by Juli deGrummond
Eleven birders joined Juli deGrummond for this fun road trip and day of birding.
We assembled in the Village Commons parking lot as we made introductions and detailed the planned stops. Our first stop was Rest Stop 265 which had been hit hard by Hurricane Idilia. Our target bird here was the White-winged Dove which has an established population at this location. In spite of the destruction we were able to locate two of the doves which gave good looks to all members of our group. Next we headed to the Main Entrance of Paynes Prairie State Park. As soon as we pulled in and got out of the car we were spotting birds in the trees. A Summer Tanager feasted on a dragonfly right overhead while Red-eyed Vireos moved stealthily through the trees making brief appearances for the watchful observers. We moved to the Welcome Center where we set up scopes on the back balcony overlooking the prairie and immediately spotted our main target bird, the Whooping Crane. The crane moved through the tall grass popping in and out of view as it fed around and amongst one of the herds of wild horses! Then we moved on to the nearby observation tower where we were able to see out across the prairie and get a great overview of this unique and expansive habitat. From the tower we could see more of the wild horses as well as some of the wild bison that live here. To add to the enjoyment of seeing these amazing creatures, many of us took pleasure in seeing Cattle Egrets ride on the backs of both the horses and the bison. As we stood enjoying the view a pair of Bald Eagles circled overhead along with Turkey Vultures and a Red-shouldered Hawk.
Our next stop was Bolen Bluff Trail which is a part of the state park that is outside of the main entrance. Bolen Bluff Trail features well developed trails that lead through a shady old-growth forest that is a great stopping point for migrants that are headed to their winter homes. Our highlights here included a Prothonotary Warbler, a Blue-winged Warbler, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-throated Warblers, and lots of other expected participants in fall mixed flocks.
The final stop in this adventure was the Ecopassage Observation Boardwalk which is located directly off 441. This little boardwalk gives a great look at the vast expansive prairie which extends far and wide on both sides of 441. Here we had great views of Snail Kites. We saw some of the regular lake inhabitants like Bald Eagles, Osprey, Anhinga, Double-crested Cormorants, Purple Gallinule, and Yellow Warblers, as well as American Alligators.
We have a fantastic variety of upcoming guided field trips that are free to the public. Take a look at the field trips listed on our website and sign up for one that interests you!
