Migration Settles In

We tried to drive the Mansfield survey route earlier in the week. However, we got as far as Withrow and had to turn around, skunked out by the fog. It’s just about impossible to count raptors when you can’t even see 20 feet in front of your vehicle. We knew we would have to come back another day and drive that route. 

This morning Amanda and I both had items on our schedule. But the sun was shining! It looked like a great day! So, Amanda called me at 9 AM and said, “Do you want to run out and do a survey?“  It was a little late to get started, but we decided to give it a go. We stopped at a gas station to fill up the car, ran in the grocery store to get something for lunch, and headed north. We didn’t take our cameras because we had such a late start. Also, my big lens was having focus problems and isn’t repaired yet.

We stopped at the starting point to our route to write down the time, temperature, and weather conditions. Immediately, we looked up and saw a subadult Bald Eagle (we thought a three-year-old) and an American Kestrel. What a great way to start a survey!

As we headed down the road toward Penny Lake, we encountered two American Kestrels. The lake is starting to freeze over now and there was no waterfowl to be found.

As we headed through Mansfield the first time (we drive through town three times on this survey) we looked for the resident Merlin, but did not see it. Heading from Mansfield north, through Mary Jane Hill, and down into the Foster Creek drainage, we picked up a couple Rough-legged Hawks and another American Kestrel

We turned onto Terry Hayes Road, a little treasure of 3 1/2 miles. That road always has something interesting. But not today. No eagles, no hawks, no porcupines. Even the resident Great Horned Owl didn’t show its face. Maybe next month…

Heading down Highway 17, towards Simms corner, the usual suspects showed up… no one. That road is so busy we very rarely see any birds along it. We did see one Rough-legged Hawk.

We then covered the territory going west towards Mansfield and south to the north end of Jameson Lake. We looked for the Merlin again as we drove through Mansfield, but did not spot it. However, between leaving Simms corner and arriving at the north end of Jameson Lake, we spotted four Rough-legged Hawks, nine Red-tailed Hawks, one Northern Harrier and a Prairie Falcon.

Returning back from the lake, we drove through the town of Mansfield for the third time. And there, flying away from the school, across the road, right in front of us, was the Merlin! Merlin was the last sighting of the day and a great way to end the survey!

At the end of our survey route we headed home. As we were coming down the west side of Badger Mountain, the sun sank behind the hills and we arrived back home in the middle of blue hour.

Today’s Survey:

Red-tailed Hawk 9
American Kestrel 6
Northern Harrier 1
Bald Eagle (3 year old sub-adult)
Rough-legged Hawk 7
Prairie Falcon 1
Merlin 1