I went to Smithville Lake for the late afternoon flight yesterday. 
Unfortunately, I mis-calculated the sundown and had much less time for 
observation at the north end of the dam than I expected. As a result, I may 
have missed or been unable to identify a couple of good birds.

The lake had lots of ducks on it. Viewed from the south end of the dam, 
there was an almost continuous raft of ducks 8-10 birds thick from one side 
of the lake to the middle. I noted about 10 species, including a Canvasback, 
lots of Ruddies and ca. 40 male Hooded Mergansers. I did not see a Widgeon, 
Pintail or Redhead but probably could have picked one of each out  had I had 
more time. I did not see any Bufflehead, scoter, Oldsquaw or large 
merganser.

I counted at least 25 loons from the north end of the dam, including one 
apparently smaller bird that may have been a Pacific.

My most intriguing birds were a couple of small whitish gray birds that flew 
across my scope quite far out and which I was able to follow for a while as 
they flew low over the water. I thought I glimpsed wing stripes, so I was 
thinking Red Phalarope. But I lost them before I could see them well.

By the time I got to the gull roost, it was quite dark. I picked out a first 
year Herring Gull and quite a few Bonaparte's  Gulls flying in, but it was 
too dark to spot a zootie amongst the many gulls already swimming on the 
water.

I did see a few Horned Grebes.

When I left a 5:10 p.m. it was already quite dark on the water

Bob Fisher
Independence, Missouri
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