On this warm, humid morning in central Missouri, a friend and I returned to Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area after a month's absence. There, the formerly dry, cracked landscape had become lush and green though open water remained limited to narrow channels and shallow pools.
Sightings of note were few and far between; four green herons and three pied billed grebes were the only marginal highlights. Of the 22 avian species encountered, indigo buntings were especially common.
Nevertheless, in the midst of a major heat wave, our early morning visit was, as always, a pleasant escape from the urban environment. Nature offers food for the soul, even during an extremely hot summer. Just go out as early as possible!
