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Skies were sunny with a little haze in the distance. There was no wind. Many of the driving loop ponds remain empty or nearly so. I was disappointed that after last week’s record-breaking atmospheric river rainfall the ponds were not flooded. Also, being hunting season, over half of the scenic tour roadways are closed off to the north and south of the loop.

There were a number of raptors present today including, red-tailed hawks, red-shouldered hawks, turkey vultures and an American kestrel. Some were more cooperative than others. Most were soaring high in the air with backlight conditions.

A few ballooning spiders were still in the air, and, in one stretch of the loop, numerous plants had well developed webs back-lit by the late morning sun. A few yellow legs shorebirds were seen, as well as coots. Blackbird murmurations were seen in the distance but we found none in the wetland reeds or dry fields. As we headed out of the Bypass north on the I-80 causeway, a non-public pond was filled with dunlin and many were seen in flight there.

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