Bennington Lake today

 

Birding started out slow for the Bennington Lake Tuesday walkers today, but picked up after the rain quit and the birds came out.  We watched a Cooper's hawk harassing a long-eared owl, got great looks at a pair of great horned owls, and enjoyed several black-capped chickadees, downy woodpeckers, ruby-crowned kinglets and a Bewick's wren all pecking at the galls on the rose bushes.  Male common mergansers dotted the lake with their black and white plumage, while the females swan alongside looking rather regal with their deep rusty crested heads. A flock of goldfinches flew into a tree along the canal and we were surprised at how bright yellow they were.  Some even had their black foreheads.  Could spring really be coming?  It was a little muddy in spots but all-in-all it was a good walk.    Ginger