Anyone been out to the beds lately?!

[lulubelle]

Haven't been out there in almost 2 weeks now - longest time since I was sick last year and out of commission for a month! Has anyone been out there and seen anything?! I will be out there tomorrow morning hopefully!

[Jared]

I was there last Saturday. Nothing truly exceptional. But I did get a great look at a small flock of mixed peeps. Least, Western, Pectoral, White Rumped.

[sipiora]

I went out on Thursday afternoon (6/4). Had some unusual waterfowl.

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2
Wood Duck 52
Gadwall 1
Mallard 57
Blue-winged Teal 4
Northern Shoveler 2
Common Goldeneye 1
Ruddy Duck 1
Great Blue Heron 7
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 5
Little Blue Heron 9
Cattle Egret 2
Green Heron 4
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Mississippi Kite 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 4
Killdeer 6
Black-necked Stilt 7
Least Sandpiper 1
White-rumped Sandpiper 15
Mourning Dove 4
Chimney Swift 6
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Eastern Phoebe 8
Western Kingbird 7
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2
White-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 3
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Cliff Swallow 3
Barn Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 1
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 15
Summer Tanager 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Dickcissel 3
Red-winged Blackbird 30
Great-tailed Grackle 19

Jim Sipiora

[lulubelle]

Jim, I like your list much better than the one I just came home with!! I would have loved to have seen the Golden Eye! I came up with only 25 species. However, I did spot 1 confirmed Black-necked Stilt nest (took photo of nest - can see eggs!) in pond 18 and in pond 36, there are 3 more that I am quite sure are nests. I also spotted a female Scissor-tail on the nest in the dead tree in pond 40. I am surprised that the nest is so exposed. She was on it and didn't seem to mind me watching her for a few minutes (got photos). Her tail feathers are in horrible condition - I almost thought it was a W. Kingbird for about 2 seconds!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3305/3600666353_c556806b38.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3588/3600668065_ca8fe8f39e.jpg

3 eggs for sure, possibly 4

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3648/3600659877_3a17db8a0c.jpg

They were calling and posturing because the male Ruddy with the broken wing was too close to the nest

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/3601474228_cb3a7d3cb8.jpg

[Hookbilledkite]

Jim,
Great sighting on the Common Goldeneye, definitely a late straggler.