I checked out a couple of spots in the Deer Creek Wildlife Area this morning.

Now that the ticks and chiggers aren't around much, I took a walk in a part of the central wildlife area west of the reservoir that I don't think I've visited in the breeding season since I did my OBBAII work there in 2007. Much to my surprise I found 2 more singing BELL'S VIREOS early in the morning. They only sang briefly before stopping. The spot is about 3 miles north of where I found the others previously. This is not an area where I had ever found them in the past although the habitat has always been excellent for them. Other than those birds, it was mostly the typical early August species still singing such as Indigo Buntings, C Yellowthroats, Song, Field, Grasshopper, and Henslow's Sparrows, Am Goldfinches, etc.. Last week Willow Flycatchers were still very vocal, but I didn't hear one today.

The middle wetland pond held a little bit more water, but not much more. It looks like recent rains may have helped it out some, but if there are many more sunny hot days like today I think it could dry out in a hurry. Fortunately there are still several hundred shorebirds present. Killdeers perhaps weren't as numerous, but a few other species seemed to increase. The same species that were there last week were all still there today. The only species seen today that wasn't there last week were a couple of Baird's Sandpipers. Shorebirds there today included :

Killdeers (many)
Semipalmated Plovers
L Yellowlegs (4)
Solitary Sandpiper (2)
Spotted Samdpipers
Least Sandpipers
Semipalmated Sandpipers
Baird's Sandpipers (2)
Pectoral Sandpipers

Hundreds of Swallows were flying around the area. By far the most numerous right now are Bank Swallows. I have no idea if there were migrants from afar or locally dispersing birds. They do nest in good numbers in the quarries along Crownover Road.

Bob Royse



Robert Royse
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www.roysephotos.com

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