Hi Tweets:
After hearing that a Western Bluebird was seen Sunday morning during the Kent Ponds census, I went down to the same spot this morning. On Sunday, the bluebird was perched on the fence by the main gate on Russell Rd. But when I got down there, a fellow was flying some remote-control airplanes inside the wildlife area, a No-No. Drat!
Then I went around to the south viewing tower which is next to the bike path. I parked in a parking lot there, behind a dumpster. You can see the south viewing tower right across the trail from that little lot. I immediately heard a singing Yellow Warbler in the trees by the lot, and also heard a Wilson's Warbler. Then I heard a singing LAZULI BUNTING. They're back! Walked out onto the bike path by the south tower, and eventually saw the male Lazuli perch up on the base of the big power tower. It sang from the blackberries there, and then from a cross bar above the blackberries. When I walked over to the trail to the viewing tower, the Laz flew over and sang from that area too.
>From the south viewing tower I heard a WILLOW FLYCATCHER, two Yellow Warblers, and a Wilson's Warbler. A Cooper's Hawk flew into the bushes by the nearby lagoon. A juv Bald Eagle flew by high overhead, and a Cooper's Hawk mobbed it. A Red-tailed Hawk flew near them.
Yours, Carol Schulz
Des Moines
carol.schulz50 at gmail