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Birding

Back at Pierre

I’ve been back in South Dakota for two weeks now. Amazingly, I’ve added two new birds to my state life list. It is hard just to add one species to that list, after birding in this state for over 50 years. I’m now up to 372 species seen in South Dakota. I also keep three county life lists, and both of those species were added to my Hughes County list, which is at 316.

The first one I added was White-winged Dove. This species is showing up more often in South Dakota in recent years. I could probably have added it a long time ago if I wanted to drive a long way chasing reports. But I just waited and eventually got it right here in Pierre. There were actually two of them. Thanks to Charlie Bessken for this bird!
This one was a complete surprise. A Mississippi Kite at Farm Island, a very rare bird in South Dakota. My sister Susan Leach and her husband Rick also saw it. I’m not sure if Charlie Bessken saw it but she was there too.
A take-off shot, showing plumage typical of a subadult Mississippi Kite.
This is the best photo I’ve taken since I got back, a Red-headed Woodpecker that posed nicely.

One reply on “Back at Pierre”

Two new state life listers, pretty dang good Doug. And a gorgeous red-headed woodpecker photo, that one has eluded my life list although they are supposed to be in parts of eastern Montana.

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