Veagle's 2011 Year List (1 Viewer)

[veagle]

Yesterday, I went over to the Hospital, where I work, to see if there were any Sora in the water retention area that we built a few years ago. I heard it well.

June 4 - Rapid City, SD

293. Sora

 

[veagle]

A very exciting sighting today. My wife and I birded Eastern and Central Pennington County this morning, driving back roads from Wall to Rapid City. Highlights included Marbled Godwit, Long-billed Curlew, Blue Grosbeak, about a dozen Red-Headed Woodpeckers, the first Nighthawks of the year, and a couple of Bullock's Orioles.

But the real kicker was a great sighting of Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, a rarity throughout the state, and never seen before today west of the Missouri River, in South Dakota. Watching it closely through the scope as it worked on swallowing a large frog whole was amazing.

June 5 - Pennington County, SD

294. Blue Grosbeak
295. Red-headed Woodpecker
296. Common Nighthawk
297. Bullock's Oriole
298. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron B

 

[veagle]

Out for a drive this morning. The weather was somewhat problematic. Patchy, dense fog in places. But managed to see some birds anyway. Highlights were Blue Grosbeak, Orchard Oriole, Spotted Sandpiper, and one new bird for the year:

June 11 - Pennington County, SD

299. Western Wood-Pewee

 

[veagle]

My wife and I went for a hike today in the Black Hills. Since we started a little late, it wasn't ideal for birding, and there weren't too many birds out, but did see both Kinglets, and a Cordilleran Flycatcher.

June 12 - Lawrence County, SD

300. Cordilleran Flycatcher
301. Golden-crowned Kinglet

 

[veagle]

A beautiful day today, and with a cancelled late day meeting, I went out to Sevey's Lake, where I saw an unusual quantity of Bobolinks, lots of Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and good looks at a new year bird:

June 15 - Sevey's Lake, SD

302. White-faced Ibis

 

[veagle]

Went out very early yesterday, and drove down into Custer State Park, looking for Black-Backed Woodpecker. Did not find any, but saw Red-headed Woodpecker, Rock Wren, and later at French Creek, Red-Eyed Vireo, Violet-Green Swallows, and a single White-throated Swift. There were hundreds of buffalo walking around with their calves, and three huge Elk, the first time I've seen them there.

June 19 - Custer State Park

303. Rock Wren
304. White-throated Swift
305. Black-headed Grosbeak

 

[veagle]

After work yesterday, drove out Lower Spring Creek Rd with a friend, then north to Farmingdale, and then quickly, as the light was dimming along Hammerquist Rd. Highlights included Burrowing Owl and Long-billed Curlew near a prairie dog village, the first Dickcissels of the year, lots of Lark Buntings and Grasshopper Sparrows, and my first Indigo Bunting in Pennington County.


June 23 - Pennington County

306. Dickcissel

 

[veagle]

I drove up into the hills this morning. Had seen reports of Ruffed Grouse, and White-winged Crossbill, both of which I wanted to see. It was really quiet, though, and I whiffed on both. Consolation prize was American Dipper, and good looks at a Cordilleran Flycatcher.

June 25 - Lawrence County, SD

307. American Dipper

 

[veagle]

Went on a small trip today to Eastern Wyoming, trying to locate several birds I've never seen before. Struck out on McCown's Longspur and Mountain Plover, but got good looks at Sage Thrasher, along with many Brewer's Sparrows.

Next stop was Roby Canyon, where we located Virginia's Warbler and Yellow-breasted Chat. Lastly, visited Hell Canyon, where I found Broad-tailed Hummingbird, a state bird for me, as well as several other goodies.

June 26 - Weston County, Wyoming

308. Brewer's Sparrow
309. Sage Thrasher

June 26 - Roby and Hell Canyons, SD

310. Virginia's Warbler
311. Dusky Flycatcher
312. MacGillivray's Warbler
313. Broad-winged Hawk
314. Broad-tailed Hummingbird

 

[veagle]

I flew down to New Mexico yesterday where, I will be for the next two weeks. Our daughter is getting married next Saturday, so it will be a very busy first week, at least, but I hope to do a bit of birding and hopefully add to my very modest state list. Went for a walk early this morning in the neighboring arroyo, and was treated to Western Scrub-Jay, Bewick's Wren, Say's Phoebe, Juniper Titmouse, and my first Canyon Towhees since 2008. And yesterday, we saw a Black-chinned Hummingbird in Albuquerque.

July 3 - Santa Fe, NM

315. Canyon Towhee

 

[veagle]

A beautiful early morning walk at the Randall Davey Audubon Center, in Santa Fe. Some of the hiking trails were closed because of the terrible wildfires in the area, but a nice walk nonetheless. Highlights included wonderful looks at Black-chinned, Broad-tailed and Rufuous Hummingbirds, Lesser Goldfinches, Mountain Chickadee, and White-winged Dove.

July 4 - Santa Fe, NM

316. Lesser Goldfinch
317. Mountain Chickadee
318. White-winged Dove
319. Rufuous Hummingbird

 

[veagle]

Two days ago, walking through the neighboring arroyo, I had great views of a couple of Ash-throated Flycatchers, and my first look this year at Pinyon Jay.

Yesterday, early morning, I drove around to a few places in Santa Fe. First at a riparian area, had good looks at Black-crowned Night-Heron, Great-tailed Grackle, and a variety of swallows.

Then I drove out to a golf course to the west of town. On the way, I observed several juvenile Curve-billed Thrashers, and then at the golf course, I spotted a Greater Roadrunner, up in a tree of all places. I'd never seen one in a tree before, and it made me realize how large a bird it is.

We have also discovered a Canyon Towhee nesting in a little tree in our small backyard, which has been fun, and have been having regular visits from a Black-chinned Hummingbird

July 5 - Santa Fe, NM

320. Pinyon Jay

July 6 - Santa Fe, NM

321. Curve-billed Thrasher
322. Greater Roadrunner

 

[veagle]

We are heavily into pre-wedding activities (my daughter gets married tomorrow), so not much time for birding, but before it got hot this morning, I went for a little walk in the arroyo. A lot of the usual birds - Canyon and Spotted Towhees, Juniper Titmouse, Western Scrub-Jay, Mountain Bluebird, Bewick's Wren, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Say's Phoebe, Black-chinned Hummingbird, and a couple that I've not seen here before - Mountain Chickadee, and Scaled Quail.

July 8 - Santa Fe, NM

323. Scaled Quail

 

[veagle]

On the morning of my daughter's wedding, I woke early as usual, and spent an hour walking around the grounds at Los Poblanos, in Albuquerque. Beautiful morning. Saw quite a few Black-chinned Hummingbirds, and Lesser Goldfinch. Saw a couple of Blue Grosbeak, and got close up looks at a Cooper's Hawk, that I didn't realize was a year bird until several days later.

The wedding was great, an amazing day.

July 9 - Albuquerque, NM

324. Cooper's Hawk

 

[veagle]

It's been a slow month since getting back from NM. Went out with my new friend, Lynn Barber, who did a ABA Big Year in 2008. We went out in the Wall area, looking for some Shorebirds, and found Wilson's Phalarope, Spotted, Baird's and Semipalmated Sandpiper, Willet, and Semipalmated Plover. Other highlights included Blue Grosbeak, Red-headed Woodpecker, Bullock's Oriole, and Bell's Vireo.

July 30 - Curlew Lake, Meade County, SD

325. Bell's Vireo

 

[veagle]

We are back in New Mexico for a week, and have relocated our Hummingbird feeders to the front porch of the house. And we've been besieged by multiple Hummingbirds, Black-chinned, the occasional Broad-tailed, Rufous, and yesterday I first spied a hummingbird which was appreciably smaller than the Rufous, which could only be the Calliope. Sure enough, today I got good looks at a female Calliope.

August 9 - Sante Fe, NM

326. Calliope Hummingbird

 

[veagle]

Yesterday, my wife and I got a very early start and visited Embudito Canyon, outside of Albuquerque. It was supposed to be about 100F, so we got there just after dawn. Nice and cool, but the bugs were awful. Fortunately, the birds made up for it. Our highlights included Scaled Quail, Black-throated Sparrow, Curve-billed Thrasher,and the topper, Crissal Thrasher, a new bird for me.

Then we went over to the other side of town, to Petroglyphs National Monument. Very hot by this time, basically scouted it out for our next visit here in November. But we did see a whole family of Scaled Quail, an Ash-throated Flycatcher, and a Prairie Falcon.

August 10 - Embudito Canyon, NM

327. Crissal Thrasher
328. Black-throated Sparrow

 

[veagle]

This morning, we drove up the Ski Basin Rd., which goes uphill 18 miles from Santa Fe to the base of the local ski area, at 10,000 ft. On the way by one of several campgrounds, we got a quick look at Stellar's Jay. Then we went for a hike at the Aspen Overlook, where I was hoping for Dusky Grouse. Just as it started to rain fairly steadily, and we were about to turn back, I saw in the distance two Grouse in the middle of the trail. We got great looks for the next five minutes. Also saw a number of Warbling Vireo. Then we drove up to the top of the road, where we found a birdy area, and got good looks at a juvenile Williamson's Sapsucker a mother and juvenile Townsend's Solitaire, a bunch of House Wren, Mountain Chickadees, and a couple of Lincoln's Sparrow. A nice morning!

August 11 - Ski Basin Rd., Santa Fe, NM

329. Stellar's Jay
330. Dusky Grouse
331. Williamson's Sapsucker

 

[veagle]

Today was our last day in New Mexico; only had time to spend an hour and a half at the Davey Audubon Center, in Santa Fe. As usual, great looks at 4 Hummers (Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Rufous, and Calliope). Things were fairly quiet, but I did get a good look at three Black-throated Gray Warblers, and a final look at some birds I won't see in South Dakota - Mountain Chickadee, Lesser Goldfinch, Bushtit, Bewick's Wren, and Western Scrub-Jay.

August 12 - Santa Fe, NM

332. Black-throated Gray Warbler

 

[veagle]

I went out to Sevey's Lake yesterday; a nice calm morning. Highlights included a pair of Northern Harriers diving a group of 25 American Avocet, a Sora calling from the edge of the lake, and a nice group of Sparrows, including

August 20 - Sevey's Lake, SD

333. Field Sparrow