9 Spgs NSTSP and LeConte's Sparrow!!!! Finally!!

I stopped by 9 spgs around 4:00pm this evening and stayed about an hour. I found the following species:

1 LE CONTE'S SPARROW (A lifer for me)
2 Nelson's sharp-tailed Sparrows (A State bird)
Mallard
Green-winged Teal
N shoveler
Am Coot
Wood Duck
12-15 Pied-billed Grebe
Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 Canada Goose
Sora
Song Sparrow
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning dove

I didn't even know you could find Le Conte's at 9 spgs. Even during migration. I dropped by for a state bird and got a lifer. Nice.

I also saw about 50+/- Sandhill Cranes in a corn field West of Arena.

Pics are coming.

More Mango pics

GB Mango pics

Down the hill.


Back up the hill.

Green-Breasted Mango, Beloit WI. YES!!!!!!

The GB Mango was present when I arrived around 2:30 this afternoon. Mom and I walked up the drive and met Joan who told us where the bird was being seen and showed us where to go. At the time, it had been seen at the house down the hill. We walked down keeping an eye out for the bird. As usual, Mom spotted it first. Almost exactly 5 mins after arriving. It was sitting in it's favorite apple tree on the right side of the path about 20 yards directly across from the maple in the neighbor's yard. It then flew too the maple and perched there for a couple minutes before flying back to it's origanal perch. it stayed only a minute or two before disapearing to the ESE. Suspecting that it might have returned to Joan's yard, I headed up that way and was rewarded with a very nice view of it's purple hued tail.
It hung around Joan's feeder for the next hour appearing and disappearing about every 15-20 minutes. staying only about 6-7 minutes each time. I got some good pics (okay, good for me. nothing like what you photographers get.) and got some great views. I stayed for about an hour and a half before heading out. My pics will be up shortly at http://swallowtailedkite.blogspot.com

Thanks a million to Joan and her neighbor for tolerating all the visitors. It's a great bird and a great chance to see a tropical species.
While there, we also spotted a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Yellow-rumped, Palm and Tennesee Warblers and a flyover Cooper's Hawk.

After leaving, We headed up 213 to Evansville and checked out Peter Fissel's shorebird pond.
Arriving around 5:00, I found the following birds:
6-8 L Yellowlegs
12+/- SemiP Sandpipers
3 Least sandpipers
12 or so Mallards
12-16 Green-winged Teal
6+/- N Shoveler
1 Pied-billed Grebe

Either I'm really bad at telling the difference between Baird's and SemiP or there wasn't one present today.


P.S. Good luck Daryl! and everyone else that goes for in the next week.

more pics from the Millpond.

They took about 2 feet off the dam.


You can see where the water used to overflow


The pond from a couple more angles




A Green-winged Teal.