Spent yesterday afternoon at Lee Metcalf NWR, and as always it was a spectacular time to be there. I was able to spot the female Greater Scaup again, and again without an image. Along the Kenai trail, Northern Shrike and American Tree Sparrow were among the visitors from the north. The surprise of the day was a group of common raccoons that near foraging amongst the frozen and cattails of Pond 6. A pair of Hooded Merganser males were in full display (the warm weather must have trick into thinking it was spring). They were only missing a lady for all their efforts. Hundreds of Canada Geese flew overhead and they descended onto the ice as most seems to miss the open water.
 Honker landing procedure engaged |
 Flock in synchronized landing |
 Northern Shrike perched and watching |
 Hunter calls it a day |
 Somber mood |
 Golden skies over the Bitterroot Mountains |
 Artsy way of looking at Lee Metcalf |
 Common Raccoon |
eBird Checklist
| Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) | 600 |
| Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) | 4 |
| Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) | 1 |
| Gadwall (Anas strepera) | 12 |
| Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) | 20 |
| Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) | 20 |
| Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) | 20 |
| Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) | 10 |
| Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) | 1 |
| Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) | 12 |
| Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) | 3 |
| Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) | 8 |
| Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) | 1 |
| Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) | 5 |
| Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) | 1 |
| Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) | 1 |
| Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor) | 1 |
| Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) | 20 |
| American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) | 1 |
| Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) | 4 |
| Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) | 1 |
| American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea) | 2 |
| Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) | 4 |
| Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) | 1 |
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