Saturday afternoon a Merlin was sitting on the mud at the entrance to the confluence across from the hunting club before the road makes a sharp left turn.  There was a small strip of open water between Ellis Bay and the river so most of the hundreds of gulls were below the lock & dam feeding.  Swans were scattered throughout the fields around Cora Island and Red School Rds.  We also saw one Short-eared Owl at Columbia Bottom between the paved road and the visitor's center.   There were many harriers feeding both at the Confluence SP and CBCA.

 

Pat Lueders, Webster Groves, MO