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Dixie Birding

Greetings from the Dixie Birders. We have had a couple of blockbuster outings; Wednesday and today. Let me start with Wednesday.

It was a gorgeous morning and we started out at the Dixie Red Hills Golf Course, proceeded to Stonebridge and ended up at Sunbrook. All golf courses. One bird of note in Bloomington that I will throw in special. In total, 41 species.

DIXIE RED HILLS (26) - All the cattails have been removed from the shore of the pond, hence, no more Moorhen. Maybe in six months after they grow back....
Mallard
Sharp-shinned Hawk
American Kestrel
Mourning Dove
White-throated Swift
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Northern Flicker (Orange Shafted)
Black Phoebe
Vermilion Flycatcher - I've seen a few "red" Vermilion Flycatchers in my time, but this one was a dandy! It was protecting it's territory against all comers and exhibiting courtship behavior as well. It was an iridescent, brilliant, vermilion. Oh, it was gorgeous! Feathers erected on the top of it's head, charging at any bird around. A beautiful, beautiful bird.
Western Kingbird
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Verdin
Rock Wren
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Lucy's Warbler - This is the bird of the Month here. They are everywhere.
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)
White-crowned Sparrow
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
House Sparrow

STONEBRIDGE (11) - Building is occurring here rapidly, but access is still good.
Canada goose
Mallard
Ring-neck Duck - For a "common old duck", in breeding plumage and in "heat", it too is gorgeous, especially when the crown feathers are slightly raised like a Tufted Duck.
Lesser Scaup
Ruddy Duck
Mudhen... oops! Just checking to see if you're paying attention.
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Killdeer
American Avocet
Song Sparrow

SUNBROOK (13) - Development is encroaching here too.
Ring-necked Duck
Ruddy Duck
(Pekin Duck)
(Mute Swan)
American coot
American Kestrel
Mourning Dove
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Bewick's Wren
European Starling
Abert's Towhee - This bird suffered from the flood. There are long stretches of the Santa Clara River that are void of this once common bird. As an aside, because of the flood, reconstruction that is occurring is decimating the once pristine river. It is becoming a rock channel... it is being "bound and gagged" in the name of protecting man. So is the Virgin River. It has "catapillaritis". Everything down river from the I-15 bridge is gone for several miles, swept clean from shore to shore by the big mechanical "cats" and track hoes. All vegetation is gone, all habitat destroyed. It is just a dirt banked stream several hundred yards wide.
White-crowned Sparrow

BLOOMINGTON
Cedar Waxwing - I watch a particular patch of Pyracantha every time I pass. This time I was rewarded by these birds eating the berries.

That's it for now. You will want to stay tuned for the next saga of the Dixie Birders as it contains Long-tailed Duck, Horned Grebe and Black-throated Sparrow. Oh, did I mention Anna's Hummingbird???

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