Western Kingbirds at Bennington Lake

The western kingbirds have returned to Bennington Lake.  We saw two on our walk this morning.  In addition, the house wrens are back in good numbers (they returned last week) and are singing all around the lake.  There were two ospreys successfully fishing this morning along with many fishermen.  Two great horned owl chicks watched us from the parking lot.  We didn't see mom, but I'm sure she was close by.  Waterfowl was scarce – 13 northern shovelers, one coot and one canada goose.  The water is VERY high so there weren't any shorebirds other than a pair of killdeer.  There were lots of cliff swallows and tree swallows and one northern rough-winged swallow.  A big black cloud came over as we started our walk, but it only rained briefly.  Nothing like the unbelievable lightning storm we had last night.  It's spring, so you never know what the weather will bring, but the birds are coming back, so all is well with the world!  Ginger

Hummingbirds

We have had both CALLIOPE and RUFOUS hummingbirds at our feeders this morning.  It's time to get those feeders up and enjoy these little visitors.

Ginger

Spring Migrants Field Trip

It was sunny and warm day – a perfect day for a field trip.  We found Swainson's hawks in many locations, ospreys on McDonald Road and Highway 12, black-necked stilts on Frog Hollow Road and at Tyson Ponds, American avocets, over a hundred Caspian terns and a glaucous gull at the Delta, barn swallows and a western kingbird on the Lowden/Gardena Road, an Eurasian wigeon and a great egret at Tyson Ponds, great horned owls and chicks in several locations, barn owls on Dodd Road, swarms of cliff swallows on Byrnes Road, a large flock of bank swallows on Frog Hollow, northern rough-winged swallows in several places....the list goes on.  Thanks to all of you for a fun day.  Ginger

The American Avocets have returned

On April 9, there were two American avocets at the Wallula Junction overlook and another three at the Walla Walla River Delta.  Today their numbers had increased to eight.  There also was a pair of cinnamon teal on Casey pond today.  On April 9, there were 14 black-necked stilts at Bennington Lake, but they only stuck around that day.  Returning swallows now include northern rough-winged, tree, cliff and violet-green.  The osprey have begun rebuilding their nest along Highway 12 near Lowden, and there was a pair checking out the two platforms on McDonald Road.  It won't be long before hummingbirds return, so it's time to put up the feeders.   Ginger

Bennington Lake Osprey

There were two ospreys at the lake this morning.  We watched one successfully catch a fish on three different occasions.  How fun to watch it dive straight down from high above, go completely underwater, and come back up with a fish it its talons.  I think it was more successful than the many fishermen lining the shoreline.  The lake is once again full – so full that there were rapids along the canal and the water at the "Cayuse Falls" crossing was ankle high.  There were three varieties of swallows today – tree, violet green and cliff.  Two Townsend's solitaires were still hanging around, but they won't be around much longer.  Black-capped chickadees were nest building and Bewick's wrens were loudly defending territory.  Waterfowl today included northern shoveler, mallard, green-winged teal, American wigeon and canada goose.  A greater yellowlegs made a brief appearance when I first arrived at the parking lot.  Near the parking lot was a yellow-rumped warbler in full breeding plumage.  I can hardly wait for all the warblers to arrive! Ginger

Ospreys at Bennington Lake

They are back!  There was one osprey circling the lake calling, and one sitting on a snag looking very haggard from the long trip.  There still isn't much water in the lake, but there were ducks galore today – 88 American wigeons, 7 mallards, 8 canada geese, 1 gadwall, 1 bufflehead, 1 redhead, 10 green-winged teal and 9 northern shovelers.  There were also shorebirds – 2 greater yellowlegs, 1 dunlin and 5 killdeer.  A pair of tree swallows was sitting on one of the nest boxes and there were lots of violet-green swallows.  One actually posed for us.  A Townsend's solitaire was flycatching by the bench on the east side of the lake and an adult bald eagle flew over.  The northern harrier pair put on aerial displays and were joined by a young male northern harrier and a red-tailed hawk at one point.  The elusive great horned owls were just that – not to be found today.  We saw 33 species today.  Hopefully this is the beginning of spring migration.  Ginger