The Board Walk Report

The Boardwalk in Winghaven

Dardenne Prairie, MO

May 12th 2009

Prothonotary Warbler

Having grown accustomed to enjoying only the usual suspects at the boardwalk - I first thought it was odd to see a squirrel eating an orange on the island. How did the squirrel get to the island? Oh it must be a muskrat. But, muskrats don't flit or hop from log to log! And THEN the blood flow aparently returned to my brain and I decided to inspect the sight with my zoom lens and TADA a Prothonotary Warbler.

There is slightly more water than at my previous visit - enough to keep the ducks swimming - but the Geese are still walking in the shallow areas where they used to be able to swim with ease. The shallow areas are filling up with a mucky muddy yuck that even the waterfowl won't swim in. The Blue Winged Teal and Shovelers are gone - still no Wood Ducks.

There is no shortage of Mallard families - I have seen a family with 1 baby

- a family with 5 and a family with 10!!!!

However, the mother Goose who has sat her nest for weeks! Is nowhere to be found and not a gosling insight. Last year she laid 2 eggs and 1 never hatched. I was never able to see what she sat on this year.

APRIL 24th 2009

Lesser Yellow Legs

I am fairly confident in identifying this as a lesser yellow legs - after studying range, habitat, vocalizations and the pictures of course. My DH does not agree but his deductions do not take in to account all the factors. Still, I have not worked much on shore birds.

There were approx 30 of these guys taking advantage of the mudflats at the boardwalk. We had seen them just a couple days before in Lake St. Louis as well.

In my 3 years of visiting the boardwalk I have never seen mudflats - or shore birds (besides the Great Egret). There were still several pairs of Blue Winged Teal and 1 pair of Northern Shoveler present. No Wood Ducks.


DON'T MISS the previous post: WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Since I POSTED 2 things on the SAME DAY!!!