A small group of us headed out to Colter Bay to hike to Swan Lake and Heron Pond. The hike was a great success, as we not only had ideal birding conditions, but also the entirety of the hike to ourselves. The full list of what we saw is posted below.
The hike started off slow as common ravens, dark-eyed juncos, and mountain chickadees were all that showed themselves. Sure enough, however, things began to turn around once we reached Swan Lake. Highlights included a pair of Williamson’s Sapsuckers, a juvenile Hooded Merganser, and a pair of Wood Ducks.
Birds Seen at Colter Bay
- Canada Goose (5)
- Wood Duck (2)
- American Wigeon (1)
- Mallard (2)
- Redhead (1)
- Ring-Necked Duck (11)
- Hooded Merganser (1)
- Pied-Billed Grebe (2)
- American Coot (18)
- Sandhill Crane (2)
- Double-Crested Cormorant (4)
- Great Blue Heron (1)
- Osprey (1)
- Bald Eagle (1)
- Belted Kingfisher (1)
- Williamson’s Sapsucker (2)
- Hairy Woodpecker (3)
- Western Wood-Pewee (1)
- Canada Jay (4)
- Common Raven (4)
- Mountain Chickadee (3)
- Red-Breasted Nuthatch (2)
- American Robin (1)
- Dark-Eyed Junco (18)
- Lincoln’s Sparrow (10)
