Round Lake State Park Field Trip
by Lisa Clark, newer to birding and a member of Coeur d’Alene Audubon
On a warm, sunny September day—about as perfect as fall birding gets—twelve birders explored Round Lake State Park in Cocolalla, Idaho, just 35 minutes from Coeur d’Alene. For many of us, this beautiful park was a new birding destination.
We were fortunate to be joined by Hannah, a Master Naturalist and park volunteer, who served as our ad hoc guide for the two-mile trek. Hannah shared her extensive knowledge of the area, including recent and ongoing improvements at the park, conservation efforts, and the plants and birds we encountered along the way. Her expertise added so much to the experience, and we are grateful that she reached out to join us.
The trail wound through a lovely cedar forest and along the lake, with several excellent stopping points where we could set up a scope and scan the open water. The lake itself was relatively quiet, and bird numbers were lower than we had hoped. Some recent logging on the hillside above the lake may have affected conditions in and around the lake, potentially influencing bird use, and, of course, as we were aware going in, it is getting late in the season. The forest, however, was anything but quiet! Thick vegetation overhead provided plenty of bird activity, and we identified many species by their calls and songs.
One highlight was a pair of Canada Jays, confidently identified by one of our experienced birders—and a new lifer for him. We also watched an Osprey make a late-season dive for prey, which prompted some discussion about how long we might expect to see Ospreys lingering in the area.
Another fun observation was a single Ring-necked Duck swimming among a flock of 16 Northern Shovelers. While the two species have different feeding behaviors, they share similar wetland habitat, and joining a larger flock can provide both feeding opportunities and the safety of numbers.
The trip was also a wonderful opportunity to connect with our Sandpoint-area members. We were delighted to meet another new community member from Sandpoint and to spend time with newer members from the area. We hope to return to this part of North Idaho more often and continue building our connections with our Sandpoint birding community.
After our hike, we capped off the day with a very welcome late lunch at The View in Cocolalla. We were hungry!
It was a terrific fall day of birding, exploration, good conversation, and new connections—and especially rewarding to introduce a location that was new to several longtime birders. Add Round Lake State Park to your birding list, and consider exploring it again when bird numbers may be higher.
And, as always, a field trip is even more memorable when someone gets a lifer!
Round Lake State Park Species List
American Robin
Black-capped Chickadee
Canada Goose
Canada Jay
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Common Raven
Double-crested Cormorant
Northern Flicker
Northern Shoveler
Osprey
Pacific Wren
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Ring-necked Duck
Song Sparrow
Stellar’s Jay
Turkey Vulture
White-crowned Sparrow
