Date: 4/20/24 7:09 pm From: Vic Fondy via groups.io <treasurecreek...> Subject: [sd-birds] WW to Orman and WW report
We selected today 4/20 as the best day for birding, but the weather was different than forecast with more wind and colder temps. After reading the East river list of Shorebirds we were determined to find shorebirds and birded Bear Butte area lakes, Nisland slough and lagoons, and Belle Fourche reservoir but found only Killdeer. Our final stop was Sale Barn Road lake near St. Onge and were rewarded with Greater Yellowlegs and Long-billed Curlews nearby. (Note: Approach Sale Barn Road from the south as the north road is badly rutted).
We had some interesting sightings today including FOS American White Pelicans at Bear Butte Lake and BF Reservoir, Vesper Sparrows on Sale Barn Rd, and Hooded Merganser at St. Onge pond on Crooked Oaks Road. I was a little uncertain on the Hooded Merganser which had the crest lowered, but the black spurs are pretty diagnostic. Attached are pictures of the Long-billed Curlew and Hooded Merganser. Raptor sightings were limited to Red-tailed and Rough-legged Hawks, Northern Harrier, and American Kestrel. One o the Harriers was displaying with his dive/climb maneuver. Loggerhead Shrikes appeared to be migrating as we had 8 or more sightings. The Great-horned Owl nest along SD 34 NW of St. Onge now has two owls visible.
At our feeders 1.5 miles south of Whitewood, we had a FOS White-throated Sparrow, the Song Sparrow is still around, and the Evening Grosbeaks showed up again intermittently. Our birding friend at Hat Ranch subdivision south of Belle Fourche had a FOS Rock Wren on 4/17/24.
