Ponds on Witter Lane - ANOTHER rain and a BIG SURPRISE

I talked MPF into driving me (I can see more and get out of the car some) to see if the additional rain had continued to improve birding on the ponds.

We immediately observed and American Kestrel (no photo) on the utility wires, then an American Crow on the opposite side of the road.

A ridiculous number (500+) birds were feeding in the meadows --flying up and settling again. I made no attempt to photograph them because we spied a large raptor in a tree and I was trying to get a good look at it. I thought it might be a Bald Eagle. Since I have never seen one in the wild, I wasn't sure and so we tried to get a better view and perhaps some photos. It had to be a Bald Eagle. I sent photos to my brother (my go-to expert on the wild) and he concurred.

We also observed more White-winged doves (as we did yesterday) and a few Inca Doves.

One Mocking bird flew by - too fast for a photo.

We stopped to identify ducks on one of the ponds and I was relieved to find 30+ Mallards, ducks I know.

Our final view was what we believe to be Brown-headed Cowbirds.

We only have bad photos of the eagle, mallards, and cowbirds.

Two turtles were in the turtle pond. NO EGRETS OR HERONS that we could see present today.

Posted on 19 December, 2017 19:02 by alflinn329