Hello all, Decided to risk getting rained on and headed to Bass Ponds for the first time this year. There were birds everywhere including dozens of Song Sparrows and Fox Sparrows, 100+ Green-winged Teal and Blue-winged Teal, 8 Great Blue Herons, hundreds of Coots, 1 Belted Kingfisher flying overhead, 3 Killdeer, pair Pied-billed Grebes, pair Northern Shovelers, two pairs Wood Ducks, Tree Swallows, 1 Common Loon, 1 Eastern Phoebe, and many others.
I kept on going and headed over to the Old Cedar Bridge and also saw quite a few birds. Near the bridge I saw a single Great Egret. From the observation deck at the end of the long boardwalk I saw the Yellow-headed Blackbird (straight out in the weeds), 8 Northern Shovelers, a few Bufflehead, Common and Hooded Mergansers, 1 Pied-billed Grebe, and hundreds of Coots - no luck finding the Red-necked Grebe. From there I went looking for the Carolina Wren but did not have any luck, but I did find 4 pairs of Wood Ducks along Bluff Trail. Heading back I met Leslie Marcus and together we found the Virginia Rail in the weeds about 20 yards away from the observation deck along the boardwalk and saw a soaring Turkey Vulture near the parking lot (thanks Leslie for helping with the Virginia Rail). Overall, I saw 38 species in a few hours of walking. The rain didn't start until I was on the way back home. Derek Bakken St. Paul, MN
