Date: 10/26/24 4:12 pm From: Malcolm Gold <malcolmgold...> Subject: Antioch Marsh - Hillsdale Lake - Miami County
After a couple of days at a professional conference in town, I skipped the morning session there and went to Antioch Marsh at Hillsdale Lake in Miami County this morning instead. The parking lot had a handful of cars and evidence of two fires was chewable in the calm morning air as they still had smoke wafting from ash, trash, and rocks from the night before or earlier that morning. We picked up a small bag of trash afterwards. A bunch of Killdeer and Franklin's Gulls were the first I spotted through the scope, but with the sun still not above the horizon and duck hunters present I respected their use of the land and stuck in the trees rather than around the corner on the shoreline. I am glad I did, as I had a great chat with the Public Lands Manager and hope our paths cross again. His passion for the outdoors and retained knowledge from an ornithology class in college was evident as we chatted and were interrupted by birds calling as they flew over.
Kevin Keltner joined me and we scoped and took pictures until the sun was easily above the tree line and I didn't imagine the duck hunters would be too upset if we walked out to the shoreline. The Franklin's Gulls were easily spooked and you could hear the whoosh of their wings taking flight. Mixed in with them were a few Bonaparte's Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls, American Avocets, and ducks outside the hunters range. We scanned the shorebirds a second time and picked out a single Dunlin, a couple of American Golden-Plovers, a distant (at the time) Semipalmated Plover, a few Least Sandpipers, and distant Peeps before a large flock of Swallows descended on the area. Tongue in cheek I told Kevin to see if we had any other species than Tree Swallows hidden among them, but since we were standing and chatting I thought it was the fitting thing to do....and thankfully for stupid luck a VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW caught my eye. The Violet-green Swallow flew by us at Antioch Marsh at Hillsdale Lake amongst many Tree Swallows at 9:40 this morning, and we then proceeded to walk out to the dried island with cameras in tow to try and get a picture of it amongst the flock. I've tried to get a picture of a single swallow from a large flock in the past, and just like those past experiences I couldn't find it nor focus on birds quickly with my camera. Major kudos to those that document swallows on the wing with cameras.
We both took some time taking photos and luckily the Semipalmated Plover flew closer. I was actually proud of my digiscoped photo from earlier in the morning since I thought you could tell the size and neckband difference.....but if you look at the list it is quite bad in comparison to a heavily cropped photo from the larger camera. Micky pulled in when we were in the parking lot, so we walked back to the point with her and were lucky to have a Peregrine Falcon buzz us. The swallows were completely absent by then already, seemingly around for less than an hour this morning.
Chatting with friends, the public lands manager, and dumb luck of being in the right spot and the right time all while enjoying nature and birds was a great way to spend today.
Good Birding,
Malcolm Gold (Overland Park, Johnson County, Kansas)
