New arrivals and a great day

This post covers both Saturday and Sunday of an incredible weekend

Saturday

This morning I started the day at the Cherry River Fishing Access with several Cinnamon Teals and a Great Yellowlegs. The surprise was a Columbia Spotted Frog engaged in amplexus with an otherwise dead partner. Seems like froggy love knows no bounds. It was very unexpected to have a frog this early…a nice pleasant surprise. I decided to walk down the trail to the East Gallatin Recreation Area, and I happened upon a deceased Meadow Vole…a bio-geek’s dream. Of course, I had to pick it up and take a documentation pic with the cell phone (camera battery was dead…bummer).

Later in the day, Non-birding Vida (NBV) and I went down to the Bear Trap Canyon on the Madison River for a little relaxation and vino. A Canyon Wren was singing high up on the rocks and Red-breasted Mergansers (a single male and his two “bitches” – NBVspeak).

Sunday

The morning started at the Cherry River Fishing Access where a male Northern Harrier was doing a remarkable display flight that consisted of acrobatic roll and twists. As he was flying by, a Wilson’s Snipe was winnowing overhead, a welcome sound indeed. Three Ring-necked Ducks were swimming in the pond with a multitude of American Coots carrying-on with their squeaks and chases with the participants running atop the glassy surface. An American White Pelican glided overhead briefly as the Sandhill Cranes trumpeted in the open fields. The Killdeer numbers are definitely picking as well.

At the East Gallatin Rec. Area, the spring’s first Tree Swallows were calling and feeding over the cottonwood forest. Richardson’s Ground Squirrels were all over the place.

What a great weekend!