April Fool's Birding

This morning I went down to Rondeau Park under overcast skies.  The park was rather quiet for birds, at least compared to last weekend.  The sparrows and kinglets had thinned out considerably, and I only came across a couple of Eastern Phoebes among other birds.
Common Loons were on the move again though.  I counted 41 the few times I looked at the lake.  I probably missed twice that number!

Along south point trail, a Common Green Darner was not too happy about the weather.

FOY

I stopped by Spicebush Trail in hopes that early Louisiana Waterthrush was around.  It was nowhere to be found, but could still be in the vast sloughs of Rondeau.  It was found late Wednesday and seen early Thursday as probably only the 4th March record.  I think the earliest is March 26.  We found one 31 March 2012 once, also at Spicebush trail.

Two Yellow-rumped Warblers were in the campground, but they were the winter leftovers.

The rail trail at Erieau was also quiet and no shorebirds to be found in the wet spots along Erieau Road.
With the day still young, I headed west to Hillman Marsh.  At least there was something to look at there!
The sun had finally come out and the day was quite pleasant after a crappy weather week.

A pair of Sandhill Cranes stood tall in the shorebird cell.

A single Greater White-fronted Goose was mixed in with the Canada Geese, but difficult to spot.  I only saw it well once, then I could not pick it out again!

Shorebirds included up to 30 Dunlin.

shorebirds and sandhills

I also saw the first couple of yellowlegs of the year, but no Pectoral Sandpipers.

Several Horned Grebes were in the cell.  There are lots around right now.

There was a good variety of the common ducks, but nothing unusual.

Lesser Scaup

Sunday looks fairly good for birding!