I spent about 2 hours early this morning on the Prairie's Edge Wildlife Drive and tallied 81 species. I found very few migrant songbirds, most sightings were birds that breed here. Areas that were alive with migrants on Monday were very quiet this morning. No cormorants were present. I found 12 species of sparrows and 7 warbler species - including a northern waterthrush that was new for the year. A lark sparrow was singing behind the restroom at the beginning of the drive. Had a common raven fly-over twice - might have been the same bird. I was at mile marker 3.0 and it flew over me to the SE with something in its beak; then a few minutes later, another flyover headed NW. I lost sight of it behind the trees. There was a black-billed cuckoo between mile markers 5.5 and 6.0, lurking in the willows on the left side of the road. The Stickney Pool eagle nest has two young in it. If you are there during feeding time, it's quite a show. Lots of screeching going on when they see an adult returning with food. Another interesting sighting, not on the wildlife drive, and just before sunrise, was a whip-poor-will calling from behind the Orrock Town Hall. This is about 2 miles south of the wildlife drive. From CR 5 & CR 4 intersection at Orrock, turn east and go .1 or .2 miles and watch for the Orrock Town Hall sign. The town hall is just up that road a bit. Tomorrow is our International Migratory Bird Day celebration. Pastor Al Schirmacher is leading a tour at 8:00am, meeting at refuge headquarters. This tour will include hiking and probably driving, and will include learning to I.D. birds by song. A more relaxed and family type tour leaves headquarters at 9:00am. This will be a car caravan tour around the wildlife drive. Friends of Sherburne will have their annual plant sale from 10am - 1pm. Kids can decorate a flower pot and take home a plant for mom. We'll have a few displays and Tree Care Advisors will be on hand too. Friends bookstore/gift shop will also be open 10am - 1pm. Tours and craft activity are FREE. Betsy Beneke Sherburne NWR
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