Despite the continued encroachment of commercial and residential development, the woodlands and fields around Phillips Lake (southeast of Columbia) attract an excellent variety of songbirds. While most are permanent residents, seasonal residents and visitors are also found at the shrinking refuge.
On this cloudy, mild morning, I encountered some of my first summer residents of the year. These included a great crested flycatcher, indigo buntings and several blue grosbeaks. Of most interest was a Mississippi kite, soaring above the lake, perhaps the first I have ever observed at the Park.
One of the more rewarding aspects of birding is that your quarry changes throughout the year. Of course, the avian diversity is especially large during the spring and fall migrations and the former has not yet ended.
