After birding Laguna Gloria this morning, I birded a couple of other spots in my patch, Davis-White NE Park off Loyola Drive and the Longhorn Dam area with a view to adding species. NE Park, which is virtually undeveloped and has Walnut Creek (with water in it) turned out no be be very birding. The grassy areas bordering the residential neighborhoods are well mowed, so not much in the way of seeds for sparrows and the like, and the woods didn't yield much either. Did get a Snipe along the creek, though, which rather surprised me because it didn't look very snipey. And a scissortail along the woods fringe. Scissortails in he winter don't surprise me any more. After lunch, went to the Longhorn Dam area to pick up some waterbirds and things like kingfisher and added several species. Was pleasantly surprised to get both night herons and both Ring-billed and Bonaparte's Gulls. Also a very nice raft of 20-odd Buffleheads hanging out together along with Scaups. All in all a successful day in getting back on track with the Local Patch. The big disappointment was NE Park. It's a big, undeveloped woodsy area and deserves more birds. Maybe as migration picks up and bugs and leaves pick up as spring progresses. Dan Smith dan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 512-451-2632 http://www.wordsmithofaustin.com Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at //www.freelists.org/list/texbirds Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission from the List Owner