I arrived at the lake at about 7:45. It was cloudy but clearing and about 50+ degrees. I wanted to get back into Bell Slough to see if anything was new in the last week. The first thing I noticed was the water over the dam was much less that 7 days ago. Later as I got into the WMA, I realized the water level there was 3, maybe even 4 feet lower than last Sunday. In fact, Grassy Lake was flowing into Palarm Creek instead of the other way around. I got my first of season Black-and-white Warbler today and Yellow-breasted Chat, both based on calls. There was a probably escaped domestic or domestic hybrid goose on the creek. He was mostly white, orange feet, gray wings, black bill, with black markings on his neck and head. Even though it did not seem as birdy as last Sunday, I got 40 species in about 2.5 hours.
Species seen or heard:
• Black-and-white Warbler *
• Yellow-Breasted Chat *
• Mallard
• American Robin
• Carolina Chickadee
• White-throated Sparrow
• Blue Jay
• Northern Cardinal
• Northern Mockingbird
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Great Blue Heron
• Belted Kingfisher
• Eastern Phoebe
• Ring-billed Gull
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Eastern Towhee
• Tufted Titmouse
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Brown Thrasher
• Carolina Wren
• American Crow
• Great Egret
• Northern Flicker
• Fish Crow
• Blue-winged Teal
• Common Grackle
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Downy Woodpecker
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Eastern Bluebird
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Field Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Turkey Vulture
• Brown Pelican
• American Coot
• Purple Martin
• House Sparrow
* First of season
