[mou] Ritter Farm Prairie Warbler persists; New Henslows Murphy Hanrehan

[Jesse Mathias Ellis]

Hello all-

My father John and I went to Ritter Farm Park to look for the Prairie
warbler this morning, with success.  The bird was first heard singing as
we approached at 6:15am.  We observed the bird in the same territory as
originally described by Jim Mattson (sp? sorry).  The bird stayed in the
favorite cherry tree for most of the time we observed him.  As we began to
check other birds in the area we lost track of him, and then he abruptly
stopped singing at about 6:40am, and was not seen again, though we didn't
look very hard.

We then headed to Murphy Hanrehan to look for Henslows Sparrows.  We found
a previously unreported Henslow's singing and observed in a field across
from the main parking lot.  On the Pet Trails, we located three singing
birds by sight from the trail.  All of these three seemed to be singing
regularly, though the breeze made it occasionally difficult to hear them.

Other notables for the day:  At the Pet Trails, we were treated to an
American Bittern flying by overhead.  Also heard Cerulean Warbler while
driving through the park to the Pet Trails.

Jesse Ellis