A Beautiful Morning

Hooded Merganser pair, Photo by Footwarrior, Wikimedia Commons

I haven't really been out much, but decided to get out this morning--it was just too beautiful to be inside all day.

On my way from the house, I decided to take a quick tour through Rosemont Cemetery. I don't know why I still go through there since they cleared out the side area where I used to see the turkeys. Really nothing much to see there as a rule.  Typical birds seen this morning were: pigeon, blue jay and mockingbird.

I then drove to the Lake Wichita spillway and the boat ramp. Much more productive. Of course, the water is still very low, although there is a little more water there now than the last time I was there. The ducks are back. One of my favorite birds, hooded merganser, was present. There were 5 birds on the lake that I saw. I also

American pipit. Photo by Jonathan Hornung via Wikimedia Commons

saw my first American pipits of the year. These birds are usually heard first. I heard one and then saw one flitting across the ground. Once it lands, you will notice the bird bobbing its tail.

I then drove down Rathgeber Rd. There was nothing in the tanks along that road. I took a quick pass by Stone Lake, noting a few gadwall and some northern shoveler. I then went through Crestview cemetery. The best birds there were some wigeon and ring-necked ducks.

Overall, a pretty good morning. Glad I decided to get outdoors. Here's a summary of all birds seen this morning: ring-billed gull, solitary sandpiper, sanderling, killdeer, greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, hooded merganser, mallard duck, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, blue-winged teal, gadwall, American wigeon, Canada goose, American kestrel, red-tailed hawk, Eurasian collared dove, rock pigeon, blue jay, American robin, American pipit, northern mockingbird, phoebe, meadowlark sp., red-winged blackbird, great-tailed grackle, European starling, white-crowned sparrow, house sparrow.

Good birding!

FAB-u-lous Morning

This morning I was ambivalent about where to bird, but finally decided to go for waterfowl at Lake Wichita. I ended up having a pretty good birding morning all the way around. Of course, I forgot my camera at home, so a word picture will have to do. The weather was cool, but sunny and there wasn't any wind, so very comfortable.

I started at Lake Wichita Park, along the chat trail, back to the barrow pit, then across the bridge and up behind the wooded area that runs parallel to the chat trail. It seemed at first it would be a very quiet morning, but it didn't stay that way. The winter birds are definitely back. Today I saw my first of season white-crowned sparrow, savannah sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler, northern harrier, greater yellowlegs and spotted towhee.

Near the bridge I heard an odd sound near the beaver dam, so went down into the brush to see if I could find what was making the noise. I didn't find out, but did have an interesting observation. I ended up in the middle of a flock of nearly a dozen cardinals and heard them making a kind of chuffing noise I have never noted before. I haven't found a recording like it yet.

Birds seen included: ring-billed gull, Eastern phoebe, white-crowned sparrow, Bewick's wren, blue jay, cardinal, American coot, ruddy duck, green-winged teal, bufflehead, American wigeon, canvasback, song sparrow, red-winged blackbird, house finch, yellow-rumped warbler, savannah sparrow, common grackle, mockingbird, rock pigeon, robin, spotted towhee, great blue heron, red-tailed hawk, Eurasian collared dove, European starling, and great-tailed grackle. I also had a chance to watch a white-tailed deer for some time.

I then drove by Rosemont Cemetery on the way to the spillway. I occasionally see turkeys there and this morning was one of my lucky days. I saw two turkeys walking among the headstones in an otherwise quiet cemetery.

Then headed over to the Lake Wichita spillway and walked up for a view over the lake and then down along the dirt road on the opposite side of the dam, between the drainage ditch and the mesquite fields. There I saw European starlings, eastern phobe, meadowlarks (unidentified species), great blue heron, blue jay, killdeer, white pelican, ring-billed gull, double-crested cormorant, greater yellowlegs, mallard, semi-palmated sandpiper, northern harrier, lark sparrow, savannah sparrow, mourning dove, rock pigeon, dark-eyed junco, white-winged dove, and cattle egret.

So overall a good morning.

Good birding!