathered in the water.

Merlin. Photo by Jamie Simo

We continued along the trail through the prairie dog down and were lucky enough to find a merlin perched on a fence post- this tiny falcon definitely had the songbirds on edge. As the sun warmed us up, red-tailed hawks, bald eagles, a Cooper’s hawk, and another osprey soared overhead on thermals, while a second northern harrier perched calmly on a post in the distance. The last noteworthy bird of the day was a white-throated sparrow, which is always fun to see this far west.

Young raccoon. Photo by Aron Smolley.

We also got our cute mammal of the day- a young raccoon peering down at us from high up in a tree! After all was said and done we tallied 34 species total (2 lifers for some of the participants!) in just under 4 hours.  This trail area is definitely an underrated birding hotspot and I will definitely be returning here for future walks.

White Rocks Trail area, Boulder, Colorado, US Oct 8, 2022 8:05 AM – 12:05 PM

34 species

Cackling Goose  1     Observed in scope in water by 9 birders.

Canada Goose  13

Wood Duck  8

Gadwall  20

American Wigeon  1

Mallard  10

Pied-billed Grebe  2

Killdeer  5

Ring-billed Gull  2

American White Pelican  3

Great Blue Heron  3

Osprey  2     One perched and one flying over it.

Northern Harrier  2

Cooper’s Hawk  1

Bald Eagle  2

Red-tailed Hawk  5

Belted Kingfisher  1

Downy Woodpecker  1

Northern Flicker  4

Merlin  1

Blue Jay  5

Black-billed Magpie  5

American Crow  1

Black-capped Chickadee  3

European Starling  25

American Robin  7

American Goldfinch  4

Chipping Sparrow  3

White-crowned Sparrow  9

White-throated Sparrow  1

Spotted Towhee  2

Red-winged Blackbird  6

Common Grackle  2

Yellow-rumped Warbler  1

September 10th Bird Walk at Sandstone Ranch with Aron Smolley

Posted on September 20, 2022 by - Bird Walks, Blog

                The weather was cold and wet this morning but the upbeat attitudes and great conversation made this walk very pleasant and fun. We started off the day with some American goldfinches feasting on wild sunflowers, and even though they were flitting about we still managed to get everyone some good views of the male with his bright yellow feathers starting to fade into his more drab winter plumage. In fact, we get asked all the time in the store if goldfinches migrate, but the truth is, goldfinches are found in Boulder County year round- only in winter they are in disguise!

American Goldfinch in drab winter plumage. Photo by Jamie Simo.

As we continued down the hill towards the bridge, lots of wet birds were seen through the scope- northern flickers, American kestrels, mourning doves, and even a pair of adult bald eagles with their highly vocal juvenile offspring. We were also treated to a flock of blue-winged teal, a belted kingfisher, and a solitary sandpiper, all viewed from the first bridge. Further along we had a great blue heron, cliff and barn swallows, and a double crested cormorant. We finished off the day with a Cooper’s hawk at a distance- this provided us with a great opportunity to practice raptor identification.

Solitary Sandpiper. Photo by Aron Smolley.

Although on this walk we didn’t see that many species, a good time was still had by all. At the very least it was a great demonstration of the high performance of the Zeiss Gavia spotting scope even on a rainy day, still providing us crisp detail and bright colors despite the low light due to the sky being overcast. Come visit our Boulder location to try out the Gavia for yourselves!

Bird list:

American goldfinch

Northern Flicker

Mourning dove

Belted Kingfisher

American Robin

Gray Catbird
Mallard

Canada Goose

Blue winged teal

Blue jay

Bald Eagle

Solitary Sandpiper

Great blue heron

Cliff Swallow

Barn Swallow

Double Crested Cormorant

Ring-billed Gull

Cooper’s hawk

Old St. Vrain Road, August 13, 2022–with Jamie Simo

Posted on August 23, 2022 by - Bird Walks, Blog

Old Saint Vrain Road in Lyons, Colorado is a gem for birders owing to the fact that it is what is known as an “ecotone.” An ecotone is a transition zone between one habitat and another and tends to be very biologically active because of that mixing. Old Saint Vrain transitions between riparian, rocky cliffs, and drier hillside with shrubs and Ponderosa pine and birds from all three habitats can be found here.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Photo by Jamie Simo.

On Saturday the 13th we met at the adjacent Picture Rock Trail parking lot for Heil Valley Ranch then walked the short distance down to Old Saint Vrain Road. The scrubby environs around the parking lot are ideal for Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, which we heard, but didn’t see. These small blue-gray (hence the name) birds are slightly smaller than a Bushtit with longer legs and bill and a tail they tend to hold up like a wren. They have a conspicuous white eye-ring and make a distinctive scratchy squeak call.

One of the houses along Old Saint Vrain Road has bird feeders up all year long and, in late summer, can play host to all four species of hummingbirds likely to be seen in Colorado. Along with the usual Broad-tailed and Black-chinned Hummingbirds, which breed along the Front Range, we saw one female Rufous Hummingbird.

Adult male Blue Grosbeak. Photo by Jamie Simo.

Along with the usual cohort of Wild Turkeys, including some young of the year, the highlights of the morning were probably the Blue Grosbeaks and Lazuli Buntings. We had a spectacularly deep blue Blue Grosbeak male singing his heart out as well as what I mistakenly labeled an adult male molting into duller winter plumage. I’ve since discovered that, upon reaching adulthood, male Blue Grosbeaks retain their blue feathers all year. Therefore, the reddish-brown bird we saw was either a first year male not yet in adult plumage or a female. Grosbeaks are named for their big, conical beaks (gros=large), which they use to crack seeds.

Immature male or adult female Lazuli Bunting. Photo by Jamie Simo.

Like their relative the Blue Grosbeak, Lazuli Buntings can also be found in shrubby open areas. The males remind me of sherbet with their orange, white, and electric blue coloring. We had a quick glimpse of an adult male along with better views of a either a young male or a female, which was more cinnamon-hued with hints of blue.

Old Saint Vrain Road never disappoints, even during the dog days of summer! In all we had 32 species.

Old Saint Vrain Rd

32 species (+1 other taxa)

  • Wild Turkey  8
  • Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  6
  • Eurasian Collared-Dove  2
  • Mourning Dove  2
  • Black-chinned Hummingbird  2
  • Rufous Hummingbird  1
  • Broad-tailed Hummingbird  10
  • Red-tailed Hawk  1
  • Downy Woodpecker  1
  • Northern Flicker  1
  • Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted)  1
  • Western Wood-Pewee  3
  • Cordilleran Flycatcher  1
  • Say’s Phoebe  1
  • Blue Jay  5
  • Black-capped Chickadee  4
  • Barn Swallow  2
  • White-breasted Nuthatch  1
  • Pygmy Nuthatch  1
  • Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
  • House Wren  2
  • European Starling  1
  • Gray Catbird  4
  • American Robin  1
  • Cedar Waxwing  12
  • House Finch  9
  • Lesser Goldfinch  7
  • American Goldfinch  4
  • Spotted Towhee  1
  • Yellow-breasted Chat  1
  • Western Tanager  1
  • Blue Grosbeak  2
  • Lazuli Bunting  3

Sawhill Ponds, June 7, 2022–with Patrick Morgan

Posted on June 14, 2022 by - Bird Walks, Blog

The bird walk on June 7 was at Sawhill Ponds, a City of Boulder property. The former gravel mines turned wetland ponds offer great year-round birding opportunities. The summer breeding season brings many migrants to the area looking for good nesting spots and plenty of insect prey. With the sun rising earlier this time of year, we met around 7:30 am to get a glimpse of the birds before the heat of the day began. 

We set off heading west along the main path that goes around the perimeter of Sawhill Ponds. The first part of our walk offered brief glimpses at Yellow Warblers, Bullock’s Orioles, and plenty of Red-winged Blackbirds. With the leaves on the trees fully grown out at this point in the season, it can be pretty difficult to spot a bird, even one as bright as a Bullock’s Oriole. Often we would have to rely on our hearing and knowledge of the various bird songs. The Merlin Bird app and its sound recognition feature works very well for one who is not too accustomed to the different songs and can help immensely in learning them.

Snowy Egret. Photo by Patrick Morgan.

After working out some of the different songs, we stopped by one of the first ponds north of the trail, which is officially called Sawhill Pond No. 3. Here we got some good looks at a Snowy Egret, which has been hanging out at this pond for the past couple of weeks. Our patient watching was even rewarded by catching a glimpse of the bird catching a fish! As we stood there watching the Egret, a Great Blue Heron swooped in, along with a pair of Spotted Sandpipers and Killdeer. These shorebirds are some of the few that stick around here for the summer, as most species of shorebird head to the far north to breed. 

Farther down the trail, a pair of Eastern Kingbirds caught our attention. Kingbirds are easy to spot around here, for they often perch out in the open on a mullein stalk or branch, and from there they sally forth to catch a passing insect. As we watched the Kingbirds, a seemingly endless stream of bird song caught our attention. This song belonged to the Gray Catbird, a somewhat non-descriptive looking bird but one with lots of personality. Catbirds belong to the mimid family, a group of birds that are known for their ability to imitate other songs and even man-made noises. We were also able to hear the Catbird’s cat-like “mew” call, which is how they received their common name. 

Eastern Kingbird. Photo by Patrick Morgan.

Near the singing Catbird, we stopped to view the Osprey nesting platform. Osprey have taken advantage of the numerous fish-stocked ponds that have been built over the years and can be found all over Boulder County. This mated pair seemed to be doing especially well, for we spotted two (maybe three) nestlings sitting with their parents. 

We attempted to complete the perimeter loop, but as we neared the cottonwood grove on the western edge of the property, we were met with obnoxious noise from nearby gravel mining as well as hordes of mosquitoes. Make sure to bring plenty of bug spray if you head to this part of the trail! Instead, we headed back the way we came to head back to the trailhead. On the way we were stopped by a singing Common Yellowthroat. These birds can be very difficult to spot, as they like to stay hidden amongst the cattails. While attempting to spot the singing bird, we heard a different call, which was unlike any other bird we had heard. Much to our delight, it was Virginia Rail! These are very secretive birds that rarely leave the cover of the cattails, but some of us were lucky enough to spot this one. Our patient watching was rewarded even further by a glimpse of the singing Yellowthroat.

Sawhill Ponds is a Boulder birding gem that offers great chances to see a multitude of species (over 200 recorded on eBird). If one is willing to rise early on a summer day, brave the hordes of mosquitoes, and the noise from planes and construction, you will be rewarded with some of the best birds Boulder County has to offer.

Taxa 

Canada Goose 

Wood Duck

Mallard

Mourning Dove

Virginia Rail

Killdeer

Spotted Sandpiper

Great Blue Heron

Snowy Egret

Turkey Vulture

Osprey

Northern Flicker

Eastern Kingbird

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Barn Swallow

House Wren

Gray Catbird

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Song Sparrow

Bullock’s Oriole

Red-winged Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Common Yellowthroat

Yellow Warbler