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Broken Bow Water Treatment Plant (2 Viewers)

tim.birdboy

Well-known member
I've unofficially decided that the City of Broken Bow Water Treatment Plant will be my local patch.:-O They are 4 500' square lakes, surrounded with "chunks" of broken concrete and brick, so not much shorebird habitat:-C

Wednesday, August 29th - arrived at 17:40, stayed for 20 minutes. Limited view, as I haven't gotten permission to enter the plant. Saw 10 species:

EDIT: After reviewing a photo, I have changed the identification of the Blue-winged Teals to Northern Shoveler.

Rock Pigeon - ~30
Mourning Dove - 1
Eastern Kingbird - 12
Western Kingbird - 3
Barn Swallow - ~18
"Yellow-shafted" Northern Flicker - 1
Western Meadowlark - 1, juvenile
Northern Shoveler- 8, male/eclipse, female
Wood Duck - 1, male
Killdeer - 1

Not a terribly good start, but like I said, my view was very limited. :-O I'll post the official list next.;)
 
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SPECIES LIST:

1. Rock Pigeon
2. Mourning Dove
3. Eastern Kingbird
4. Western Kingbird
5. Barn Swallow
6. Northern Flicker "Yellow-shafted"
7. Western Meadowlark
8. Northern Shoveler
9. Wood Duck
10. Killdeer

I'll edit and add as soon as I see anything new. ;)
 
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Hello! So sorry I haven't posted, I just FINALLY got permission today, to thoroughly scour the treatment lagoons for birds, as I please. Yay!

I'm going to try a different format:

This afternoon from 4:00-4:45, I finally stepped into my unofficial patch for the first time! I was immediately startled by a juvenile Northern Shoveler who wasn't brave enough to take off in flight. As I walked along the path, between Lake 1 and 2, some curious feeding Barn Swallows swooped around me. On the North fenceline, I found 25+ more Barn Swallows preening and socializing. Mixed in with these swallows were two Savannah Sparrows, new for the patch. As I headed East, towards Lake 3, I found 8 Blue-winged Teal, new for the patch, and more shovelers. A Spotted Sandpiper, another new, flew up right around here too. I was almost to Lake 4 when a very plain gray bird flew up onto the fence. White edges to the tail made it clearly a Vesper Sparrow, new for the patch, and a LIFER!!! I got to Lake 4 when a low-flying raptor caught my eye. I juuust got a glimpse of cinnamon underparts, and a bright white rump. A juvenile Northern Harrier, another LIFER!!! On Lake 4 I found more teal (Blue-winged) and shovelers, as well as 3 Ruddy Ducks, yet ANOTHER LIFER!!! A female Mallard flew up, new for the patch, sounding her very loud alarm. As she landed, she was joined by an American Coot, some more teal, and a Pied-billed Grebe. The coot and grebe were both new for the patch.

I'll update the list, maybe I'll stop by tomorrow evening!

EDIT: Oops, I forgot to mention the Red-tailed Hawk pair I saw, and the Turkey Vulture, and the Swainson's Hawk, that were also new for the patch. :p Sorry!
 
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Oops, I see that I cannot edit the list. :-( Here are the additions:

11. Blue-winged Teal
12. Savannah Sparrow
13. Red-tailed Hawk
14. Spotted Sandpiper
15. Vesper Sparrow
16. Mallard
17. Ruddy Duck
18. Northern Harrier
19. American Coot
20. Pied-billed Grebe
21. Swainson's Hawk
22. Turkey Vulture
 
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Tim, I was quite surprised to see that you observed Eastern and Western Kingbirds!

Here in northwest Missouri I have not seen any Western Kingbirds for about ten days. The Eastern Kingbirds seem to have left our area a couple of days ago.

Normally I see these two species just about everyday that I go out birding durning the summer months.

Edit:
Oops! I see that you saw them in August! My mistake!
 
Yeah, Spring through late Summer, both Eastern and Western Kingbirds are everywhere. But, as you said, they have all left by now. :( I haven't seen an Eastern for about a week, and about 2 weeks for the Westerns.

It's cool to live practically on the 100th meridian, you get Eastern and Western species in the same place. Eastern/Say's Phoebes are a good example! ;)
 
Sorry it has taken me so long to post, I've been to the lagoons twice. Here is a brief summary of each visit:

10/4/07

18:30-20:30

Around sunset, I walked around each lake. It was a bit late, birds were going to roost. New for the patch were: Redhead, 6 on Lake 1; Green-winged Teal, 30 throughout all the lakes; Downy Woodpecker, one heard; Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler FOS, 8+ in the trees on the south edge; Strangely, European Starling was new, 200+ birds on the power lines; Song Sparrow, 2 adults fighting near the YRWA; White-crowned Sparrow, 1 juv on north edge; AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, 4 circling to land, very unusual for this small of a body of water. 8 new species for the patch, as well as one lifer (!!!) for me, Redhead!

10/07/07

14:30-15:00

It was extremely chilly and windy, but I walked around each of the lakes. Despite the cold, a lot of birds were out. Most everything was normal, Blue and Green-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, Ruddy Ducks, more Redheads, some American Coots. I also had GREAT looks at an American Pipit, new for the patch. It was about 10 ft. away from me on a fence post, calling and vigorously bobbing its tail. My hands were quite stiff as I was almost done with my rounds, and I overlooked a "supposed" Pied-billed Grebe. As I got nearer, I decided to just confirm, and it turned out to be a non-breeding Eared Grebe!!! New for the patch, and new for me! There was no mistaking it, pea-head, very slender neck, small, thin, upturned bill, white edges on neck. A beautiful bird, I wish I had my camera! Two new species for the patch, and 1 lifer for me!

I will post the list supplement next.
 
23. Redhead
24. Green-winged Teal
25. Downy Woodpecker
26. Yellow-rumped Warbler
27. European Starling
28. Song Sparrow
29. White-crowned Sparrow
30. American White Pelican
31. American Pipit
32. Eared Grebe
 
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