The Fill

I finally made my way out to the Fill again, after what seems like months.  There was a break in the weather, after days of rain, inches of rain, but in spite of that, it wasn't overly muddy.  First sighting was of a small flock of Wood Ducks, in all their breath-catching glory: gorgeous birds.  Small birds in the trees that moved too quickly to get a good look at.  On the first pond, three Hooded Mergansers, and a Great Blue Heron.  Just off of shore on the lake, a massive raft of waterfowl, too back-lit to get a good look at for identification.  Roiling with flight and chatter, always somehow staying clumped together as a solid mass, even as that mass evolved in shape, never splitting into pieces.  At one point forming a massive thin arc on the surface of the water.  Hundreds of birds.

I watched them morph for awhile, then walked over to the sightings board to see if they were mentioned; they weren't.  Possible Cassin's Vireo in the brush, a couple of thin, long-tailed hawks flew into the cottonwoods, American Coots, Mallards, and Cormorants in the canal.  Crows keeping watch in the parking lot.

Not a lot of birds out.  Still good to get out in nature for a while, get centered, get cleared.