Lake Minsi, Echo Lake, and the Martins Creek Preserve ~ April 4, 2024

I drove up to Lake Minsi to see if the Red-breasted Mergansers seen yesterday might still be there. I scoped the east side of the lake looking for them, but they had apparently moved on. Instead, I found 18 Double-crested Cormorants, 6 Ring-necked Ducks, 4 Ruddy Ducks, a Pied-billed Grebe, and the consolation prize, a Bonaparte's Gull.

Bonaparte's Gull

A group of 11 Northern Shovelers flew from the west side of the lake to the east side, and 3 Ospreys were fishing there. Two Common Ravens croaked as they flew by. Other birds seen at the lake included 18 Turkey Vultures, 3 Bald Eagles, 3 Great Blue Herons, and 3 Eastern Phoebes among a couple hundred Tree Swallows.

Great Blue Heron

Over at Echo Lake, there were 43 Ring-necked Ducks, 3 Pied-billed Grebes, a Double-crested Cormorant, a Great Blue Heron, 2 Eastern Bluebirds, an Eastern Phoebe, and 2 Red-shouldered Hawks. I followed one of the hawks as it flew up and eventually settled down into its nest.

My next destination was the Martins Creek PPL power plant area. The fenced-in pond held 34 Buffleheads, 2 Ruddy Ducks, 2 American Coots, and a Lesser Scaup. Three Tree Swallows and a Barn Swallow zipped by. Nearby, 4 American Kestrels, 2 Northern Harriers, and an Eastern Meadowlark were also seen.

Eastern Meadowlark

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