Date: 3/7/26 3:53 pm From: Vic Fondy via groups.io <treasurecreek...> Subject: [sd-birds] North of Whitewood and Home
We birded from Whitewood to Bear Butte Lake, Nisland, Orman today and home via Crooked Oaks Rd, St. Onge, and Whitewood Valley. Bear Butte Lake and area ponds were completely open. North Belle Fourche Reservoir (Orman) was iced over but the South half was mostly open. Roadside ponds today were free of ice but many were dry with lack of moisture. As a result of open water, ponds had lots of ducks including Mallard, Pintail, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Common Goldeneye, and Common Merganser. BF reservoir had a few Canada Geese but not much else. We had some FOS sightings including Western Meadowlark and American Robin. Raptors were scarce with one Bald Eagle at Bear Butte Lake and one at Orman. Our only hawk sightings were 1 Red-tailed and one Rough-legged. Other sightings today included one Vesper Sparrow (Only Sparrow) and one Lewis's Woodpecker.
We spent about 3 weeks in February birding Arizona hotspots with good weather and birds. Our feeder birds 1.5 miles south of Whitewood remain strong and the creek is open, but no new arrivals yet. A birder south of Belle Fourche reported a FOS Red-winged Blackbird this week.
