About three-quarters of the way around the perimeter of the park, a Northern Harrier came flying past while hunting the fields, allowing me to get some nice photos of it.
Later, I saw it again as it continued its hunting.
Friday, October 25, 2024
Melchor Tract Park ~ October 25, 2024
I again went to Melchor Tract Park. A good number of Red-winged Blackbirds were perched, soaking up the early morning sun.
About three-quarters of the way around the perimeter of the park, a Northern Harrier came flying past while hunting the fields, allowing me to get some nice photos of it.
Later, I saw it again as it continued its hunting.
About three-quarters of the way around the perimeter of the park, a Northern Harrier came flying past while hunting the fields, allowing me to get some nice photos of it.
Later, I saw it again as it continued its hunting.
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Western Kingbird and Black-crowned Night Heron Continue ~ October 24, 2024
In the late afternoon, I stopped at Green Pond to see if the Western Kingbird and the Black-crowned Night Heron were still there. I walked over to the retention pond along Farmersville Road. I searched the fence surrounding the pond and fairly quickly found the Western Kingbird. It was actively and succesfully flycatching from there and the posts along the back edge of the overgrown flooded field area. I kept at a distance from it and grabbed some photos. At one point, it actually flew towards me and landed nearby, allowing me to get my best photos of it.
Three Green-winged Teal and an American Black Duck were in the pond. Over at Green Pond, the Black-crowned Night Heron was preening in its favorite tree in the northeast corner of the pond.
In that same corner were 6 Yellow-rumped Warblers, Cedar Waxwings, and White-throated Sparrows.
Three Green-winged Teal and an American Black Duck were in the pond. Over at Green Pond, the Black-crowned Night Heron was preening in its favorite tree in the northeast corner of the pond.
In that same corner were 6 Yellow-rumped Warblers, Cedar Waxwings, and White-throated Sparrows.
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Melchor Tract Park and Green Pond ~ October 23, 2024
I headed to the Melchor Tract Park. On the way there, I came across a field full of Common Grackles along Springfield Road. I estimated at least 500 birds there. I took a cell phone photo of a portion of the birds through my car window.
At the Melchor Tract Park, I found 32 species that included Cooper's Hawk, Eastern Phoebe, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird, Cedar Waxwing, American Pipit, a nice count of 16 Palm Warblers, and sparrows that included Field, Song, Swamp, Chipping, Savannah, and White-throated. This Northern Flicker fed in the grass path.
A Red Squirrel posed in the treeline along the east side of the park.
I left there and drove to Green Pond. The Western Kingbird was still there flycatching from the fence around the pond closest to all of the commotion going on with the road construction. I got a few photos of it, including one showing it with a huge insect in its broken bill.
I walked over to Green Pond and found the Black-crowned Night Heron in the same tree it was in on previous days.
On the way back home, I saw two adult Bald Eagles circling over Grandview Drive.
At the Melchor Tract Park, I found 32 species that included Cooper's Hawk, Eastern Phoebe, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird, Cedar Waxwing, American Pipit, a nice count of 16 Palm Warblers, and sparrows that included Field, Song, Swamp, Chipping, Savannah, and White-throated. This Northern Flicker fed in the grass path.
A Red Squirrel posed in the treeline along the east side of the park.
I left there and drove to Green Pond. The Western Kingbird was still there flycatching from the fence around the pond closest to all of the commotion going on with the road construction. I got a few photos of it, including one showing it with a huge insect in its broken bill.
I walked over to Green Pond and found the Black-crowned Night Heron in the same tree it was in on previous days.
On the way back home, I saw two adult Bald Eagles circling over Grandview Drive.
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
A Check on the Western Kingbird and Black-crowned Night Heron ~ October 22, 2024
Around noon, I went to Green Pond to check for the Western Kingbird and the Black-crowned Night Heron. As I pulled up, Joe Yuhas was there. We walked over towards the retention pond along Farmersville Road and I pretty quickly refound the Western Kingbird perched on the fence along the pond. While there, I took a couple more photos of it.
The retention pond held 3 Green-winged Teal and an American Black Duck. A walk along the back of the overgrown flooded field area that has been dry for months produced Savannah Sparrow, Palm Warbler, and an Eastern Meadowlark. I took two flight photos of the Meadowlark, but the autofocus picked out the background instead of the bird.
The Black-crowned Night Heron was found preening in its favorite tree in the northeast corner of Green Pond.
The retention pond held 3 Green-winged Teal and an American Black Duck. A walk along the back of the overgrown flooded field area that has been dry for months produced Savannah Sparrow, Palm Warbler, and an Eastern Meadowlark. I took two flight photos of the Meadowlark, but the autofocus picked out the background instead of the bird.
The Black-crowned Night Heron was found preening in its favorite tree in the northeast corner of Green Pond.
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Western Kingbird AND Black-crowned Night Heron at Green Pond! ~ October 20, 2024
Late on Saturday, there was a report of a probable Western Kingbird at Green Pond by Marc Chelemer. Early Sunday morning, I went there to see if I could find it. Adam Miller was already there doing the same thing. Soon after I arrived, he located it on the fence surrounding the southwest pond behind the flooded field area. It was very ratty-looking. The normally yellowish belly was very pale.
When it returned to the fence after flycatching, I got some photos showing the white edging on the outer tail feathers, which confirmed that it was indeed a Western Kingbird.
Stains that looked like blood were seen on the flanks of the bird and around its bill, which was found to be missing half of its upper mandible.
When the bird raised its wings, I noticed an apparent wound to its right wingpit.
Despite its injuries, the bird was successfully feeding and actively flying around the entire area. Hopefully, it fully recovers as it continues its migration.
After getting photos of the kingbird, I walked over to Green Pond and saw the continuing Black-crowned Night Heron perched in its preferred tree in the northeast corner of the pond
Also seen there were an American Black Duck, a Green-winged Teal, 2 Killdeer, a couple 'fly-by' groups of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Great Blue Heron, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 6 Eastern Bluebirds, 2 American Pipits, 11 White-throated, 18 Savannah, and 3 Chipping Sparrows, 14 Red-winged Blackbirds, and a Palm Warbler.
From there, I headed over to the Hollo Road retention pond. The pond is really shrinking in size due to our lack of rain. The lingering Least Sandpiper was still there along with 8 Killdeer.
Also present were a Pectoral Sandpiper, a 'fly-by' American Pipit, 9 Savannah Sparrows, and a Swamp Sparrow.
When it returned to the fence after flycatching, I got some photos showing the white edging on the outer tail feathers, which confirmed that it was indeed a Western Kingbird.
When the bird raised its wings, I noticed an apparent wound to its right wingpit.
Despite its injuries, the bird was successfully feeding and actively flying around the entire area. Hopefully, it fully recovers as it continues its migration.
After getting photos of the kingbird, I walked over to Green Pond and saw the continuing Black-crowned Night Heron perched in its preferred tree in the northeast corner of the pond
Also seen there were an American Black Duck, a Green-winged Teal, 2 Killdeer, a couple 'fly-by' groups of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Great Blue Heron, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 6 Eastern Bluebirds, 2 American Pipits, 11 White-throated, 18 Savannah, and 3 Chipping Sparrows, 14 Red-winged Blackbirds, and a Palm Warbler.
From there, I headed over to the Hollo Road retention pond. The pond is really shrinking in size due to our lack of rain. The lingering Least Sandpiper was still there along with 8 Killdeer.
Also present were a Pectoral Sandpiper, a 'fly-by' American Pipit, 9 Savannah Sparrows, and a Swamp Sparrow.
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