[birdky] (RPT) Ballard today

Slept in and took a mid morning tour of Ballard WMA and surrounding farmland.   
Most enjoyable to me was an alfalfa field full of singing bobolinks and 
dickcissels along Smokey road.  Also present was at least 1 sedge wren at the 
same location.  I'd give anything to be able to walk those fields.  Shorebirds 
at Ballard were a little disappointing with perhaps 30 each lesser yellowlegs 
and solitary sandpipers seen.  15 pectoral sandpipers, one Greater yellowlegs,  
and a few killdeer rounded out the remaining shorebirds tallied.  Enjoyed 
watching 5 species of swallows all throughout the bottoms along with a few 
pipits and a couple of black vultures.  Ducks seen include a few blue-w teal, 2 
mallards, 1 female hooded merganser and one male shoveler.  Shorebird habitat 
remains good at the Goose Pond moist soil unit although there were no birds 
present.  Other areas that were holding birds were cook slough and the area 
just west of lower beaver dam slough.  Most all wet areas have already been 
drained down into last years standing corn stubble and offer little good 
habitat for peeps.   Lower Beaver dam slough has been drained about 3 feet in 
the last few days but is still up in the weeds enough to limit viewing but is 
holding most of the birds and may be at its best in a few days.  Mitchell Lake 
is currently being held bank full.   Also saw a few bobolinks scattered about 
in various locations. 

Scott Record
Ragland KY

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