After waiting out dense fog in the Missouri River Valley this morning, I took a brief drive though Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area. There I encountered the usual mix of summer residents, dominated by great blue herons and highlighted by raptors (turkey vultures, four Mississippi kites, a red-tailed hawk and a Cooper's hawk).
But of most significance were two flocks of blue-winged teal, the vanguard of the autumn waterfowl migration. Appearing a month ahead of most migrant ducks, blue-winged teal are welcome messengers of seasonal change, especially after this excessively hot summer.
Responding to the waning daylight, most of these small, attractive ducks will winter south of our region. While we appreciate their visit (as do the teal hunters) they cannot guarantee that cool autumn weather will arrive in their wake. Nevertheless, the current forecast for the next ten days looks great (at least for now).
