Bird Alert -- January 12, 2008 -- More Eagles

Since the last emailed Bird Alert, the following eagle sightings have been reported.  John Haynes saw the adult Golden Eagle near the corner of  South China Road and Lawhon on (“South China Prairie”), perched and in flight, on Wednesday January 9th around 2:30 p.m. On Friday afternoon, January 11, Sherrie Roden saw an immature Golden Eagle in essentially the same place, perhaps a little further north, seen from South China Road just south of the Diamond S Crawfish ranch buildings, and north of the transmission lines. On Saturday January 12 at about 1:30 p.m., the immature Golden Eagle was seen to land out of sight west of South China Road.  A few minutes later, the bird was seen to rise and fly around for a couple of minutes, and was seen by Jim Armacost, John Whittle, Jana Whittle, Tex Wells, and Christine Sliva. For a short period, a mature Bald Eagle was also in sight at the same time, low down and some distance to the north. At about 3 p.m. John Haynes and Steve Mayes saw the adult Golden Eagle from McDermand Road about a mile south of US 90 (and near a house with four dogs – they will let you know when you are there!).  If you intend to go to look for the eagles, check this website www.goldentriangleaudubon.org as we will post any sightings reported before the next email alert.

 Also seen in the area on Saturday January 12:

 A second year White-tailed Hawk on Lawhon Road, about a mile east of Greenpond Road.

Crested Caracaras, one on Lawhon, the other on Greenpond

A dark morph Red-tailed Hawk on McDermand.

 Flocks of Snow Geese were mostly seen in the distance to the east of South China Prairie, and one flock, perhaps 500, was west of Turner Road, just north of the southernmost of the two LNVA canals that cross Turner.

 A few Greater White-fronted Geese were seen flying over.

 There appear to be about 300 Sandhill Cranes in the area of South China Prairie.  Various groups were seen flying over; a large group was seen in the distant east, and late in the afternoon, John Park reported that they were coming in to roost in the area to the south of Lawhon Road, on the edge of the woodlands south and west of the community of New Bethel.  This area is opposite streets named, Bluebird, Hummingbird and Bobolink.

 [January 13: John Park reports that the majority of the Cranes were in fact landing south of Lawhon near its junction with Greenpond – about two miles west of New Bethel as described.] 

John Haynes and Steve Mayes report the coast as being quiet bird-wise, and did find a Common Goldeneye on Pleasure Island.

John A. Whittle