As we await the spring bird migration season, and are dealing with sea-saw weather, I have been exploring some of the local areas. Here are some of the photos I have taken during the past couple of weeks.
Screech Owl
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Pied-billed Grebe
Fox Sparrow
Ring-billed Gull (my #174 Wintergreen area bird species)
Field Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Red-tailed Hawk
Eastern Bluebirds
I went to look for the Northern Goshawk that had been reported in the area. The wind was so strong that I could barely open the car door to get out and take photos. I didn't see the Goshawk, but did see four American Kestrels and a female Northern Harrier. On Guthrie Road, I stopped my car when I saw a Red-tailed Hawk eating something in a field. When the RTHawk saw me, it tried to take off with its meal, but the mammal was too heavy and the RTHawk dropped it to the field, ate a little bit more, and then took off without it. I am not sure what this long-tailed mammal was - hoping it was a squirrel, but it could have been a small cat.
Northern Harrier
American Kestrel
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
I went back ot the Old Trail golf course pond and saw some of the same water birds that were there yesterday. A pair of Redheads was new and a treat for me to see. At Lickinghole Creek Reservoir I only saw Canada Geese, a feral barnyard goose, and a Red-shouldered Hawk. Beaver Creek Lake had only a couple of geese and a Pied-billed Grebe.
Horned Grebe
Gadwall
Gadwall and Ruddy Ducks
Redheads
Redheads
Redheads
Redheads
Redhead
Red-shouldered Hawk
Pied-billed Grebe