Oh, There They Are

Today was a lot better for finding migrants than yesterday. I spent a couple hours this morning at Old Cedar Ave Bridge area near the Minneapolis Airport. Things started off with a bang. Right as I exited my car, a group of at least 30 Franklin's Gulls were moving along the river.

Once I got into the woods, things were a lot slower and it was hard to pick up any migrants other than Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped Warblers. I kept going and finally heard the unmistakable calls of Rusty Blackbirds somewhere near me. I tracked them down and had a total of 5 birds chasing each other. My first new photo bird in a long time!

Rusty Blackbird

I then ran into a big group of White-throated Sparrows and was sure I would get a Harris's in the bunch. I worked them over and over again, but alas, no Harris's. I turned around and took a different path back, one I had never been on before. That is when I spied a flock of sparrows flitting about the road. I was disheartened to see they were mostly Song Sparrows; but then a White-crowned. Then it finally happened. A youngster Harris's Sparrow came in to investigate some pishing.

Harris's Sparrow

Two new photo birds in one morning right here in Minneapolis! Can't complain about that.

On the way back I found another flock of sparrows that held yet another Harris's! I'll likely see them everywhere now. Also had a getting-lateish Blackpoll Warbler that eBird flagged. Here it is.

Blackpoll Warbler

Now I just need to track down a Winter Wren. Still a lot of reports of them flowing through eBird so I imagine I'll see one sooner rather than later... I hope.