I'll be leading a bird walk in the woodlands around Walden Pond on Sunday, so I was doing some pre-trip scouting there today. Solitary sandpipers are migrating through the Driftless Region right now, after wintering in Argentina. This bird will nest in a muskeg bog in the boreal forests of Canada.

Tags:   solitary sandpiper Walden Pond Winneshiek County Iowa Larry Reis

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This charming male eastern bluebird was perched near a tree cavity where his wife is likely nesting.

Tags:   eastern bluebird male Walden Pond Winneshiek County Iowa Larry Reis

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This cute little eastern phoebe stopped by to say "Hi" as I walked along the Lake Meyer shoreline this evening. It was very cold and windy so insect-eating birds were working the windward shoreline and picking off any midges that got blown off the lake. The phoebe is actually looking for midges and not me!

Tags:   eastern phoebe Lake Meyer Park Winneshiek County Iowa Larry Reis

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Yellow-rumped warblers were joining the eastern phoebes at the midge smorgasbord along the windward Lake Meyer shoreline this evening.

Tags:   yellow-rumped warbler male Lake Meyer Park Winneshiek County Iowa Larry Reis

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Palm warblers returned to Lake Meyer Park today and were dodging rain drops as they foraged for small flies and bees among the wild plum blossoms. They are headed to the boreal forests of Canada to nest after spending the winter in southeastern states like Florida.

Tags:   palm warbler Lake Meyer Park Winneshiek County Iowa Larry Reis

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