Birds and Dragonflies at Emiquon Wetland Observatory

I'm really enjoying the Cattle Egrets at Emiquon right now. They aren't as skittish as the other egrets. There have been many Great Egrets farther out on the newly forming mudflats, but the Cattle Egrets will come up close to the drive that runs through the visitor center.

In addition to the egrets, there were many Killdeer crying as they flew around, and plenty of Red-winged Blackbirds throughout the wetland area. As I walked along the boardwalk that runs through the wetland, I spotted what I think is a Grasshopper Sparrow and a male Dickcissel singing.

There were many dragonflies everywhere on the wetland: Black Saddlebags, Common Green Darners, Common Whitetails, all flying around too fast to photograph. However, I also found a Carolina Saddlebags dragonfly who posed for several photographs before taking off on the hunt.

A Bluet Damselfly let me take a few photos, as did a Common Buckeye butterfly. The Cabbage White was not quite as helpful as it moved quickly through the Mustard flowers.

Besides the Mustard flowers, I also found Great Blue Lobelia and Common Mullein in bloom near the boardwalk.