[birdky] FOS Ballard WMA

Took the family driving around BWMA this afternoon for the first time since it 
opened.   Great looks at numerous eagles as well as a female Black Scoter on 
Mitchell and several fish crows scattered around the refuge.  Storm damage is 
horrific but the dept has done a good job cleaning up the roads and fields.  
Water levels are very low in most areas with Cook slough and Happy Hollow 
nearly dry as well as many other moist soil areas.  Mitchell lake is bank full 
and Lower Beaver Dam Slough is very low already.  Good shorebird habitat is 
present at LBDS right now but may not persist through the spring season.  I 
don't understand why many of the duck holes have already been drained.  It 
would be nice to get some shorebird use out of these areas.  

Birds seen include

Snow Goose  5
Canada geese 
Gadwall   25 +
Mallard  10
Blue-w teal  5
N. Shoveler  200 +
Northern Pintail  1
Green-w teal  2
Ring-n duck 1
Black Scoter  1
Hooded Merganser 1
Ruddy Duck  5
Pied-b grebe 1
Great b heron  15
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle  8-12
Red-t hawk
Kestrel
Coot
Killdeer  10
Greater Yellow-lgs  5
Snipe  15+
Red-hd wp
Flicker
E Phoebe
A. Crow
Fish Crow at least 3
Tree Swallow 1
Bluebird
Robin
Mockingbird
Starling
Song sp
White-cr sp
Dark-eyed Junco
Cardinal
Red-w bb
Meadowlark
Grackle
Brown headed cb

Came home to an adult Bald Eagle sitting in the fencerow behind the house (new 
farm bird).

Scott Record
Ragland KY

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