Mica Bay Survey September 2026

Mica Bay Survey-September 8, 2026

Field Trip Report by Ted Smith, Coeur d’Alene Audubon Chapter President 

American Kestrel

Our day started out wet and very cool (52 degrees). We have been starting at 7 am this summer to take advantage of morning bird activity. Well, things were pretty quiet this morning at 7:15 am. We started at the bay and worked our way west from there. The bay only turned up one red-necked grebe and a couple of ring-billed gulls. A stop at the Audubon sign and the end of the rain got things going. We found we had to listen and wait to find birds as they weren’t moving much in the wet foliage. The walk down Lofts Bay Road was productive with wood ducks and mallards as well as gray catbirds and song sparrows. The stop at Jerry and Sharron’s place added 3 or 4 more species.  The highlight of the day for me was just west of Hanson’s home. We found 8 American kestrels perched on a power line over the mowed hay field. I have never seen that many American kestrels in one place before. We ended the day with 27 species – not too bad considering the wet, cold start. Attending were Sally G., Mark L., Ralph K., and Ted S.

Species List:

Canada goose, wood duck, mallard, green-winged teal, California quail, wild turkey, Eurasian collared-dove, ring-billed gull, red-necked grebe, sharp-shinned hawk, Accipiter sp., red-tailed hawk, northern flicker, American kestrel, Eastern kingbird, common raven, black-capped chickadee, pygmy nuthatch, gray catbird, Western bluebird, American robin, house finch, red crossbill, white-crowned sparrow, song sparrow, spotted towhee, red-winged blackbird, yellow-rumped warbler.

Eastern Kingbird