Chris Michelson

Bird Watch

Changes are coming soon as the ice melts and weather forecasts begin to talk of rain instead of snow.

Open water at places like the Dave Johnson power plant and Gray Reef Reservoir continue to hold waterfowl in the area. Look for over-wintering American coot and pied-bill grebe. The most abundant species of duck are common goldeneye, common merganser, mallard and bufflehead. Canada goose can be found in a number of areas too. Some northern pintail have been spotted at Dave Johnson, while hooded merganser, greater scaup, ring-necked duck and lesser scaup have been reported from the Gray Reef Reservoir where the ice is nearly gone.

Raptors have been present in good numbers this winter. Red-tailed hawks are present in many areas along the North Platte River and rough-legged hawks have been common in the more open country. Northern Harrier can be found in a number of areas. Somewhat unusual is the number of ferruginous hawks that have overwintered this year.

Bald eagles are present along the North Platte River especially in areas that have open water. Good numbers of golden eagles, both adults and younger birds, have been noted this winter. Sharp-shinned hawks have been noted in good numbers in town this winter. Most people who have bird feeders out will have noted this species sometime during the winter.

While not a raptor, common raven has been reported regularly this winter. This is a continuation of a trend that started several years ago.

If you're is out along the Platte River Parkway in the evening or early morning you're likely to hear great-horned owls. Most of the paired owls are either on a nest now or soon will be so they will be less obvious.

There have been a couple of unusual songbirds noted in the last month. A purple finch has been observed at a feeder in southeast Casper a couple of times. The purple finch is a boreal species somewhat like the house finch but more strongly colored and with no streaking on the breast. In some years when food is scarce in the boreal forest this species comes south. It is more common in the Midwest and east. Also unusual is a common redpoll that was reported recently from a feeder in the Bessemer Bend area. This is another northern finch which comes south some years.

Although winter is not yet over there will be a number of species that can be expected to reappear anytime now. As the ice fades from the river and lakes look for migrant waterfowl. Many species of ducks and flocks of geese will show up soon. Ring-bill gull and double-creasted cormorant will also be along before too much longer. The first songbirds to look for will be western meadowlark, red-winged blackbird and mountain bluebird. It is likely that the first of these will be observed during the first week of March. Expect to see male birds in fresh breeding plumage first, followed by females in about two weeks.

Chris Michelson is a veteran bird watcher and board member of the Murie Audubon Society of Casper.