...you have to have one like today to average it out.
The 40% chance of rain after lunch forecast last night started falling
at 8:30 this morning. My impression last month that there were few
waterfowl staying at Union Slough was hammered home, especially in
contrast with Steve's 13 species a couple days ago towards Spirit Lake.
A sprinkling of the regular 6 nesters were apparent this AM: swan,
canada, mallard, teal, woodie, and hoodie. Only a couple of Great Blue
and Green Herons were out and about, the same with corms and pelicans.
No terns or gulls, and even the non-Black rails were silent. I didn't
note a coot or a Pie-billed Grebe, but I do admit my stops became
shorter at each location.
It was not, however, completely without highlights:
Flocks of 70, 45, and 45 Canada Geese took of between 7:00 and 7:30 from
around Maynard Reece WPA and started the next leg of their trips to
Canadian vacation locations.
One of the remaining wet field spots had a flock of 48 White-rumped
Sandpipers, 3 Semipalmated Sands, and a Pec.
For my second time ever, I watched an Upland Sandpiper bathing in a
puddle in a field. I was again struck by the impression that they really
don't like getting wet- some quick knee-bend dabbling of the underparts,
a bit of face dipping to run a few drops down the back, and they're out
to flick and shake it all off.
Matthew Kenne
Algona, Iowa
[email protected]
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