Dueling Vireos

I went outside to investigate after hearing a Yellow-throated Vireo singing in my backyard.  After locating it, a Blue-headed Vireo started singing not far away.  As I headed back to the house, the icing on the cake was a singing Summer Tanager in a tree by my back door.   I’m feeling really lucky this year.

 A Blue-headed Vireo, which is a new yard bird for me.

 

This Yellow-throated Vireo was singing loudly after the rain storm.

Brown Pelican

A Brown Pelican was reported near Tuttle Creek Reservoir this week, so that meant road trip on Saturday.  I was able to locate the bird and it was somewhat cooperative posing for pictures.  While driving through Tuttle Creek State Park, Warbling Vireos, a Baltimore Oriole and a Red-eyed Vireo were singing to the many week-end campers.  I stopped at the Oregon Trail Nature Trail on the way home, which proved productive despite very windy conditions.  Along the trail I located several Orange-crowned Warblers, a Nashville Warbler and a Least Flycatcher.  A Painted Turtle and Black Rat Snake were also seen today.  Friday evening I decided to put up my Hummingbird feeder, and within just 20 minutes, was rewarded with a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.  Migration is in full motion.

 Brown Pelicans are normally seen in coastal states, and are very rare in Kansas.

A Nashville Warbler making his long trip north to its nesting grounds.

Barber County, Kansas

Janeen Walters and I made a trip to southern Kansas this week-end.  Instead of hunting Easter eggs, we searched for amphibians and reptiles at the Kansas Herpetological Society spring field trip to Barber County, Kansas.  The participants were very knowledgeable and helpful, calling me over whenever they found an interesting creature so I could see and photograph it.  I saw six snake species, two turtles, and one lizard on the trip, along with other new insects, birds, and various venomous creatures.   Southern Kansas is in the grip of a severe drought so that kept the number of species lower than expected.

This is a juvenile Eastern Collared Lizard found under a rock in the Red Hills of Kansas.

Here is a very aggravated Western Massasauga rattlesnake, not appreciating the attention he is getting by the photographers.

This Snapping Turtle was pulled out of a farm pond by one of the ladies on the trip.

Here is a Giant Centipede that was at least five inches in length.

 

 

 

 

Friday Night Campout

I camped at Perry Lake on Friday night with an old college buddy.  Between beers and recounting old college stories, I watched and listened for new species.   I was rewarded with a Bonaparte’s Gull, Spotted Sandpiper, and a Cricket Frog.  The next morning started with a hunt for morel mushrooms.  No mushrooms were found, but I did hear a singing Northern Parula and saw Cliff Swallows.  The best find of the morning was a calling Fish Crow, which is not normally seen this far North.  Saturday afternoon and Sunday were spent searching around my yard and Shawnee State Fishing Lake.  I found some very interesting insects as well as Lark and Vesper Sparrows, a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, and an Upland Sandpiper.  This brings by year total to 202 species.      

A Black Moth (Grapevine Epimenis) is usually found in woodlands and likes to use grapevines as a host plant.  I found three of these feeding on my flowering Aristocrat Pear tree.   

Surf Scoter - Nailed it!

A Surf Scoter was identified yesterday at Lone Star Lake in Douglas County.  Luckily, it was still there today.  This species is a black-and-white seaduck common on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts in winter.  It is a rare bird in Kansas.  As a bonus, there were Northern Rough-winged Swallows flying around at the lake, which I also added to my year list.

Surf Scoter - poor lighting and distance, but I got a photo.

Journey to the Bottoms

I travelled to Central Kansas Saturday in search of new species.  My primary target were Whooping Cranes that have been reported there this week.  I searched the fields around Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira NWR, and unfortunately, found no cranes.  The south winds must have convinced them to move north.   However, the area did not disappoint for other species.  I found fifteen duck species with the best being a drake Cinnamon Teal at Quivira.  I also found first-of-year (FOY) species which included Barn Swallows, Long-billed Dowitchers, Marbled Godwit, Eared Grebe, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and Snowy Plovers.  On Sunday, I ventured to Perry Lake and found FOY Chipping Sparrows, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Red-headed Woodpeckers.  Upon returning home, I was greeted by a singing Louisiana Waterthrush on the creek behind my house.  It was a great week-end to be outside.

A Black-crowned Night-Heron getting some morning sun at Cheyenne Bottoms.

 

A Black-necked Stilt also seen at Cheyenne Bottoms.