Date: 5/2/26 6:25 pm From: Vic Fondy via groups.io <treasurecreek...> Subject: [sd-birds] WW to North of BF and return
We birded East/North of Spearfish then to Belle Fourche area and North to Brooker Road and return to Whitewood via Orman and St. Onge. Lots of sunshine and temps above 70 but quite windy. We had some FOS sightings today including Upland Sandpiper (Bentonite Rd), Chestnut-collared Longspur (Brooker Road), Barn Swallows, and Lark Sparrows. Only a few raptor sightings which were 1 Red-tailed Hawk, 2 Northern Harriers, quite a few Turkey Vultures, and several American Kestrels. Other sightings of interest included 10 species of ducks, 5 Loggerhead Shrikes, large numbers of Common Grackles, quite a few Vesper Sparrows, and lots of Western Meadowlarks. Shorebirds sightings included Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, Upland Sandpiper and Wilson's Phalaropes.
Friday night we got a call from near St. Onge about a Glossy Ibis sighting near Weisman Road. The bird had flown by the time we got there but they had a good Ibis picture but it might have been a White-faced Ibis. We checked area ponds but couldn't find the Ibis.
At our home feeders 1.5 miles south of Whitewood we finally had some spring arrivals between April 26 and May 1 including Chipping-Lincoln-White-crowned Sparrows, and a Brown-headed Cowbird. Lots of the regulars still feeding and the Great Blue Heron up/down Whitewood Creek.
