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Hi MOBirders: Thanks to Mssrs Bailey and Garcia for leading SLAS Sat morning. What a congenial group and a great half-day trip. 14 warblers for me and some nice studies of empids along Blue Grosbeak Trail. After lunch (the new Trail Smokehouse bbq and wine garden in Defiance; no financial or personal interest for me other than I recommend it for a pleasant mid-day stop) I headed to Darst Bottom Rd. A pair of SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER around and then in "the STFL tree." By the length of the tail this looks like a male: http://smu.gs/1RhPZVO About 3/4 of the way from there to "the ranch" there was a large puddle hosting 8 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER in breeding plumage. Here's one: http://smu.gs/20mSkVI I had to move out of the way for a massive farm tractor rig and after it passed the plovers had vanished. Beyond "the ranch" I spotted a likely candidate for my second target silhouetted on a utility line ahead. And it was indeed 1 LARK SPARROW. Back on the connector of DBR which goes into downtown Defiance there were 3 more Lark Sparrow playing on the road. So, 1 + 3 = 4 Lark Sparrow along DBR. But, shoot, nobody was singing. Here's an interesting flight photo of 1 of the 3: http://smu.gs/1WIZoh6 I passed a road-killed armadillo on the shoulder of I-270, near DePaul Hospital, in north StL Cnty. Late in the afternoon in Heron Pond at RMBS there was a flock of 28 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. Ran out of time to look through the area thoroughly. I had only a moment's look at a critter which popped out of the water then went right back in; it struck me as pretty long overall with a bushy tail. My first impression was Northern River Otter but it might have been just a Common Muskrat, so I'm not sure. Andy Reago might have photographed the same animal. Mike Thelen Univ City, StL Cnty, MO [log in to unmask] ------------------------------------------------------------ The Audubon Society of Missouri's Wild Bird Discussion Forum List archives: https://po.missouri.edu/archives/mobirds-l.html ABA Birding Code of Ethics http://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html