We spent another morning checking out the action at the former Embarrass Wild Rice Paddies. As usual there was a good variety of ducks, swallows and sparrows with and marsh birds like sora, red-winged blackbirds, pied-billed grebes, yellow-headed blackbirds and kingfishers.
Of special note among the warblers still migrating through was very nice opportunities to view Cape May, Wilson's and Blackpoll warblers. The highlight of the day was the first Marsh Wren that I have every seen in this area. It made its presence well known both vocally and visually. The other seasonal change from the previous week was the presence of gray catbirds and rose-breasted grosbeaks. They were singing everywhere we went and so apparantly returned in good numbers in the past week along with Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. We saw 52 species there during the morning. The Ely Area at the beginning of this summer is much different than last year. Last year there were almost no pine siskins during the summer and at least for now it seems like pine siskin and purple finches are in abundance. Bill Tefft Northern St. Louis Count
