042620 American Coot
White-faced Ibis
Swainson's Thrush
042720 Franklin's Gull
042820 Spotted Sandpiper
Clay-colored Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse
Common Yellowthroat
Southwestern Subspecies
Three Barn Swallows were sailing around under the Lakeview Road Bridge with the Bald Eagle off on a distant power pole. The swallows circled around the water, then along the lowlands of the southeast corner of the lake. Writer then scanned the short grass just in case there might be Buff-breasted Sandpipers coming in early. Some of the grass is a little long, but they should be able to work with it. Hopefully, they will come here for a much-wanted photo if the grass doesn't grow much more.
Writer swung around The Cove for Yellow-rumped and the sounds of Yellow Warbler, as well as Warbling Vireo. Upon initial inspection, no Green Herons in sight, but there were Great-tailed Grackles and a couple of Red-winged Blackbirds. Eyeing the water on the north side, there were two dozen Franklin's Gulls, one Great Blue Heron cast overhead in a southeast direction, while another was discovered on the north side of Heron Cove proper, as well as one Double-crested Cormorant.
The sound of a Nashville Warbler permeated the air, but the area around the bend heading north is very thick, mostly with the dreaded Bradford pear. I have a solid fear that if they continue to be allowed to grow, they will choke out what few natives we have, and the migrants will pick and choose where they want to go. Hopefully, we won't lose them in the future.
A female Yellow Warbler was discovered in the scrub before the Brown Thrasher's nesting area. A tail was observed poking from the thrasher nest. Passing the area, a male and female Yellow Warbler were observed going through the top branches and greenery in search of insects. One Yellow-rumped Warbler was also discovered within the same area.
Shorebird Jetty hosted three Spotted Sandpipers, five Purple Martins within their plastic house, and European Starlings littered the ground around the house. A couple of Red-winged Blackbirds were foraging just west of this area. No additional birds of interest were seen beyond this area, save for a Savannah Sparrow, a lone American Coot, and a couple of House Sparrows.
Along the stretch between Shorebird and Memorial Jetties, another Yellow-rumped Warbler was heard, a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was seen, and the sound of an Eastern Kingbird permeated the area, who was found atop the high wires. American Robins assaulted the ground seeking worms, while starlings searched for insect fodder. Three Western Kingbirds were enjoying their morning on the high wires. The Purple Martins were out catching breakfast.
A couple of Mourning Doves were on Memorial Jetty, Mallards were enjoying the water, and a Spotted Sandpiper patrolled its area around the north side perimeter. Social Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were in the large oak bordering the storm drain overflow ramp, attracting the three Western Kingbirds, and a Warbling Vireo announced its presence. A male Orchard Oriole kept calling for "Marguerite," until he tired of that and moved north. Three Clay-colored sparrows roved between the overflow, the bank, and the north side of the trees, while the Western Kingbirds relocated to the low wires on the east side across from Kicker. A pair of Brown Thrashers tossed leaves while foraging along the bank, sometimes sharing space with the Clay-colored Sparrows.
What could have been another Nashville Warbler sounded out along the west side of the willows/cottonwoods, but that was all. Most of the Purple Martins from the Kicker House returned from their foray to gather again and feed a female that is believed to be caring for eggs/young. With the House Sparrows that reside there, at least one bird will have to remain at all times to avoid possible harm to the eggs/young.
Cardinals were observed throughout the walk, and they still continued to call as the journey progressed. All trumpet vines remained unused, while the largest one by the Kicker martin house still shows no sign of flowering.
a single male Blue-winged Teal was discovered with a small group of Mallards along the northeast jetty, along with a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler. It appeared that our eleven Mallard Ducklings were shortchanged to eight, and a Canada Goose pair were herding three of their goslings, while a nearby Mallard drake flew off and landed in the water on the south side of the jetty. Perhaps the young annoyed him. Two American Coots lazily swam along the east shoreline.
A few Canada Geese and European Starlings were holding down the Kicker field, while a single Northern Mockingbird flew west from the small group of trees west of the protected zone surrounded by trees. The mocker flashed into a small tree north of the ficus, then returned to the original group of trees. I really hope that the Bell's Vireo that has been breeding here for years will return, even though the family was displaced by the addition of the new power poles. Unfortunately some of the vireo's territory was removed with the construction. The family moved just north of there into the scrub south of the northeast jetty.
High Point Ridge had very little scenery other than a few Double-crested Cormorants and Canada Geese swimming in the water.
Below the banks where the red cedars cluster, all was quiet, as well as the new road to the line of towering giant metal electrical poles, until we reached the woods. An hour was spent observing and photographing the Southwestern subspecies of Common Yellowthroat and Tufted Titmouse. The Pileated Woodpecker, Harris's Sparrow, and Red-bellied Woodpecker were seen and not heard, as was the Northern Flicker calling from afar. The Carolina Chickadees reminded all of their presence, while a brave Swainson's Thrush let me hear its call for the first time.
Working around and back on the main trail, there was little activity, save for a single Northern Mockingbird and European Starlings. Fifty-three species for the day was respectable enough.
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