Friday - Cooley Lake Conservation Area

-5/28/2021
-7:45-11:45 am EST
-Cooley Lake Conservation Area (Excelsior Springs, Missouri)
-100% cloud cover, 11mph NNW wind, 57 degrees Fahrenheit. 61% Humidity

Cooley Lake Conservation Area was an interesting adventure because it seems like they have not bothered to maintain their trail in a very long time. There were several times that I lost the trail because the vegetation covering it was so dense. Because of this, (and very deep mud) I moved much slower and found less birds, but now that I know where the good spots are I think it would be a great birding spot for the future. A dense deciduous forest borders both wetlands and grasslands allowing for a great diversity of species. I didn't spend a lot of time in the wetlands but I thought that I saw a Great Egret and 2 American Black Ducks flying in the distance. My best grassland birds were (the angry) Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher and a female Orchard Oriole. And my best forest bird ID were several Least Flycatchers.

I saw a lot of Indigo Buntings today, so as a continuation of yesterday I would play their call on my phone. Immediately they began to come much closer and swoop at me. So far in my experience they have been one of the most responsive birds to recorded song.
Also I think that I am getting better at using spishing because I got a Tufted Titmouse to come much closer to me.

Posted on May 28, 2021 10:11 PM by ben__simms