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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Veagle's 2012 List (1 Viewer)

Went on a long drive to the Pierre area, hoping for more Snowy Owls, but the abnormally warm weather (80F!) perhaps had them on the run, along with Lapland Longspurs, Snow Buntings, etc. Highlights today included Greater Prairie Chicken, Horned Grebe, Thayer's Gull, and Ferruginous Hawk.

March 17 - Lyman County, SD

76. Ferruginous Hawk

March 17 - Stanley County, SD

77. Greater Prairie-Chicken
78. Brown-headed Cowbird
79. Great Blue Heron

March 17 - Hughes County, SD

80. Herring Gull
81. Horned Grebe
82. Thayer's Gull
 
Drove out to Sevey Lake this morning before work. The usual waterfowl (Canada Geese, Mallards, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, Redhead), but on my way back into town, got a quick look at a couple of Grey Partridge, always a treat.

March 22 - Meade County, SD

83. Gray Partridge
 
Went out to the eastern part of Pennington County this morning, hoping for some decent migrants. But once I passed Wall, heavy fog descended and it was quite cold. But I did see some waterfowl, including a Blue-winged Teal, the first time I've seen them in March.

March 25 - Pennington County, SD

84. Blue-winged Teal
 
I just returned from a business trip to Seattle. I was able to add a day to go birding, and enlisted the help of Michael Hobbs, a very accomplished birder from the area. We met at my hotel at 6 am, and our first stop was Marymoor Park, in Redmond, a place that Michael has been surveying on a weekly basis since 1994. My principal target here was Red-breasted Sapsucker, but we first looked for a number of owls that have been seen. No luck there, but as it started to lighten up, it became very evident that this was a birdy area to be sure. We spent about 3 and a half hours going through a loop of a little over 2 miles, with a nice variety of habitats. Highlights included


- a five woodpecker day, including two wonderful Red-breasted Sapsuckers drumming on the metal caps of light posts, and a nice view of a Pileated Woodpecker

- Some very nice looks at both Anna's and Rufous Hummingbird

- some of the local specialties, including Varied Thrush, Townsend's Warbler, and Chestnut-backed Chickadee

- a flyover of a small group of Waxwings, including one Bohemian, fairly unusual for the area

- and good looks at several sparrows that I rarely see - Golden Crowned, and Fox

March 28 - Marymoor Park, King County, Washington

85. Spotted Towhee
86. Glaucous-winged Gull
87. Bewick's Wren
88. Anna's Hummingbird
89. Red-breasted Sapsucker;)
90. Red Crossbill
91. Varied Thrush
92. Townsend's Warbler
93. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
94. Golden-crowned Sparrow
95. Fox Sparrow
96. Double-crested Cormorant
97. Bushtit
98. Yellow-rumped Warbler
99. Rufous Hummingbird
100. Pied-billed Grebe
101. Pileated Woodpecker
102. Bohemian Waxwing
103. Tree Swallow
104. Violet-green Swallow
105. Mew Gull
106. Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 
After leaving Marymoor Park, we headed north to a number of locations along Puget Sound. My number 1 target was Eurasian Wigeon, but I also hoped to get another look at Snowy Owl, and try to get as many sea Ducks as we could find.

We first went to the Stanwood area, where there have been many Snowy sightings this winter, but we came up empty. We did however see a Peregrine Falcon take down an American Wigeon. We then headed up to March's Point, and on the way saw enormous flocks of Snow Geese, as well as large numbers of both Trumpeter and Tundra Swans.

March's Point was outstanding, and we got up-close views of 5 Eurasian Wigeon, among a large group of American Wigeons. We also saw the first of numerous Common Loons, as well as Surf and White-winged Scoter, Brant, and Greater Scaup. Last but not least was a nice pair of Black Oystercatchers.

March 28 - Snohomish County, Washington

107. Brewer's Blackbird
108. White-capped Sparrow
109. Snow Goose
110. Dunlin
111. Peregrin Falcon

March 28 - Skagit County, Washington

112. Trumpeter Swan
113. Tundra Swan
114. Western Gull
115. Red-breasted Merganser
116. Common Loon
117. Greater Scaup
118. Brant
119. Eurasian Wigeon o:D
120. Surf Scoter
121. White-winged Scoter
122. Black Oystercatcher
 
From March's Point, Michael suggested we drive up to Samish Island, where he has had good luck with sea Ducks. On the way, we made a quick stop at a Nature Preserve, where in the course of ten minutes we were able to get good looks at Golden-crowned Kinglet, Hutton's Vireo, and Pacific Wren. Further up the road, we stopped briefly to count 104 Great-Blue Herons out in a marshy area from one spot.

And finally we reached the Samish Island Day Use Area. The overlook was very windy, but we made our way down to the beach, where we spent the better part of an hour getting great looks at a wide variety of Scoters, Barrow's Goldeneye, Three Loon species, and some great Long-tailed and Harlequin Ducks. A great conclusion to a wonderful day. Thank you, Michael!

March 28 - Skagit County, Washington

123. Golden-crowned Kinglet
124. Hutton's Vireo
125. Pacific Wren
126. Red-necked Grebe
127. Long-tailed Duck
128. Barrow's Goldeneye
129. Pelagic Cormorant
130. Pigeon Guillemot
131. Red-throated Loon
132. Pacific Loon
 
Back home in SD, I went out for a drive this morning. At Sevey's Lake, the usual waterfowl were accompanied by some Ring-billed Gulls and a Greater Yellowlegs. On the road to Folsom, I found a pair of Eastern Phoebe in their usual location. Later, looking for Burrowing Owls, I found a pair of Gray Partridge, and an early pair of Common Nighthawks.

March 31 - Sevey's Lake, SD

133. Greater Yellowlegs

March 31 - Pennington County, SD

134. Eastern Phoebe

March 31 - Custer County, SD

135. Common Nighthawk
 
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Late in the day today, my wife and I drove out to Sevey Lake, where we saw the first Yellow-headed Blackbird of the year, as well as a nice comparitive study of both Yellowlegs. On the way home we saw a gang of about 30 Turkey Vultures.

April 1 - Sevey Lake, SD

136. Yellow-headed Blackbird
137. Lesser Yellowlegs

April 1 - Jackson Park, SD

138. Turkey Vulture
 
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Another early morning scan of Sevey Lake, on my way to work this morning. No Cinnamon Teal, which I was hoping for, but three Long-billed Curlews feeding along the shore, along with a Greater Yellowlegs.

April 6 - Sevey Lake, SD

139. Long-billed Curlew
 
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Yesterday, our office closed early, so my wife, who had the day off, and I drove out to LaCreek National Wildlife Refuge. We saw huge mixed flocks of Blackbirds, including Red-winged, Yellow-Headed, Brewer's, and Common Grackles, hundreds of American White Pelicans, and numerous state first of year birds. Nice day.

April 6 - Jackson County, SD

140. American White Pelican

April 6 - LaCreek NWR, SD

141. Long-billed Dowitcher
 
Went out Lower Spring Creek Rd. to try to relocate a Common Nighthawk that I thougth I saw a couple of weeks ago. No luck, but I did finally see a Burrowing Owl, as well as some Loggerhead Shrikes, and a couple of flying Long-billed Curlews.

April 7 - Custer County, SD

142. Loggerhead Shrike
143. Burrowing Owl
 
Back to Sevey Lake this morning. I had a call Sunday that a Cinnamon Teal had shown up. Was not able to find him, but did see quite a few Gulls, including the first Franklin's of the year, as well as high numbers of ducks. And the coots are back.

April 9 - Sevey Lake, SD

144. Franklin's Gull
145. California Gull
146. Ruddy Duck
 
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Earliest I have ever had a Chipping Sparrow in our yard. We have had such a mild winter, and the trees are budding almost two months earlier than normal, it will be interesting to see whether migrants are generally earlier.

April 10 - Rapid City, SD

147. Chipping Sparrow
 
Finally found that Cinnamon Teal today. In fact, I saw two striking males, along with a Western Grebe, at Sevey Lake, after work tonight.

April 11 - Veith's Dam, SD

148. Cinnamon Teal

April 11 - Sevey Lake, SD

149. Western Grebe
 
After work again, I drove out to Baseline Rd., and saw the bird I was after, the Chestnut-Collared Longspur.

April 12 - Pennington County, SD

150. Vesper Sparrow
151. Chestnut Collared Longspur
 
Went out to Central South Dakota yesterday in search of Ruff, which had been identified on Thursday. Left Rapid City at 4 am with two friends, arrived at site in Sully county at 8:30 (lost an hour in time zone transition). The site was ripe with Shorebirds, but the relatively flat light, and the large size of the pond, made identification difficult. Eventually, we found an unusally marked bird, and after tracking it for a while, the birder who had originally found it showed up and confirmed that we got our target! A lifer for all 3 of us.

A great day, which included 5 new state birds for me - Piping Plover, American Golden Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, Ruff, and Great-tailed Grackle.

April 14 - Sully County

152. Piping Plover
153. American Avocet
154. Marbled Godwit
155. Baird's Sandpiper
156. Pectoral Sandpiper
157. American Golden Plover
158. Willet
159. Wilson's Snipe
160. Short-billed Dowitcher
161. Ruff B :)
162. Hudsonian Godwit
163. Wilson's Phalarope
164. Great-tailed Grackle
 
Two days ago, I had the first Eared Grebes of the year at Sevey Lake. Tonight I had a male Cinnamon x Blue-winged Teal hybrid, and American White Pelicans, for only the second time in 4 years.

April 17 - Sevey Lake, SD

165. Eared Grebe
 
My son, Matt, and I spent the morning yesterday in the eastern part of Pennington
County, trying to add birds to Matt's state list. We saw a nice cross-section of birds, starting with American White Pellicans, and Double-crested Cormorants near Quinn, SD, some Long-billed Curlews and Greater Yellowlegs near Wall, a nice male Chestnut-collared Longspur, and concluded the outing by relocating a male Northern Cardinal, which is relatively scarce in this part of South Dakota. Also had some first of year birds

April 21 - Pennington County, SD

166. Barn Swallow
167. Swainson's Hawk
 
Last Sunday, I went to Jackson Park, in Rapid City, and found good numbers of both warblers usually seen here, Yellow-rumped (both Myrtle and Audubon), and Orange-crowned.

This morning, I spent an hour at Sevey Lake, where there were quite a few shorebirds - Marbled Godwits, both Yellowlegs, Killdeer, of course, as well as Wilson's Phalarope, Horned Grebe, Double-crested Cormorants, and a couple of year birds:

April 22 - Jackson Park, Pennington County, SD

168. Orange-crowned Warbler

April 25 - Sevey Lake, SD

169. Least Sandpiper
170. Savannah Sparrow
 
Another visit to Sevey Lake Saturday morning yielded a nice group of Marbled Godwit, three different Swallows, about 150 Wilson's Phalaropes, and good numbers of waterfowl.

April 28 - Sevey Lake, SD

171. Upland Sandpiper
172. Bank Swallow
 
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