Summer Doldrum Fun

Bobolink in a pasture

Things have slowed down quite a bit, as expected with the end of spring migration. It's also been hot and rainy - and I've been busy at work. I've still managed to get out a few times though, with varying success. 

The weather was decent on the Juneteenth holiday so I decided to do a ride. I had two options - head to the Rapids Lake unit of the nearby National Wildlife Refuge to try for Eastern Meadowlark and Black Tern, or stay closer and try for a Pine Warbler that had been reported at a small park not too far away. My decision was made for me that day as river flooding pretty much eliminated the refuge as a possibility. 

The trails at Spring Lake Regional Park

It was a pleasant ride over, with the "usual suspects" bird wise. Red-eyed Vireos, Common Yellowthroats, Great Crested Flycatchers, and other common species were singing as I biked through Spring Lake Park. After getting through there, I pulled up to the small park where the Pine Warbler was reported and immediately noticed a problem - no pine trees. Pine Warblers are aptly named, they are pretty much only found in conifers during the breeding season. There were plenty of Chipping Sparrows which are easily confused with Pine Warbler - bummer. My first ride of the year where I didn't get any new green species. Had to happen at some point.

Today I left work early with the intent to get out on another ride. With Rapids Lake still flooded, the other option for both Black Tern and Eastern Meadowlark was Doyle-Kennefick Regional Park, which is a longer, more hilly ride. I decided go for it though - especially since the weekend weather looks crummy - again.

A relatively new park in Scott County, I recommend checking it out!

It wasn't a terribly pleasant ride over. It's humid and the shoulders were narrow and a little rough. The highlight of the ride was an area of horse pastures that I rode through a few miles from the park, where I got both Bobolink (saw earlier, but had fun watching a male singing his "R2-D2" song) and Eastern Meadowlark, which was a new bird. I'll admit I thought of turning around and saving a few miles, but I really wanted to see Black Tern - one of my favorites. 

The park is a nice mix of grasslands, woodlands, and wetlands

I took a quick break on the picnic bench in the parking lot and watched Barn Swallows flying around an old building. They definitely didn't appreciate my presence as much I appreciated theirs. My legs were already feeling tired and I was glad the walk wasn't a long one. Thankfully, there were plenty of deerflies to carry me down the trail. 

I rounded the corner to a wetland overlook and scanned the marsh, hoping for a Black Tern. I didn't see one right away, but there was a good amount of activity - Green Heron, Wood Duck, and Great Blue Heron were all feeding around the lily pads. A Yellow-throated Vireo scolded me as I stood there, apparently, I was close to a nest or fledgling. I moved down the trail a bit and scanned some more. 

Then I heard a tern calling! It took me a bit to find it, but there was a Black Tern flying on the far side of the wetland, likely feeding on dragonflies and other flying insects. It perched briefly and I was able to get a distant photo (below). 

You can see how they can hard to find if they are sitting still! 

After getting both of my target species, I was very pleased. I walked the rest of the prairie walk and took a few pictures of the wildflowers there. The bird activity was pretty good too, but nothing super unusual. Another Eastern Meadowlark, plus Sedge Wrens and Clay-colored Sparrows, and the requisite Canada Goose family in the wetland. I was hoping to luck into a Black-billed Cuckoo, but it wasn't meant to be. Can't have it all!

I finished the walk and rested on the picnic table again and drank some more water. I wasn't looking forward to the ride back. The wind would be in my face for a lot of the way home. Not great. But I'd stop and scan a few lakes and ponds on the way back to break up the ride. I didn't find anything new, but I managed to make it home in a reasonable amount of time. My legs are burning after 30 miles on the road with a stiff wind, but a worthy effort!

Birch was not impressed with my ride stories. 

So those two new species bring me up to 207 "green" birds. I'm pretty happy with that as June draws to a close. There may yet be another species or two that I can snag before fall migration (which isn't that far away). There is a pair of Blue Grosbeaks that are kind of on the way to work, and an Eastern Screech-Owl is a possibility around there too - if I leave early enough. We'll see. I'm mostly looking forward to the return of shorebirds in a month or so and getting back to my Louisville Swamp hotspot. Hopefully the floodwaters will have receded by then! 

Thanks for reading!