Lark Sparrow at Moraine View State Park

On Thursday, May 28, I left work early, and went to Moraine View State Park since I would be working a long day on Saturday. I started out at the prairie South of 900 Rd and East of the horse stables, where Wayne Hochstetler had reported seeing Blue Grosbeak. I did not hear or see any Blue Grosbeaks, but I had Dickcissel, Field Sparrow, and Eastern Kingbird. When I got close to the end of the prairie where the trail goes into the woods to the South, I noticed an Olive-sided Flycatcher on top of a tree with bare limbs.



I turned around when I got to the woods, but found a Rose-breasted Grosbeak singing in another hedge of trees along the South end of the prairie.



When I got back to the horse buildings, I saw this Lark Sparrow fly from the grass into a tree in the yard in front of the horse buildings. Then it flew to the gravel to the West of the horse buildings, where I was able to photograph it. This was probably either the same bird Wayne Hochstetler, Les Allen, and I found on the Spring Bird Count, or it's mate.







After photographing the Lark Sparrow, I drove toward the dam with my windows down. On the way to the trail by the dam, I heard Acadian Flycatcher and Tufted Titmouse singing. I hiked the trail by the dam to look for Louisiana Waterthrush. I did not see Louisiana Waterthrush, but I heard Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern Wood-pewee, and more Acadian Flycatchers singing. Then I heard and saw a Pileated Woodpecker.

Next I hiked the Tanglewood trail where I saw Baltimore Oriole, Great Crested Flycatcher, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Eastern Towhee, and Eastern Bluebird.



I also heard Barred Owl, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Warbling Vireo, and Indigo Bunting.