Usually I have pretty good luck. Today, not so much. Or we are far enough
along into spring that my birding standards have changed, and what I considered
to be a great day 3 weeks ago is now just kinda lackluster. The Cinnamon Teal
and Blue-winged Teal were nowhere to be seen along Salem Ave. The farmer was
working the fields with his tractor this morning so that may have had something
to do with it, and a large construction vehicle went by scaring the few things
that were around. All the Bonaparte's Gulls have left with only a few
Ring-billed remaining. I only noticed a single Greater and a single Lesser
Yellowlegs in that area. In a field along Post Rd. there were 9 Pectoral
Sandpipers with a Wilson's Snipe(also seen in field along Cty. Rd. 50). Rapids
Lake MVNWR wasn't overly active this morning(or I just didn't hit the right
spot). 3 American Woodcock were right along the loop trail. I got a 2nd
hand report of the first Palm, Orange-crowned Warbler, Lark, and Henslow's
Sparrow over the last week at the refuge, but I didn't see any of those today.
Both Yellow-rumped Warbler and Ruby-crowned Kinglet were less numerous this
morning. The only lingering waterfowl in the area were Gadwall, Shoveler, and
Lesser Scaup. More Ruddy Duck have moved onto Winkler Lake, and there are
now 5 Red-necked Grebes on Assumption Lake. 3 Sora were at Spring Peeper
Meadow earlier in the week. Yellow-headed Blackbird returned to Chevalle
wetlands earlier in the week and were at Rapids Lake today. I only saw Eastern
Meadowlark at the refuge this morning but a Western Meadowlark has been in a
similar location for the past week northeast of Assumption Lake.
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