Prescott Peninsula

Wild Turkey, Prescott Peninsula, June 22, 2013

Wild Turkey, Prescott Peninsula, June 22, 2013

Tree Swallow, Prescott Peninsula, June 22, 2013

American Goldfinch, Prescott Peninsula, June 22, 2013

Song Sparrow, Prescott Peninsula, June 22, 2013

Gray Catbird, Prescott Peninsula, June 22, 2013

I spent a few hours this morning inside the gates at Prescott Peninsula conducting more work on surveying the bird species in the scattered fields there. I arrived a bit before six and left around nine and covered several of the fields.  I was able to confirm breeding of a few more species that are using the fields here to raise the next generation. Certain species occur in only a few spots (or sometimes in only one) on the entire peninsula and many times the area they are in are one of the fields. In previous years I have had Field Sparrow and Prairie Warbler breeding in the largest field complex but not this year so far. Other speciality species associated with the fields (and edges) include Alder Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, Blue Winged Warbler, Indigo Bunting and others.  Lots of other breeders around as I travelled from one field to the next but no luck finding any crossbills today.

 

Racing pigeon with leg tag, Prescott Peninsula, June 22, 2013

Racing pigeon with leg tag, Prescott Peninsula, June 22, 2013

Racing pigeon with leg tag, Prescott Peninsula, June 22, 2013

Racing pigeon with leg tag, Prescott Peninsula, June 22, 2013

Racing pigeon with leg tag, Prescott Peninsula, June 22, 2013

I did have an odd bird for the area just before I left. I was walking the last section of one of the fields and noticed a turkey and a smaller bird walking in the road. The smaller bird was a pigeon, which is quite unusual on the peninsula. A closer looked revealed it was a racing pigeon of some sort and had a leg tag on its left leg. The leg band was green in color with the code "2013 566rr"...it would be interesting to see where the bird came from.  The bird was nearly oblivious to me and allowed fairly close approach before it flew across a field and perched in a pine. This poor bird will not last long in the open when it exhibits this type of behavior.  The mammals once again put on a good show and I had a Moose and White tailed Deer among others.