Birded around Pope County this weekend. Nothing rare but lots of interesting activity:
Glacial Lakes SP: Saw all 5 species of resident sparrows - all 5 on the road into the park. (Chipping, Clay-colored, Field, Grasshopper, and, of course, Song) What was interesting was not the fact we heard and saw them, it was the numbers. Did not think to count but there were many of all but the Grasshopper (only 2). And we only birded a small fraction of the park! Also a lot of fun: At the hilltop camping area just beyond the horse camp, in the cottonwood trees - Baltimore Orioles feeding young, Bluebirds, Yellow Warblers, Orchard Orioles, House Wrens feeding young, Least Flycatchers, Brown - headed Cowbirds, and the most fascinating - a vireo weaving a nest. Because it was partially obscured by foliage and we had forgotten to bring the scope, we could not be 100 % sure but it looked like a Warbling Vireo. I was wishing I had Mark Alt's video set up to record it and see it in close-up and slowed down. It was really interesting watching the bird weaving stuff into the small hanging cup. In the same area: Pied-billed Grebe and young on the pond behind the campsites, Swallow chasing a Black Tern and both displaying some pretty impressive aerial manuevering - very entertaining. In general: Many Sedge Wrens, a Sora Rail calling (not seen), Great Crested Flycatcher. One observation: No Dickcissels in the area. Although we only birded a very small area, there were many of them in the same area last year. Maybe they are in some other area of the park. Lowry Sewage Ponds: Only the usual birds - Song Sparrows, Sedge Wrens, Dickcissels, ducks, and Kildeer (many). A "peep" too far away to ID. One positive note. The Redhead ducks had 3 or 4 young. Highway 114 north of Highway 55: About 2 miles north of 55, we saw a pair of Red Necked Grebes on a pond on the west side of the road. General: There were pairs and individual White Pelicans on the ponds along highway 55 and on Lake Minnewaska. I hear many pheasants calling around the county - the numbers must be up significantly. Saw a number of Blue Wing Teal around the county. Sid Stivland
