530 AM 7/24/12----Darby Creek Greenway Wetlands (DCGW)
We stopped in for about two hours.  A short ways along the entrance path
several Virginia Rails called infrequently and a Least Bittern was heard
"cooooo--ing" softly for over five minutes from the large cattail marsh to
the south.  We've had the bittern here on nearly half of the visits here
since early June (about 20 times, always at dawn or first light).   A short
time later, four adult American Black Ducks flushed immediately from the
cattail (their dark bodies incl. tail in stark contrast to pure white under
wings).  This only the third time this summer we have seen them, the first
time in over a month.  Didn't go all the way out to the Sedge Wren spot so
no comment there and otherwise we had the usual suspects Yellow-billed
Cuckoo, Red-bellied and Hairy Woodpeckers, House Wren, bluebirds, Common
Yellowthroats, Yellow Warblers (2), Indigo Buntings, and American
Goldfinches.

We briefly looked into Hoover Dam (from the dam N about five miles) early
the afternoon.   Hot and muggy, no rain; few birds but it was nice to see a
new are in Columbus that we've heard so much about.  At least 250
Ring-billed Gulls, including one juv., were loafing on a sandbar at pull
out B just north of the Dam.  From the dam itself were a Caspian Tern and a
single ad. Little Blue Heron that flew by low against a backdrop of trees.
 We watched it for > a minute slowly going south noting its slender shape,
and wings, and long dark legs.   It body was entirely slaty blue, its short
thick bill clearly two toned, the distal 1/3 blackish.   Several TV's were
overhead and four or five adult Double-crested Cormorants were fishing in
the middle of the reservoir.

Good birding,
David Tan
Columbus
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