Field Trip

Sixteen  people joined Tom Scribner for the 11th annual Turkey Trot today.  My records show 69 to be the lowest number of wild turkeys seen (in 2008). The record high was 365 in 2007. This year we saw 73. The average number seen is around 230.  Although we didn't see that many turkeys, we did see high numbers of California quail.  We found one long-eared owl and several great horned owls as well as many red-tailed hawks, a bald eagle, varied thrushes, Townsend's solitaires, and a Bohemian waxwing. Total bird species seen was 35. Deer were everywhere and we saw a large herd of elk.  It was a cold but sunny day, and a lot of fun to be out birding.

 

Bennington Lake In The Rain

It was very windy in the parking lot this morning when the Tuesday Walkers started, but we saw a dunlin and a least sandpiper in the mud with the killdeer so that was nice.  The wind abated, but then the rain came!  Some of us crossed the canal and headed back to the cars, while the rest trudged on in the rain and mud.  There were green-winged teals, mallards, northern shovelers, common mergansers and a horned grebe on the lake.  An adult bald eagle circled the lake a few time before it flew off to the east.  At least one Anna's hummingbird is still around and was at the feeder.  Twenty seven species today – not bad for a VERY wet outing.

Swans Over Bennington

Shortly after the Tuesday Morning Walkers gathered at Bennington Lake this morning three tundra swans flew towards the lake.  They were followed by 13 more – all of them calling.  What a beautiful sight!  They circled the lake for about 10 minutes before they decided to fly further south, but they were close enough to hear the sound of their wings as they flew over.  Later they flew back over much higher and didn't stop to circle.  While walking through the "owl grove" we watched a young Cooper's hawk harassing two different great horned owls.  At one point it dove on the owl with its talons down, but the owl just gave it a quick look and kept on sleeping.  There were two Anna's hummingbirds at MerryLynn's feeder.  Other nice birds seen were several singing

Townsend's solitaires, a northern shrike, a sharp-shinned hawk and a pectoral sandpiper.  There was a nice variety of waterfowl on the lake, but nothing unusual.  We saw a total of 33 species.