Date: 1/16/25 6:38 pm From: Vic Fondy via groups.io <treasurecreek...> Subject: [sd-birds] Birding Today and Whitewood Report
We took advantage of the good weather today to bird from WW to Bear Butte Lake then to the Belle Fourche River via SD 34 and back roads to Vale with return via Whitewood Valley Road. Most of the area has very few birds, but the area East of Vale had some raptors. Our raptor sightings today included 5 Bald and 1 Golden Eagle, 2 Rough-legged, 1 Ferruginous, and 2 unidentified hawks plus one America Kestrel. Other sightings of interest included 1 Northern Shrike, a Lewis's Woodpecker, and one flock of 200+ Starlings.. The warm weather had opened up lower Whitewood Creek, but all the area lakes were frozen over and we had no duck sightings.
At our feeders 1.5 miles south of Whitewood we had our first of the year Townsend's Solitaire. The Sharp-shinned Hawk has been at the feeders for the past four days in a row. The other winter birds are staying around in large numbers despite the Sharpie.
Attached are pictures of the Ferruginous and Sharp-shinned Hawk.