Date: 9/28/25 6:58 pm From: Vic Fondy via groups.io <treasurecreek...> Subject: [sd-birds] Birding and WW Report
We birded today on a quick trip from Whitewood- to WW Valley-St.Onge and the cutoff road to only south Orman Dam. Raptor sightings included 5 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Northern Harrier, 1 Golden Eagle, 1 Prairie Falcon, and 2 American Kestrels. Attached is a picture of the Prairie Falcon. Other sightings included 40+ American White Pelicans at Orman, Vesper, Lark, and 1 Field Sparrow, Mountain Bluebirds, American Robins, lots of Red-winged Blackbirds, and a few other resident birds. Twenty-one species.
We have been traveling and returned to empty feeders and very few birds at our home 1.5 miles south of Whitewood. The Spotted Towhees. Black-headed Grosbeaks, and Western Tanagers have departed and the only new migrant sighting was one Swainson's Thrush on 9/26. The overall number of birds at the feeders is way down and it is not necessary to fill feeders daily. Fall colors are beautiful and present along Whitewood Creek and the trees are still holding most of their leaves. Weather has been great and it is a very nice Fall so far.
