On Tuesday five members of Jackson Audubon met to check out bird activity at the Portage Lake unit in the Waterloo Recreation Area. This location is a great spring and autumn migration location. We started at the boat launch area. The water yielded Bonaparte's Gull, Belted Kingfisher, and a Bald Eagle flyover.

From there we walked the oak-hickory forest to the eastern shoreline of the lake. From this area we got a Belted Kingfisher, Sandhill Crane, and Double-crested Cormorant. The new dock and platform installed recently is a great spot to just get out on the lake for a better view and a seat.

We searched for fall migrants and other woodland birds for the remainder of the walk. The only warbler we got was the beloved Butterbutt (Yellow-rumped Warbler). Other migrants include Hermit Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and a single Osprey heading south. Our count was a respectable thirty-two species.

Complete species list is available on eBird at: https://ebird.org/checklist/S399783653