While waiting for the group to arrive a Wilson's Snipe flew across the pond and landed at the edge of the water in binocular viewing range for us. This secretive shorebird is a winter resident and it's always a treat to see one and be able to show one to the group. We made our way upstream in the creek bed and I was excited to see a couple flocks of Cedar Waxwings, another winter resident species, the first I've seen this season.
At the last dam on the creek we were treated to a Great Blue Heron and Great Egret hunting in clear, mirror-like water. I couldn't resist photographing them:
Mud at the base of the dam was full of wildlife tracks. Ones I could identify included coyote, raccoon, possum, heron/egret, and armadillo. There were a few more smaller ones that were not well-defined enough for me to figure out. Here's the dinosaur-like armadillo track:
In the woods by the last dam we were treated to a female Red-bellied Woodpecker that flew up to us while we were still and repeatedly investigated a cavity in a dead tree. It seems like the wrong time of year for her to be working on a nesting cavity, maybe she was just checking it out as a roost site? Here are a couple photos:
As usual, from there we followed the trail upstream and west to the first low water crossing in the Town and Country playing fields. This American Pipit gave us great views as it foraged in the algae of the creek bed:
Here are a few more photos on Flickr.
And here is our complete eBird checklist.
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