Hi Tweeters:
Yesterday afternoon, July 6, at Boeing Ponds there was some mud showing and
some shallow water. There were 5 Least Sandpipers, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, at
least one Long-billed Dowitcher (maybe two), and several Killdeer and
Spotted Sandpipers. There were 3 Green Herons flying around, at least one
juv and one adult.
Another birder (Paul Webster) and I then went over to the South Tower at
Kent Ponds. From the tower we could see several male Wood Ducks, but could
not see any shorebirds. We heard the Yellow-breasted Chat calling from the
island which is just to the east of the tower. Today I went inside GRNRA
along the gravel road on the other side (east) of the island. I was there
about 2pm, the same time of day Paul and I heard the Chat yesterday. Sure
enough the Chat started to sing with long pauses between its phrases. I
never could see it. It must be in the bushes in the middle of the island.
It moves around in the bushes near the two snags on the island. It was
still singing when I left at 3:15. Two Ospreys kept flying by, and I saw
about 8 Wood Ducks. There must be hundreds of Cedar Waxwings fly-catching
over the water. All the ducks are going into eclipse plumage.
Yours, Carol Schulz
DesMoines
mail to: linusq at att.net