[birdky] Ballard Report

Migrant songbirds numbers were very low this morning at Ballard.  After an hour 
or so I switched gears and decided to look for shorebirds and grassland 
species.  The highlight of the day was the previously mentioned Black-n stilts 
at Cook Slough.   These birds were located about 400 yards from the North end 
of Cook Slough.   Using the terrain I was able to stalk to within about 75 
yards of the birds.  From there they allowed me to crawl to within 20 yards for 
some photos.  These birds are absolutely gorgeous in the morning sun and 
photographs don't really capture how regal they appear picking food from the 
water surface.   This pool is the best shorebird habitat I found today.  As I 
was leaving this area the Stilts picked up and settled in at Burnt Slough.  I 
didn't want to push them so I didn't try to relocate them.  I do not believe 
they left the area.  Mitchell, Beaver Dam Slough, Burnt Slough and Happy Hollow 
all have water up in the grass.  There is a little habitat on the South side of 
Mitchell lake levee.  Better habitat exists for grassland bird viewing as a lot 
of winter wheat in the area has been sprayed or turned over and planted in 
corn.  Many acres on and off the refuge have decent habitat for pipits, horned 
larks, savannah sp etc.    The other highlight for me was up close looks at a 
singing grasshopper sparrow and multiple singing Bobolinks in the alfalfa 
fields on Smokey Road.  Some birds seen include:

Snow goose  5
Canada geese
Wood duck
Gadwall  1 
Mallard  4
Blue-w teal  15 +
Cormorant  12
Great egret  5
Miss.  Kite  1
Bald Eagle  2
Cooper's h.  
Red-sh h. 
Broad-w h
Red-t h
Killdeer  30
Black-n stilt  4
Gr yel-lgs  2
Lesser yel-lgs  12 +
Solitary sp  20 +
Least sp  5
Pectoral sp  15 +
Snipe  5 +
Fish crows  - numerous
Horned lark  
Swainson's thrush  1
American Pipit  10 +
Nashville w  3
No Parula  1
Yellow w  2
yel-rump w  10
Palm w   20 +
Proth w   5
La.  waterthrush  1
Com Yellow throat  3
Yel-br chat  
Sav sp  10 +
Grasshopper sp  2
Bobolink  10 + 
Baltimore oriole  1

Also with all the posts on Rose-br grosbeaks I decided to put my feeders back 
out yesterday.  Within an hour there were several white-crowns, house finches 
and goldfinches enjoying the seed.  At dawn there was a (new farm bird) male 
Rose-breasted grosbeak on the feeder.  He was still here when I got back and 
allowed me some more photos.  That will teach me to take my feeders down. LOL 

Good birding

Scott Record
Ragland KY

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