Yesterday I tried for the Hooded Warbler between 3 and 5pm with no success since things were pretty quiet there. I only saw six warbler species, but there were quite a few Black-and-whites more near the back of the center (opposite the building). Along the Hooded loop I saw 4 Red Fox kits and saw them run to their den right inside the loop! So keep an eye out for them while you're looking for the Hooded.
The real highlight, though, was a Least Bittern! In the cattails along the long boardwalk I heard it move. It wasn't even 15 feet from me, sneaking through the reeds almost silently while I was taking all the pictures I could. And it never flushed! I've never had such good looks at one before. The exact location can be found by going counter-clockwise around the lake from the Hooded Warbler loop, then going over the boardwalk. The bittern was on the left side (toward the building) right at edge where the cattails leave the walk (2/3 across). I put a photo of the bittern in the "Birds" section of http://www.elijahparker.com (the categories are sorted by date taken, so the latest will always be at the top). Another new addition is a Prothonotary Warbler from under the 35E bridge at the Mississippi on Thursday. I had a total of 50 species in Crosby farm park that day, but still only 8 warblers. I saw several Prothonotaries, though. Elijah Parker Saint Paul, MN http://www.elijahparker.com
