A Quick Trip 1/20/2012

I decided to run out to Webster after school today.  It was the first time that most of the lake has been frozen over.  This was probably a good thing for me, though.  All the waterfowl were concentrated around the two small areas of open water.  There was a large flock of geese.  Almost all of them were Canada and Cackling, but there were two birds that stuck out very clearly:

One of two Snow Geese in a large flock of Canada and Cackling Geese and dabblers (almost all Mallards).

There were also a few Greater White-fronted Geese mixed in; they didn't stick out nearly as well as the Snow Geese.

Greater White-fronted Goose amidst other geese.

I also saw my first Bald Eagles for Rooks County for 2012.

Two adult Bald Eagles chillin' on the ice.

After I picked up Hooded Merganser for Rooks, I decided to take to the county roads in search of Northern Shrike, Ferruginous Hawk, Short-eared Owl, and anything else I could pick up.  Well, there were no shrikes, Ferruginous, or owls to be found, but I did pick up a small flock of Greater Prairie-Chicken (#90).  I love the way they fly: short bursts of flaps with longer drifting periods.  I also found a nice flock of sparrows, nothing too special, but still nice.