Subject: [Tweeters] Kent Ponds and vicinity
Date: May 19 21:14:08 2010
From: Carol & Lynn Schulz - carol.schulz50 at gmail.com


Hi Tweeters:
I birded down at Kent Ponds this morning. It was warm and sunny. I viewed from the south viewing tower, and from near the gate entrance there. At 8:15 the male Amer. Kestrel flew in and perched for about 10 minutes on a flat-topped snag that is west of the viewing tower. Then it flew to the top of a big round tree that is slightly to the NW of the snag. It flew over toward the snag once to chase away some birds, and then flew back to the top of its tree. At 8:30 a WESTERN KINGBIRD flew into the meadow to the west of the south viewing tower. It foraged from the tops of the mini-trees there. It was still in the area when I left 1/2 hour later. 2 Ospreys, and quite a few Brown-headed Cowbirds were flying about. A moderate number of Cedar Waxwings were in the area.
At 9am, I entered the Kent Ponds inner area through the Animal Shelter gate (with permission). Just inside the gate and toward the left, there are two Great Blue Heron nests in the tops of some tall cottonwoods. These are visible from the Animal Shelter area. A GBH was on one nest, and another was perched near the other nest. Back on the interior road, there were a few warblers, but not many. They were Yellow Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, and Common Yellowthroat. The Yellow-rumps are all gone. There were moderate numbers of Cedar Waxwings.
Walking to the east on a small road next to the cottonwood forest, I could hear a loudly singing BULLOCK'S ORIOLE. But I couldn't see it. In a flooded pond to the right, there was a pair of late Ring-necked Ducks. Quite a few Warbling Vireos called in the cottonwoods. One Western Wood-Pewee was singing. One Brown Creeper sang. I heard the pridit call of a Western Tanager, and saw 2 female tanagers in the cottonwoods. A few Wilson's and Yellow Warblers were singing in the forest. A Red-tailed Hawk circled up over the forest. The temperature in the shade was 72 degrees.
At mid-day I headed over to the 212th St pond. The tan Peregrine Falcon was flying away, and two Red-tails were flying over the fields. The pumpkin field and ponds to the north on 204th are dry. The pumpkin field is completely plowed and a few Killdeer were calling from the field.
Carol Schulz
Des Moines
carol.schulz50 at gmail.com