Date: 10/26/24 4:24 pm From: Vic Fondy via groups.io <treasurecreek...> Subject: [sd-birds] Birding Whitewood to Newell Lake plus WW Report
We birded today 10/26 from Whitewood to Bear Butte Lake area and backroads to Newell Lake with return via Nisland area and Whitewood Valley Road. We had three highlights for the day. The first was a FOY Hooded Merganser at Cooper's Dam which is located on the North side of the road to the Sturgis Lagoons off of SD 79. The second was a Merlin on Bear Butte Road about 10 miles North of Sturgis. This was the first SD sighting for us in several years. The third special sighting was a Lewis's Woodpecker on Whitewood Valley Road near the ranch with the tall silos. The Oak tree acorns are plentiful again but this was our first Lewis's SD sighting in 2024. Bear Butte Lake had only Killdeer and a large number of DC Cormorants. Duck/Geese sightings was scattered around with Canada Geese, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Gadwall, Redhead, Ring-necked, and Hooded/Common Mergansers for the day. Raptor sightings included Bald/Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, and Merlin. There were scores of migrating American Robins and 100's of Starlings. Sparrows were limited to Lark Bunting, Juncos, and White-crowns.
At our home feeders 1.5 miles south of Whitewood we have had migrants passing thru including Common Grackle, Townsend's Solitaire, White crowned-White-throated-Chipping,-Clay-colored Sparrows, Red-headed Woodpecker, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, plus two Spotted Towhees back and staying around.
