Big Island SWA was hopping with bird life but this is normal for this 
wonderful natural area.  The wetlands along Larue-Prospect Road are very 
active with many species of wetland birds. Some of the highlights  
include: 

Short-eared Owl (one flying over marsh near the headquarters building) and 
still a few northern harriers as well.

Many species of waterfowl (all of the dabbling ducks are still being found 
in good numbers, particularly green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, 
American wigeon and northern pintail plus ring-necked ducks, hooded 
mergansers, wood ducks and a few redheads.  Unbelievable diversity for 
this late in April)

A good variety of shorebirds (killdeer, lesser yellowlegs, greater 
yellowlegs, and Wilson's snipes in good numbers throughout the marsh plus 
spotted, pectoral and least sandpipers mixing in as well.  Unfortunately, 
American golden-plovers were strangely absent.  Big Island seems to have 
some of the best shorebird habitat in this region for April although some 
of the best sites can be hard to observe.)

Also a large flyover of Lapland longspurs (calling all the way with their 
characteristic rattle), many American pipits and horned larks in the farm 
fields along the wildlife area, and a great view of ring-necked pheasants 
feeding in the corn fields.  A large group of great egrets also are mixing 
with the many great blue herons in the marsh.  Finally, the bald eagle 
nest has several young and they are easy to observe from the parking areas 
along Larue-Prospect Road.  

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