Wastewater and SGA Sightings

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I birded Seba Road on the south Wastewater properties this morning, then drove past the lagoons and finished with a walk around the Maple River west of State Game Area headquarters.  Counted 46 species (probably 47 but couldn't positively ID Bank Swallows (?) west of aeration cells).
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Of note along south Seba to the mini-marsh: Field Sparrows singing from many directions, 3 Brown Thrashers vocalizing and interacting and 2 Vesper Sparrows (not singing) between the marsh and the maintenance buildings.  Along Seba north of Laketon, 1 Barn Swallow and another quiet Vesper Sparrow.

On the East Lagoon: 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 female Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Ducks (some males in breeding plumage, others not).  Between the big lagoons, Cliff Swallows at their usual location by headquarters.  In the northeast corner of the west lagoon, 1 Eared Grebe in breeding plumage.  A Cooper's Hawk soar-hunted over the dry cells like a buteo.

Along Messinger Road there was a lot of leaf-scratching sound (plus occasional "peabody-ing") from the many White-throated Sparrows.  I encounted Blue-gray Gnatcatchers three times on my walk out the south and back the north side of the river and just before I quit, this Blue Racer crossed my path (dunno if that's bad luck).

 - Ric Pedler

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