by Kristi Streiffert

At first, it’s just a walk along the river on a frosty morning. But a 15-minute walk along the Animas River Trail can also be a chance to become acquainted with the winter birds of Durango. From nuthatches and chickadees to herons and kingfishers, the riparian zone is a hot bed of feathered activity even in the cold.

Having a river flow through town means Durangoans get to see one of naturalist John Muir’s favorite birds just about any time in the winter: the American dipper. “It is the mountain streams’ own darling, the hummingbird of blooming waters,” wrote the Sierra Club founder.

Quiet passersby can usually catch a dipper or two (and hear their ringing call) between the Main Avenue bridge and the railroad bridge, starting in late fall when the river starts to freeze. Look for a black, robin-sized bird walking along the rocks, bobbing its tail, in search of insects. Despite their name, they vary their entrance, either diving headfirst or jumping in after their meal.

Trail users can almost always spot mallards in the water. Although not nearly as quirky as the dippers, they are worth a look, especially for kayakers or rafters because they use similar techniques to catch eddies.

Between the trail and the river, Huck Finn Pond, which almost never ices over, is a haven for wintering goldeneyes and other ducks. The male goldeneyes are obvious by their spotless white sides, which contrast with their glossy dark heads (really a deep green). They are known to hunters as “whistlers” – one of the few birds with a distinctive sound to their wings when they fly. Unlike the dabbling mallards, the goldeneyes are expert divers and might disappear for up to 20 seconds under water.

Occasionally along the river side of the path, great blue herons hunt. If it flies off when it spies a head popping up over the chamisa bushes, marvel at its 5-foot wingspan, amazed that a creature of such size (typically 4 feet tall) is hanging out right next to a bustling city path.

Back on the paved trail, it is not uncommon to see or hear the kingfisher. Familiar to Durangoans as the mascot of Durango Nature Studies, the kingfisher has a large head and shaggy crest that give it a “rascal” look.  And rightfully so. Feeding this greedy guy is your fishing license money. Yes, he is a hatchery thief, with a 24/7 buffet, but sometimes one can’t help but cheer him on as he catches a wriggling baby fish from the hatchery pool.

In the shrubs next to the fish hatchery, one can find anything from a song sparrow to a spotted towhee, but they are usually shy and elusive. In  the nearby trees and shrubs, it is easier to encounter a few black-capped chickadees – one of our more friendly species. With their bold black-and-white pattern and constant chitchat,  these little balls of caffeinated fluff are easy to spot and fun to watch.

White-breasted nuthatches can almost always be heard in the hatchery parking area, and once heard, they are usually easy to spot in the tall trees on either side of the road.  In his old-fashioned reference guide, Life Histories of Birds, A.C. Bent writes that nuthatches are monogamous and pairs are seldom far apart, which explains why you’ll often hear two birds at a time. They sound like a chickadee with a head cold – a cheerful, nasal bleating  – and no wonder: they spend most of their time head-down. This characteristic feeding position, climbing headfirst down tree trunks, is unique to nuthatches.

And there you have it, in only a few hundred yards, the opportunity on any given day to experience the kingfisher’s rattle, the goldeneye’s whistle and the dipper’s dive. The River Trail may never look, or sound, the same again.