Birders, The 3 GLOSSY IBIS and 1 WHITE-FACED IBIS originally found by Rachel Simmons provided A-1 looks midday at Swan Lake SP in Carroll County. I digiscoped some documentation photos that I'm anxious to look at on the computer.
While stocking the ibis, an AMERICAN AVOCET showed up as well, which hadn't been in the area earlier in the morning. Specific viewing directions: If interested in seeing these birds, begin at the west end of Swan Lake. You can park in the main parking lot at the west entrance of the park. I would give a quick scan of the rocky north shoreline before moving. Walking the road (not the trail) to the north, you'll see a grassy trail on the right. Taking that trail will lead you along the west shore (which has been highly favorable to waders and shorebirds) as well as to a muddy wetland on the left. The entire west end of the lake is extremely shallow right now and is where the avocet was. The ibis were rock hopping, feeding, preening, and resting on the northwest rocky shore, particularly the area that has a little wet spit cut off from the lake by rocks. It's also worth a peek at the swan enclosure on the northeast side of the lake, as well as the adjacent shoreline of the lake. If you'd like more directions or photos, drop me a line. Bird on... Matt Matthew T. Wetrich Jefferson, IA Greene Co. Naturalist, Carroll Co. Conservation Sent from my U.S. Cellular BlackBerry® smartphone
