Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Trip Report - Oak Hammock Marsh

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Very chilly, and very WINDY!  Especially out at the marsh, the birds were just being blown every which way.

Saw Red-Winged Blackbirds on the highway out to the marsh, as well as a few Canada Geese. 


Didn't even notice the baby til I was looking at the pic on the computer!

In one of the ponds near the interpretive center were a few Canvasback and Lesser Scaup.  Too distant for good pics though.

Soon picked up Yellow-Headed Blackbird, Brewers Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-Headed Cowbird, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Killdeer, Mallard and American White Pelican. 


This Cliff Swallow was in a flock of about a hundred altogether, resting on the road.  Warmer?  Easier to weather the wind? 


Kind of a small brood!  Poppa was very protective of his family though!

We decided to try to road to the north mound, and picked up a few more species.  Northern Shoveler, Blue-Winged Teal, Gadwall, Northern Harrier, and the highlight (for me) a singing and displaying male Bobolink!  No pics (darn!)


There's a more typical brood size!  Daddy hadn't crossed the road yet.  They had a bit of a time, herding all those babies down into the water, but they made it!

Last sighting was a Franklin's Gull, right before we got back to the highway.
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