Albino Goose at the Christmas Bird Count

Penny studying sparrows. 

       I joined Penny's group for the Christmas Bird Count. Penny took charge of the area around Lake Wichita, a hot spot for shore birds. I took along the new Nikon V 1 with the 30-110mm lens. Fortunately for us, the wind blew at less than four knots in 30 F temps. The sun had not risen, and on the glass-like water we could already see hundreds of birds. For a complete list of our count compiled by Penny, see her blog post.

The Chat Trail at Lake Wichita.

       From the spillway of Lake Wichita, along the Barrow Pit, through the Chat Trail to the parking lot, we counted birds from the grasses to the sky above us. Penny has the final count, but I think I can say with confidence that over one thousand cormorants flew in flocks overhead for most of the morning, some flocks with about two hundred birds. Canada Geese seemed numerous, too, in the water and flying overhead.

An albino Canada Goose in a small flock flying overhead. 

      Of note, we spotted Wood Ducks, Buffleheads, Ruddy Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, the awesome Great Blue Heron, a snipe, a Rock Wren, the Ring-billed and Bonapart Gulls, American Pelicans, and a Belted Kingfisher. East of the bridge along the old part of Taft Boulevard, I spotted another kingfisher. He was hunting, hovering over the water, and then suddenly diving into the surface.
      We spotted, too, a bullfinch, White-crowned, Song, and Harris' Sparrows, a Red-tailed Hawk, and the usual gang: Bewick's Wren, Mallards, Pied-billed Grebes, Meadowlarks, Blue Jays, American Robins, Starlings Cardinals, Red-winged Blackbirds, Coots, and Eurasian-collared Doves.

One of the coves along Lake Wichita.