Monday, June 28, 2010

Many Killdeer and Waxwings at Green Pond ~ June 28, 2010

As some of you know, my other hobby besides birding is ice hockey. Well, last night, I got another 'lifer' when our team won the Geezer Hockey League championship! Photos of that can be found at my Ice Hockey Adventures Album.
I continued last night's celebration by taking the day off. I made a mid-day stop at Green Pond. The main flooded field's water level is dropping. The half to the west of the island is now mostly a mudflat, but the eastern half still has a good amount of water in it. As I scanned across the area, I made as accurate a count as I could and came up with 73 Killdeer! It's the highest number I've ever seen there, but I would imagine it's not unprecedented. As has been the case for about a week now, about 20 Cedar Waxwings were taking off from the eastern shoreline, 'flycatching', and returning to the muddy shore.
Cedar Waxwings at the flooded fields by Green Pond, Northampton County. Eight of the waxwings are visible in this photo.


Cedar Waxwing at the flooded fields by Green Pond, Northampton County.


Cedar Waxwing 'flycatching' at the flooded fields by Green Pond, Northampton County. Note the red, 'waxy' tips at the trailing edge of the secondaries.


The injured male Blue-winged Teal continues to hang in there.