Yesterday, we spent the afternoon at Killdeer Plains W.A. and the last hour before sunset at the Hardin Co. wetlands 4 miles south of Forest (Along T50, west of C215; Jackson Twp see DeLorme p. 47 4B 4th ed.)  Very windy which limited our inclination to get out and walk, but overall a very nice afternoon.  Good numbers of geese and ducks, and an amazing concentration of Northern Harriers near dark at the Hardin Co. wetlands - anyone wanting to study harriers will do well to try this place. . .
 
e-bird records:

Location:     Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area
Observation date:     2/9/08
Notes:     Time:  12:50 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.

CONDITIONS:  38-40F, wind W 16-26 mph; partly cloudy becoming mostly clear

COVERAGE: Drove all the main roads several times over the 4 hour period; walked back to the evergreen grove for the owls

MAMMALS:  None

OTHER OBSERVERS:  Karen A. Shrader


Number of species:     25

Greater White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons     20     On large pond east end of the wildlife area - group altogether; counted
Snow Goose - Chen caerulescens     2     One white-phase and one blue-phase
Canada Goose - Branta canadensis     1000     Probably a very conservative estimate - large flocks coming and going from the area
Trumpeter Swan - Cygnus buccinator     2
American Black Duck - Anas rubripes     100     Large number in with Mallards
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos     1000     Huge flock south of KP along C67 (Morral Rd and Washburn Rd) intersection in flooded fields - extremely impressive number!
Northern Pintail - Anas acuta     100     We saw only males; in with Mallards south of KP
Lesser Scaup - Aythya affinis     10
Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus     4
Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus     2     Two nice adults
Northern Harrier - Circus cyaneus     15
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis     5
Rough-legged Hawk - Buteo lagopus     3
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius     3
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura     15
Long-eared Owl - Asio otus     3     "Alternate" pine grove
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens     1
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos     5
Horned Lark - Eremophila alpestris     20
American Robin - Turdus migratorius     1
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris     3000     Very impressive tight flock along T115 south of the large ponds - flying and landing in huge waves
American Tree Sparrow - Spizella arborea     40
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis     1
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus     5
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula     10


Location:     Hardin Co. Wetlands, South of Forest
Observation date:     2/9/08
Notes:     TIME:  17:15 - 18:15

CONDITIONS:  38F, very windy (20-30mph) from the west; mostly clear; beautiful sunset

COVERAGE:  Along T50, west of C215; Jackson Twp; Hardin Co.; DeLorme p. 47

OTHER OBSERVERS:  Karen A. Shrader


Number of species:     7

Canada Goose - Branta canadensis     500
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos     100


Northern Harrier - Circus cyaneus     50     Amazing number of Northern Harriers all coming together near dark in the upland grassy field south of the wetlands (one of the highest points around).  We wouldn't have believed it, but we counted 45 at one time in the same field!  There were several more on the north side over the marsh at once, and probably more over the ridge we couldn't see.  They were flying at each other, trying to land on top of another, and generally "enjoying" the very windy conditions right before dark.  Many were perched on the ground, and would occasionally fly up at another bird.  Very entertaining!  Assuming they roosted together as a communal group.  We estimated that about 30% were adult males; the rest females and immatures?  Per Raptors of the World by James Ferguson-Lees and David A. Christie, p. 485, "winter communal roosts (sometimes with Short-eared Owls Asio Flammeus) commonly number 20, 50, even hundreds"


Short-eared Owl - Asio flammeus     1     Seen flying high over the trees to the south right at sunset
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos     10
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris     100
Eastern Meadowlark - Sturnella magna     8

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org <https://owa.ketthealth.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://ebird.org/> )



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