We walked a bit further, but the wind, which was blowing across the pond right into our faces along with the cold was just too much…the temperature, had to be in the single digits or close to hitting the negative mark. Don decided that we could take a shot at the East Pond where the wind might not be as gusty, so we headed back to the visitor’s center. I stopped off at the center and borrowed a pair of work gloves since I was foolish enough not have brought a pair and my hands were freezing from carrying my scope with no gloves.
Over at the East Pond, the conditions were much better and we immediately saw American Coots, Red-breasted Mergansers, Hooded Mergansers and Buffleheads. Further viewing of the pond revealed even more water birds, including a Great Blue Heron, Greater Scaups, Northern Shovelers, Mallards and a Northern Harrier. We spent about half an hour and then decided to head back. Along the way we stopped off at Big John’s pond and some of us saw a Cooper’s Hawk and most of saw Green Winged Teals. Only some saw the Cooper’s because big John’s blind could only hold so many people and by the time the second bunch of viewers had moved into the blind, the Cooper’s had flown off. We continued back to the visitor’s center where we wrapped up the walk. Given the cold, it was not a bad walk and kudos to the group who all stuck it out to the end.
Here is a list of our sightings:
- White-throated Sparrow
- Northern Mockingbird
- Hooded Merganser
- Red-breasted Merganser
- Mallard
- Brandt
- Canadian Geese
- Snow Geese
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- House Finch
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- European Starling
- Bufflehead
- American Wigeon
- Gadwall
- Northern Shoveler
- Ruddy Duck
- Northern Harrier
- Cooper’s Hawk
- Great Blue Heron
- American Robin
Green Winged Teals relax at Big John's pond while a Mallard dives for snacks.
That Mallard is not giving up on whatever it is looking for.
0 comments:
Post a Comment