I checked out the Deer Creek Wildlife Area this morning, looking around the wetlands for potential shorebird habitat. None this year. Unfortunately there was no habitat suitable for anything with legs shorter than a heron or egret (which were numerous). If shorebirds is what you want, don't waste your time there until they start drawing down the reservoir in another month or so. The only shorebird noted in the entire wetlands complex was a flyover Greater Yellowlegs. On the state park beach there was a Sanderling, a Semipalmated Plover, and a half-dozen or so Killdeers. A Spotted Sandpiper was also seen upstream along the creek. 

Passerines were of more interest. A Lark Sparrow (adult) was seen in the parking lot on Dick Rd. (the one that leads to the observation deck where you can't observe much of anything). It then flew eastward into the adjacent sparsely vegetated field where I lost track of it. That field looked like it potentially could have been suitable nesting habitat for that species, but I didn't detect any there previously. Next year it will probably be too overgrown for Lark Sparrows. That's a species I haven't recorded while doing OBBA work in the area. If anyone has seen any Lark Sparrows near there recently, please let me know.

On the south side of the wetlands a first year Blue Grosbeak was seen (and heard) giving its distictive metallic chip note on the exact same snag that I noted an adult male singing last April.

Good numbers of migrant warblers were noted in the wooded thickets around the wetlands as well as in the wooded areas in the SP south of the reservoir. Variety and numbers were pretty much what you'd expect for the date with Magnolia and AmRedstart being the most numerous by far. Also seen there today were TN, Ch-sided, Cape May, B-t Green, Blackburnian, NWaterthrush, Ovenbird, Canada, and Wilson's. A lot of CYellowthroats were also in the area. Along the creek (a great area for migrants in the spring) there were few notable birds - mainly E Phoebes, E Wood-Pewees, and Cedar Waxwings.

Bob Royse


Robert Royse
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www.roysephotos.com

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