Before violette's lock, I birded a few other areas around Mont County. I started on Kingsley Trail at Little Bennett a little before 6am. Highlights were a COMMON RAVEN croaking near sunup, good looks at 2 FOY PRAIRIE WARBLERS, one LA WATERTHRUSH, 9 singing NORTHERN PARULAS, OVENBIRD, and several COMMON YELLOWTHROATS. There were also tons of Goldfinches and a good movement of blue jays. 

I then stopped briefly at the ten-mile creek area of black hill RP where I found my FOY SOLITARY SANDPIPER and got a great look at three drake wood ducks.  Also ran into a fellow that said he had a golden eagle here about a week ago. 

I had hoped for Pipits or the Vesper sparrow in western Mo county, but struck out on both fronts. Four or five hovering AMERICAN KESTRELS along river road near Patton turf farm made up for any disappointment.  

Hughes Hollow was good. Upon arriving I ran into Donald Sweig who quickly put me on the SORA (thanks again!) Other highlights were more singing prairie warblers,  FOY PROTHONOTARY WARBLER and GREEN HERON (2), and of course the in-your-face TREE SWALLOWS. 

All in all a good morning, I will probably do this loop again in a few weeks and hope for a bit better than the 60 or so species today. 

Jared Fisher
North Bethesda, MD