Date: 1/1/26 4:03 pm From: Vic Fondy via groups.io <treasurecreek...> Subject: [sd-birds] WW to Herford and return
We birded today on backroads from Whitewood to Bear Butte Lake then Alkali Road to Hereford Road and return via Vale and WW Valley. We had originally planned to bird North on old 85 but received a report from Charlie M. that old 85 had few birds, so we headed East. Unfortunately birds were also very limited East of Sturgis except for Bald Eagles and Horned Larks. We had a total of 5 mature Bald Eagles today. Other sightings in that area included 3 Rough-legged Hawks, 2 American Kestrels, and one Northern Harrier. We also had one Lewis's Woodpecker on Eden Road. N of Sturgis. Bear Butte Lake and all roadside ponds today were frozen over. Whitewood Creek was open in the valley area and we had 4 Mallards there.
Our feeder sightings 1.5 miles south of Whitewood remain about the same except we now have as many as 20 feeder American Goldfinches and an occasional Bald Eagle flying by on Whitewood Creek.
We would like to commend the ladies doing weekly reportsregardless of the weather from Canyon Lake and the West River campus. Your sightings are great and give us hope for new birds here.
