Field Trip Report, November 15

By Steve and Martha Ellis

The field trip started at the Fort Casey State Park lighthouse. The 13 attendees walked to the bluff and were greeted by very foggy weather. We still managed to see, (or in the case of Red-necked Grebes, hear), Bonaparte’s and Short-billed Gulls, Red-breasted Mergansers, and Rhinoceros Auklets. In the thickets were Spotted Towhees, Song sparrows and a male Downy Woodpecker.

Our next area was the picnic grounds and forest section of the park. We immediately found a flock of Golden-crown Sparrows and soon came upon a mixed group of Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Bewick's Wren, Brown Creeper and Red-breasted Nuthatch. Other birds seen were Red Crossbills, American Robins, Dark-eyed Juncos and crows, while a Northern Flicker was heard calling.

The woods and picnic grounds were festooned with a wide assortment of mushrooms. My thanks to Sego Jackson for identifying many of the species for us. 

We traveled next to the Keystone Boat Launch. Jann Leadbetter was there and quickly pointed out a Great Egret standing on the rock jetty.  Everyone got good looks at this remarkable bird that was successfully fishing. A male Harlequin Duck was in the ferry slip along with Pigeon Guillemots and Horned Grebes. A Belted Kingfisher called from one of the ferry support structures.

The old fuel dock held Pelagic and Double-crested Cormorants. A Common Loon passed by near our vantage point.

A drive  alongside Crockett's Lake did not yield the hoped for Short-eared Owls but we did see three Northern Harriers. Crockett's Lake had American Wigeons and Northern Pintails and the mudflats had a large flock of Dunlin and a couple of Greater Yellowlegs. We ended the trip at Driftwood Park, practically underneath a perched Bald Eagle. A total of 45 bird species were found.