Seeing Blue at Bear Creek LP - Jefferson County

[Alison Kondler]

Went for a bike ride around Bear Creek Lake yesterday and saw many birds along the way. On the road, just east of Muskrat Meadow picnic area was the birdiest! There I saw a male blue grosbeak singing his heart out. Then 30 feet away, a male indigo doing the same. To fill in the rest of the chorus were yellow-breasted chat, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, cordilleran flycatcher, house wren, american and lesser goldfinch, western wood-pewee, western kingbird, vesper sparrow, says pheobe, mourning dove, broad-tailed hummingbird, blue-gray gnatcatcher, american robin, gray catbird, yellow warbler, spotted towhee and house finch!  What a wonderful day. 

For those interested, The indigo buntings may possibly be nesting in the trees just east of the picnic area close to the road. I've see the male singing there three times in the past week and a half.

Alison Kondler

Jefferson County