[tim.birdboy]

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

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. I'll post the official list next.

[tim.birdboy]

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.

[tim.birdboy]

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!

[tim.birdboy]

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

[Larry Lade]

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!

[tim.birdboy]

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!

[tim.birdboy]

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.

[tim.birdboy]

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

[tim.birdboy]

I forgot to add:

33. Blue Jay
34. Sharp-shinned Hawk