Thursday, November 22, 2007

Sedgwick County Birding

November 20, 2007

Roger Danka and I birded around Sedgwick and the eastern edge of Logan Counties today.

We started at Sedgwick Draw and searched for Short-eared Owls; without success. Nearby Sedgwick Cemetery had only a pair of Townsend's Solitaires today.

At Jumbo Reservoir, we found the Long-tailed Duck reported by Larry Semo on 11/12. No scoters could be found.

We stopped at two private ranches in Sedgwick County. At one (previously reported as private ranch #3, we found 2 Long-eared Owls. The ranch usually has 2-10 Long-eared Owl winter (for the past 4 years anyway). The rancher has been reporting a male Purple Finch since 10/25. Roger has seen it on two occasions; I keep missing it.

We ended our birding day driving the roads in Sedgwick County. Though we did look unsuccessfully for Greater Prairie-Chickens at the Sedgwick County Roads 46 & 89; without success. We found a few small flocks of Lapland Longspurs (no Chestnut-collared or McCown's mixed in).

At Sand Draw Wildlife Area, we relocated 2 of the 7 Harris's Sparrows reported by Mark Peterson on 11/18. The thickets at the southwest corner parking area seem to be good for Harris's Sparrows in early winter. We walked around a little at the extreme eastern edge of the property looking for Field Sparrows; without success. A flock of 6 Red Crossbills were a somewhat uncommon find. They do seem to show up almost every fall/winter here.

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