While birding the oxbow lakes region south of Saint Joseph this morning I observed eighteen (18) species of waterfowl. Seventeen species on Lake Contrary and one additional species on Muskrat Lake.
   
  Canada Goose - 500
  Cackling Goose - 10
  Great White-fronted Goose - 200
  *Snow Goose (this species was at Muskrat Lake, none at Lake Contrary)
   (There may have been some Ross's in with this flock of snows, but distance and heat shimmer made a positive ID impossible.)
  Mallard - 150
  American Wigeon - 10
  Northern Pintail - 50
  Gadwall - 20
  Hooded Merganser - 1
  Common Goldeneye - 2
  Blue-winged teal - 5 (first of season for me)
  Ring-necked Duck - 15
  Canvasback - 20
  Redhead - 10
  Bufflehead - 1 male
  Green-winged Teal - 10
  Northern Shoveler - 5
  Red-breasted Merganser -2 males (first of season for me)
   
  I was a little surprise that the Common Mergansers seen in number a couple of days ago were nowhere to be found. Also missed the scaup and ruddies!
   
  The only gulls around were Ring-billed.
   
  One adult Bald Eagle was making a meal of a Snow Goose on Muskrate Lake.
   
  Around Lake Contrary I saw American Tree and Song Sparrow. Also a single, first of the year Savannah Sparrow.
   
  Lots of bird song this morning mainly the various waterfowl, but also Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, Northern Cardinals and Western Meadowlarks.
   
  It should be a good field trip for the Chillicothe bunch (and others) when they head up to Squaw Creek this Saturday!
   


Larry Lade
Saint Joseph, MO
Buchanan County
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