Birding the Chalk Creek Fish Hatchery near Buena Vista

I didn't get to post yesterday because I attended our state Audubon conference at Mt Princeton Hot Springs Resort just south of Buena Vista and get back to my motel room until almost 11 pm. This morning I led a post conference field trip around the area. I will report tonight on the first location we birded, the Chalk Creek Fish Hatchery.

Fish Hatcheries are often good locations for birding as they provide (or enhance already exisiting) riparian areas that draw many birds. At Chalk Creek Fish Hatchery this morning, we saw a good variety of birds. There were two Black-crowned Night-Herons, one being a juvenile (indicating breeding in the area and likely in the trees around the hatchery). There were three warbler species around the willows--Yellow, Orange-crowned and Wilson's Warblers.

We also saw three species of sparrows-Chipping, Song and Savannah. Two flycatcher species sallied about--Western Wood-Pewee and an "empid species" (it is very difficult to id emphidonax flycatchers in the fall as they are often silent, as this bird was, and they are most reliably separated by calls). We had only 2 swallow species at this location--Violet-green and Tree Swallows.

8-10 Great Blue Herons were in the area, one perched on the tip-top of a deciduous tree like a Christmas tree ornament. At least 1 Belted Kingfisher worked the fishery ponds while a few Red-winged Blackbirds hung out nearby. In the many trees surrounding the fishery we found a White-breasted Nuthatch and a Downy Woodpecker. Nearby was a House Wren. And a Brown-headed Cowbird flew out of the area, probably having laid its eggs in the nests of unsuspecting birds.

I will report on the rest of this morning's field trip tomorrow and maybe be able to upload some photos from it.
SeEtta