The day started out cool and calm with a very light mist in the air. My
first stop was near the bridge on Raasch Trail. Right off I saw a Pileated
Woodpecker and then found a large flock of 30 Pine Siskins. While I was
observing the Siskins a Sharp-shinned Hawk came thru and caused all the
birds to scatter. Then I proceeded down Wildlife Drive. The water
continues to recede and is exposing more and more mudflats all the time. A
lot of the mudflats are drying out and beginning to crack. There is an
abundance of shorebirds but they are spread out over a large area. I
counted at least 250 Long-billed Dowitchers and 37 American Avocets. There
were still some American Golden-Plovers present. There was also a Dunlin
mixed in with the Long-billed Dowitchers. White geese are starting to
arrive. I watched a small flock of 25 Ross's, and 5 Snow Geese settle in on
the lake. A lot of American White Pelicans are still coming thru and I saw
about 545, some flying and some resting on the sandbars. The highlight of
the day for me was a Virginia Rail bathing and feeding in the tall growth
across Mineral Marsh from the observation platform. This is the first
Virginia Rail that I have ever actually observed on the refuge. I have
heard them call before but never was able to spot one. I could not get a
decent photo because of the distance and the fact that the rail was in
among the tall growth.I heard the first Western Meadowlarks of the season
singing so now it will be a mixture of Eastern and Westerns until late
spring. I finished the day with 70 species.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S75145915
Jack Chiles, Texas Master Naturalist and volunteer, Hagerman NWR.
