Birding in the Prairie

My sister Nanci was visiting Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning of the 16th and the 17th. Nanci is a birder; her visit was eductational. Monday afternoon she and I went out to the Waterfowl Production Area, which is divided into three areas – the Harter east pasture (four quarters), the Harter west pasture (five quarters), and the Cowan addition (five quarters).

Nanci and I walked the west pasture. It has four major wetlands, a stock pond near the west entrance that has been upgraded, a new major water hole in the south west corner of the pasture, a large dam on the far west side, and a dam/wetlands on the north side. The pasture has greened up amazingly since the big burn and the wild flowers are profuse. The wild life, especially the birds is also profuse. Nanci listed the different kind of birds she saw on the trip. They include:

At the West Pasture:

• Marbled Godwit
• Wilson’s Phalarope
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Northern Harrier
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Chestnut collared Longspur
• Western Meadowlark
• Upland Sandpiper
• Mallard Duck
• Gadwall Duck
• Northern Pintail Duck
• Blue-winged Teal Duck
• American Coot
• Killdeer
• Bobolink
• Sharp Tailed Grouse (Greater Prairie Chicken)?
• Ring-Necked Pheasant
• Northern SHoveler
• Black Tern
• West Kingbird
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Barn Swallow

At Richard’s Place

• American Goldfinches
• Northern Flicker
• House Finches
• American Robin
• Ring-necked Pheasant
• Common Grackles
• Western Kingbird
• House Sparrow
• Black-headed Grobeak
• Western Meadowlarrk
• Brown Thrasher

And at Deb’s Place

Eurasian Collared Doves