ibis, a pair of
killdeer and several
blue-winged and green-winged teal. A northern harrier dived on the teal but did not make a catch. A burst of
swallows: tree, barn and violet green on the wing over water. Deb also heard
curlews.
chorus frogs are calling vigorously. In Buffalo Valley superb evening concerts of chorus frogs,
snipe winnowing and
Canada geese providing commentary.
Fifty seems to be the magic number of species at the South Park Wildlife Habitat Management Area this week. Tim Griffith explored the area four times and hit either 50 or 51 species each time. The highlight was finding a large flock of 89
turkey vulture soared low, repeatedly.
On April 9, Diane Birdsall, while on top of Horse Creek Mesa, found three
prairie falcons. It was so windy that they would launch from the cliffs and then be swept away. A
crow was attempting to drive them off, but they kept returning. In the woods below, a flock of
robins (best estimate, 50) were feeding on last yearâs dried berries. Also, there were two
northern flickers and four
mule deer.
On April 10, Tim Griffith did a loop from the National Elk Refuge up to the northern areas of the park and found 41 species, mostly waterfowl. The most interesting was watching three
elk migration from the refuge has begun and that elk have started to leave the refuge area.
On April 7 Doug and Donna Niemi saw
elk migrating near the Gros Ventre roundabout. The line seemed to be a mile long, single file. The elk stopped and gathered at the Gros Ventre River and seemed to âdiscussâ whether to ford the water. Eventually one brave elk went across and the rest followed, again single file.
Kay Modi was biking through the southern section of Jackson, near South Park Loop and Flat Creek, and was thrilled to see a pair of
osprey return to the football field light tower and just an hour later to witness an ospreyâs dive into Flat Creek to pull out a fish. The Wetland Society ponds on Boyles Hill Road had 27
elk migration from the refuge has begun and that elk have started to leave the refuge area.
On April 7 Doug and Donna Niemi saw
elk migrating near the Gros Ventre roundabout. The line seemed to be a mile long, single file. The elk stopped and gathered at the Gros Ventre River and seemed to âdiscussâ whether to ford the water. Eventually one brave elk went across and the rest followed, again single file.
Kay Modi was biking through the southern section of Jackson, near South Park Loop and Flat Creek, and was thrilled to see a pair of
osprey return to the football field light tower and just an hour later to witness an ospreyâs dive into Flat Creek to pull out a fish. The Wetland Society ponds on Boyles Hill Road had 27