Pipe Creek Wildlife Area part 3

If you would like to view the previous thread, here is the link http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1085849/

I haven't been to Pipe Creek since May 13th and thought Id Id take a quick visit before work the other day.
I was not pleased with what I seen...all the paths are over grown with thick brush and weeds and it will take a tractor to clear it. However the front entrance is perfect...don't know who the caretakers are fooling. The Creek also has a kayak and canoe launch but those are in good shape (far as weeds). Anyways since I,m the only one who seems to visit I decided to trek through and risk chigger bite's (which I got...dang!) lol.

Yes I,m quite the night owl sometimes. Not very good photo's but more or less an update.
Start off with a tight group of Hooded Merganser's some must be juvies.

Double-crested Cormorant...the marsh section of the creek has quite a few Great Egret's, Great Blue Heron's and Black-crowned Night Heron's.

a House Finch in a more natural setting...

Mute Swan's and their cygnets..

........

Must be a 2nd batch for her..there were quite a few large juvie Mallard's in the marsh section.

a female Yellow Warbler...seen about 5 or 6 though

Just about every visit this year Ive gotten to add a new bird...this time was no different.

Eastern Meadowlark...pics are not good but...

too much brush...

yes those last 2 were pretty bad...lol

Red-winged Blackbird

came across a very cooperative Northern Rough-winged Swallow...preening a bit

..........

3rd shot

ISO is up too high again...lol

last shot of the Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Finish up with a Indigo Bunting that really like to sing...lol

no.2 of the IB

yes I,m listening...

Last shot for this trip...a section of the marsh is to be closed for the Common Tern nesting season during the summer...maybe the overgrowth is all the sign that's needed. It may be quite awhile before my next visit. Till then...

Great pictures. I have never seen a rough winged swallow.

Very nice shots Burd! Glad you went back.

What a great variety of birds! I don't recall seeing that Rough-winged Swallow either, but the great find for me would have been that Meadowlark. Your picture may not be that great, but at least you were able to identify it.

The Indigo Bunting and Warbler sure were pretty too.

I'm glad they close a portion of the marsh for the terns to nest. That's quite a problem here with our nesting grebes and bass boats from out of the county.

At the iris convention in WI in June I listened for Meadowlarks. All I heard were red winged blackbirds--can hear them here. Lucy

Very nice successful outing you had, Burd. That indigo is so pretty. Congratulation on your Meadowlark. The Rough-winged Swallow pics are great. From your pictures of them, I'm wondering if they are what I got last weekend, or the Chimney Swift. I will go back and compare. Mine are taken in flight, and they had to be cropped quite a bit, quality isn't very good.

Another really enjoyable thread, Burd. That's a special area. Pity about parts being overgrown. Would the overgrowth harbour snakes?

Beautiful...love your Bunitng shots. We don't seem to have as many this year.

Almost all? That must be reassuring.

Copperheads like rocky places as do timber rattlesnakes, Should be clear of any marsh.

Timber Rattler's are more towards southern Ohio from what Ive been told. However there is Rattlesnake Island on lake erie that is supposed to have Timber Rattler's it may not be named that now not sure. Never heard of a Copperhead encounter up here...but.
Lot's of water-snake's here along with Garter, Fox and Racer's all non-venomous. But one should always Id first anyways.

Well I took a chance and visited Pipe Creek in hope's that the brush would be cut down and "it was", I'm guessing a couple of week's ago...all my shot's were hand held...but good enough to do a report on the area. This weekend we will try for some better shots but 560mm may not be enough...we shall see.

Start off with the first bird I seen...an Eastern Kingbird with a Katydid

As I walked to the spot where I always go...I glance to the bay section to see a few Double-crested Cormorant's.

ahh my first Snowy Egret sighting of the summer...

there is a little Island where I find a lot of bird's...and this time a bunch of Snowy Egret's...I counted 20+

Greater and Lesser Yellowleg's

and again...

a Semipalmated Sandpiper on the left and Semipalmated Plover on the right.

there were quite a few Caspian Tern's and Forster Tern's...could not find the Common Tern...but it should be there at the creek somewhere...access has been cut-off to the nesting area's for the Common Tern.

there are little white feather's all over the creek...they (the birds) have been here for a while...since the last visit.