Saw a pair of Green Herons working on gathering nesting materials, a pair of Sandhill Cranes hanging my the wind for a good 5 minutes over my head.
Observed a female Brown-headed Cowbird acting oddly in some downed trees and branches just east of the parking lot - as I watched it approached a beautiful nest just off the trail about chest high. The bird checked out the nest and finally flew even though I was only about 5 feet away. When I checked the nest there were two identical eggs in it. Most likely some other bird's eggs and she is getting ready to parasitize it - just guess. Saw some nice shorebirds off the platform out in the lake to the west of the parking lot. They were in the low reeds to the west but too far off to clearly identify with binoculars. Didn't have my scope. I thought they could be a variety of beasties. Best to leave it to the shore bird experts or bring my scope and book next time. Also had 8 Great Egrets in the pond just east of the parking lot and dozens of Blue-Winged Teal in the lake by the platform. Plus hundreds - yes hundreds - of swallows skimming the lake away from the platform - it was like a mosquito hatch there were so many. Thomas Maiello Angel Environmental Management, Inc. Maple Grove, MN
