March 8, 2019 3.4 Mile Circuit Report

Notables: At least three raptors, good photos of a Ferruginous Hawk sitting on a crossarm, the usual Kestrel on a wire, a hulking shape in a tree overlooking the dig site that might have been a Red-tailed, plus 3 glimpses of a grayish raptor in flight soaring low.

A single Cedar Waxwing near the dig along with some Robins.. Song Sparrow (best pic I ever got of a Song Sparrow) and White-crowned Sparrow in the mesquites near the SW corner. Thought I saw a White-throated Sparrow in that area but no photo, and unless there is a pic it didn't happen, possible only. A fuzzy-haired coyote (mange?) came to the SW fence, eyed me, then backtracked toward the south. At least 6 Jack Rabbits spooked in the NE quadrant; never saw more than two there before. At least one Bufflehead Duck on a pond. A strangely-marked male Mallard cross.

Encountered several Echinocereus reichenbachii where the bench is near the west boundary toward the north. (Most I've seen are on the east side at what I call the cliffs.)

Posted on March 12, 2019 04:50 PM by thebark