It was just one of those days when the Point was buzzing with excitement. It started off with a Short-eared Owl flying in off the lake. As we were watching the owl come in a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher flew towards the lake from behind us and eventually ended up on one of the Sharpie sticks. We then saw what we are all but absolutely certain was a Boreal Owl come down the lakeshore and cross the lake. This is the first time I have ever seen a Saw-whet or Boreal Owl in flight during the day. Not long after this sighting a Boreal was found roosting and being mobbed by a Gnatcatcher and Chickadees. After the count we got a call at the house that a Short-eared was sitting on the tip. As we were walking out to the tip a call came over the radio that a Northern Hawk Owl was on the Merlin Pole. After the Hawk Owl headed out over the lake we went to the tip to look for the Short-eared and a Red Phalarope flew down the lakeshore and landed on the water off the tip. Just a sick day at the Point. We'd like to thank Leonard & Barb Graf, Ken Mettie Jr., Lucas Foerster, Skye Haas, Ryne Rutherford, Darleen Friedman, Jeff McCoy, Tex Wells, Lyle Hamilton, Sean Bachman, and about 30 others folks for their contributions in making this an extremely enjoyable day at the Point.
Other recent sightings include Ruffed Grouse, Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Yellow-rumped, Pine, Palm, and Black-and-White Warblers, Common Yellowthroat, Dark-eyed Junco, Lincoln's, Swamp, White-throated, and White-crowned Sparrows, Rusty Blackbird, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin, and Evening Grosbeak.
Northern Hawk Owl
Red Phalarope
Merlin with Downy Woodpecker
1 comment:
Whitefish Point... a mythical land where phalaropes ride the backs of flycatchers and owls fly by day!
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