September 11, 2009
Richard Stevens:
Gary Weston and I went over to the Lowry Westerly Creek Dam and Wetlands to search for the American Bittern reported yesterday. The area where it was reported seemed strange as the creek is close to a road and bike path. (Later the birder who reported it changed their mind and said it was an immature Black-crowned Night-Heron).
We however, scoped the large pond and found an American Bittern sticking its head out of the cattails at the southwest end. A Great Egret was hunting for food at the smaller pond to the west while a Snowy Egret hunted along the outlet canal.
While hiking from the Sports Complex to the ponds we found many sparrows (Lark, Vesper, and Brewer's). A lone Wilson's Warbler was in the riparian area below and north of the dam.
We walked the riparian area south of the dam and found a Northern Waterthrush at the northwest corner. This area could be good in the next couple of weeks for migrating birds (and probably is not birded much or at all).
Afterwards we went to nearby Fairmount Cemetery and walked the southern and eastern borders (where there are nice lines of deciduous trees). There were no rare birds but we did find 2 House Wrens and an Orange-crowned Warbler.
Around the cemetery we also found 2 White-breasted Nuthatches and 2 Rock Wrens. We did not see the Barn Owls that are reported to live along the Highline Canal.
Finally, I went over to Bluff Lake Nature Area by myself. The best bird was a Nashville Warbler in the northwest corner. A lone Western Wood-pewee was in the same area.
Except for sparrows (Lark and Vesper Sparrow), not much else was seen. I could not get a response to my Eastern Screech-Owl tapes this trip.
Richard Stevens:
Gary Weston and I went over to the Lowry Westerly Creek Dam and Wetlands to search for the American Bittern reported yesterday. The area where it was reported seemed strange as the creek is close to a road and bike path. (Later the birder who reported it changed their mind and said it was an immature Black-crowned Night-Heron).
We however, scoped the large pond and found an American Bittern sticking its head out of the cattails at the southwest end. A Great Egret was hunting for food at the smaller pond to the west while a Snowy Egret hunted along the outlet canal.
While hiking from the Sports Complex to the ponds we found many sparrows (Lark, Vesper, and Brewer's). A lone Wilson's Warbler was in the riparian area below and north of the dam.
We walked the riparian area south of the dam and found a Northern Waterthrush at the northwest corner. This area could be good in the next couple of weeks for migrating birds (and probably is not birded much or at all).
Afterwards we went to nearby Fairmount Cemetery and walked the southern and eastern borders (where there are nice lines of deciduous trees). There were no rare birds but we did find 2 House Wrens and an Orange-crowned Warbler.
Around the cemetery we also found 2 White-breasted Nuthatches and 2 Rock Wrens. We did not see the Barn Owls that are reported to live along the Highline Canal.
Finally, I went over to Bluff Lake Nature Area by myself. The best bird was a Nashville Warbler in the northwest corner. A lone Western Wood-pewee was in the same area.
Except for sparrows (Lark and Vesper Sparrow), not much else was seen. I could not get a response to my Eastern Screech-Owl tapes this trip.
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