Autumn Birds at Watson Lake

Birders follow lots of hunches when choosing where to lug their field glasses and zoom lenses. Social media, newspapers, clubs and casual chats on park trails are all ways to communicate the location of new and interesting finds. So when I recently visited Watson Lake with the singular goal of finding an ibis, it was because the local paper's weekly bird column had reported that flocks were migrating through the area.

I'm happy to say I scored a direct hit. In fact I found several of the uncommon visitors, and with some sneaking and good luck, I was able to get some excellent shots of white-faced ibises.

There's a wonderful sense of accomplishment when you have a clear goal, and then a successful outcome. But for me, the real excitement of birding are the surprises that excursions in the outdoors iinevitably bring.

Prescott's Watson Lake and the adjacent preserve in Watson Woods are beautiful riparian areas housing many examples of high country flora and fauna. But on this week's visit, I was amazed at the sheer number and variety of birds in one park. Of course it's early autumn, and like ibis, there are a number of migratory birds on a layover. But there are several that might have just arrived to stay for the upcoming winter season, like the gorgeous wood ducks claiming their space in a forested avian campground. At the same time, the black-eyed susans and other drying wildflowers are creating an ample and close-to-the trail feast for regional birds like pine siskins and white-crowned sparrows.

There are certainly multiple factors that contribute to a lucky day on the birding trail. Seeing flocks of great egrets and identifying an orange-crowned warbler for the first time are thrills no matter what the circumstances. Witnessing such scenes multiple times on a single outing so close to your backyard in crisp fall weather, all accompanied to the clickety-clack leaps of thousands of grasshoppers and the whimsical fluttering of butterflies, is beyond the average birder's humble expectations.

And if that wasn't enough, the memories and recordings of the moments will provide many hours of entertainment for the blogger that enjoys photography, research, writing and editing. Stay tuned!