Bennington Lake Today

It was back to winter clothes this morning for our walk around the lake, and we had to wade across Cayuse Falls.  Fortunately the birds didn't seem to mind the cold.  There were over 200 violet-green swallows, about 20 tree swallows and 25 or so cliff swallows catching insects over the water.  The cliff swallows were also gathering mud to make their nests on the concrete structure in the lake.  Two ospreys were successfully fishing, while two coots, several mallards and three ring-necked ducks dotted the lake.  Black-capped chickadees were nest building at the south end of the lake and a red-shafted flicker was excavating a snag.   Two pair of northern harriers hunted the fields, and a Swainson's hawk soared overhead only to be dive-bombed by an American kestrel. The trees and shrubs near the parking lot were full of chickadees, Bewick's wrens, downy woodpeckers, song sparrows. white-crowned sparrows, juncos and yellow-rumped warblers. Next week should be even busier, especially if the weather warms up.