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Killdeer
Plains WA &
Big Island WA Trip
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Four members braved the rainy day to travel the roads of
Killdeer Plains and Big Island wildlife refuges in search of
winter migrants. The recent warmer temperatures had melted most
of the ice and snow leaving the ponds completely open. (So
that's what they look like without ice!) Driving the unpaved
roads was an adventure - felt like sand surfing. The early mild
weather seemed to have afforded many of the raptors an open
window for returning north. Absent from the area were
Rough-legged Hawks and both Short and Long-eared Owls. Also
hiding from the cold, damp weather were the usual woodpeckers
and other resident passerines.
However, we had great views of displaying Meadowlarks and Hooded
Mergansers, along with Bald Eagles grappling midair. Northern
Harriers put on a good show. On the ponds were Tundra Swans, and
large numbers of Pintails, Ring-necked Ducks and Hooded
Mergansers.
Species List
Canada Geese
Trumpeter Swan
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Redhead
Northern Pintail
Hooded Merganser
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Red Tailed Hawk
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Kestrel
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Blue Jay
Crow
Horned Lark
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Song Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
House (English) Sparrow
Report
and photo courtesy of Eileen Zimlich
Page last updated on
Tuesday March 16, 2010
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