Great start to the Morning at McKethan. 15 birders started at the parking lot . Robins, Tufted Titmouse, American Goldfinch, Sandhill Cranes, Pied-billed Grebes, etc. Most of us walked the edges that are quite deeper in water than we have ever seen it. We spotted Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Downy and Pileated, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, but not Wilson's Snipes as we have had in the past. We then checked the trail back of the restrooms and in the field off the trail an American Kestrel in his normal snag. We then continued on and had many high canopy birds. Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-and White Warblers, and the very pleasant surprise of
a Yellow-throated Warbler who was so unconcerned with our presence that he continued to wrestle with a bug to ingest. He stayed on his post. He was no more than 5 feet from us. All of the group that was present got good views. We continued the walk out to the right of the road way into the area of an open field but saw nothing that added to the list. The built up area between the two bodies of water afforded us with more view of Ch chickadees, and other warblers. We continued the walk and then ended with a total of 36 species that can be seen at this eBird link We lunched at Cedar Creek Seafood and then went to the Wastewater Treatment Facility to check out activity there.. No disappointment there. The weather had turned very cold and windy so our stay was brief and within that few minutes of birding another 13
species with the beautiful Eastern Meadowlarks in abundance. We counted the 13 species in just 15 minutes or so. The link can be seen here. The Meadowlark and Yellow-throated warbler by Fred Hileman and the group photo at McKethan was by Thomas Gulley.
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