Date: 10/12/26 10:50 am From: Vic Fondy via groups.io <treasurecreek...> Subject: [sd-birds] Keyhole Dam Field Trip
The Northern Hills Bird Club conducted a field trip to Keyhole Dam in Wyoming led by Jennifer A. The group birded the old Sundance Road, town of Pine Haven, and most locations on Keyhole Dam. Weather was overcast /light drizzle in the morning with clearing in the afternoon. I couldn't find a percentage level, but the reservoir is 15 feet below full with large areas of beach showing and the lake water was about 1/2 miles from Highway 14 instead of right by the highway. The area is suffering from major drought with most area small reservoirs dry and the Belle Fourche river flowing into Keyhole reservoir was completely dry.
Birding on the reservoir and Pine Haven yielded 34 species for the trip. The surprise sighting was a small group of 8 or 10 Evening Grosbeaks on a lawn in Pine Haven. Other highlights included large numbers of Mountain Bluebirds and Robins, a FOS Oregon Junco, both Bald and Golden Eagles, clouds/hundreds of European Starlings, Wild Turkeys everywhere in Pine View, lots of Townsend's Solitaires, one Yellow-rumped Warbler, and quite a few American White Pelicans. The complete list of sightings is below:
Common Loon, Western-Horned-Pied Billed Grebe, American White Pelican, DC Cormorant, Canada Geese, Gadwall Ducks, Red-tailed Hawk, Bald and Golden Eagles, Wild Turkey, American Coot, RB Gull, EC and Rock Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, BB Magpie, American Crow, BC Chickadee, WB Nuthatch, Robin, Townsend's Solitaire, Mountain Bluebird, European Starling, YR Warbler, House Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Evening Grosbeak, House Finch, Oregon Junco, and White-crowned Sparrow.
