Fall Migration is Here!

Carolyn Vance

Fall Migration is on and birds are flying south to spend the cold winter months at our Refuge! Every day is a treat to be out seeing what new birds have arrived that day. Here are some of the birds seen so far.

September and October Birds:

White-tailed Kite – we are up to four of them. Note their bright yellow legs and feet. They love this antenna pole as it has a panoramic view of open fields, looking for mice and insects.

4-White-tailed Kites, Photo credit: Carolyn Vance

Burrowing Owl, Photo credit: Carolyn Vance

Burrowing Owl – so far only one has shown up. This guy is sticking out of squirrel bolt-hole in an agriculture field known for its mice and insect population. This field is also a favorite with our resident coyotes and I have seen them dig out mice on several occasions.

Banded Peregrine Falcon, Photo credit: Carolyn Vance

Peregrine Falcon – while we do have a pair, or three, who are residents, this bird has bands on both of her legs.

I say “her” because this is a big falcon and female raptors are bigger than males. She also has rusty-brown chest and thick moustachial stripe (what we would call “sideburns”) leading me to think she is of the anatum subspecies. She likes to perch right up against the middle of the phone poles overlooking most of the marsh. Swallows and eared grebes have been her meals of choice, so far.

Red-tailed Hawk – these are the Refuge’s iconic hawk and in winter can be seen from just about every other pole. While we do have two breeding pairs, I saw a darker bird today hanging out by NASA Island, our Least Tern nesting area.

Cassin’s Kingbirds – a pair was seen on the very southern border on our high-tide count.

Ruddy Duck, Photo credit: Carolyn Vance

Ruddy Ducks – a pair was seen only one day in late September in Case Pond, then moved on. More will be down to spend the winter.

This report is as of October 8, 2017.