Bona Dea Update

Bona Dea was warm and mostly sunny and a little windy today. There were flocks of Eastern Starling blackbirds all over town and close to the park today. Also Robins were now pretty much settled in the residential areas getting ready to nest. They leave the park for the urban areas for some reason to raise their young. Just a few remain in the park. Gulls were floating around in Lake Dardanelle across from the park and there was a Pied-billed Grebe duck swimming close to the parking area. Have taken pics of such before in these posts. Also a single Cormorant was on a small and different snag in the lake. American Crows were flying over the lake too. On Swinging Bridge Trail the Eastern Phoebe was flying around Goose Pond looking for insects. As said before they are there every year so they must nest close by. Acadian Flycatchers were flying around but one at a time and not in groups as earlier in the year. The pair of Geese were still around and back in Goose Pond. I took a great photo of this pair t oday. Also one of the Yellow-bellied, don't laugh, Woodpecker was around the spillway and I got a photo of it and showing the trademark red spot on its head and white stripe along the lower wing. In Prarie Creek up from the spillway a Redear Slider Turtle was basking on a log. Photo of it. Then in Goose Pond there were several basking tutles on the log as usual and a photo of them. Also a photo of the spillway as it was still running pretty good from the recent rains. Walking down the trail to the old swinging bridge I took a photo of a Toothwort weed/wildflower. The wildflowers are starting to bloom. At the old swinging bridge remains, I took a video of the frame and support. This can be seen on the Tube program at the bottom of this page and also in one of these post sections. Turkey Vultures were still flying around but not in groups as earlier in the year. Some woodland sparrows and maybe a Hermit Thrush was seen flying in the lower brush in the woods. Some people were walking ahead of me and scared up a flock of Blueteal Ducks. They have been in that area of swinging bridge a lot lately. In that area I heard a Tufted Titmouse bird but did not see it. Pairs of Geese were flying over Waldon Pond and some heard in Black Water Swamp. When I got back to the house I saw a Northern Flicker woodpecker fly in a tree in the yard. Do not see them too much there.