WISN Surveys near Ophelia NWR

Today I continued snipe surveys around Alexandria, LA.  On one survey, I found 32 snipe in one location, but didn't find any more during the rest of the day.  These snipe were all sleeping, and were really on recognizable at 150 meters by their bills shining in the sun.  It was one of the nicest days we've had yet, with completely clear skies.  There were many birds of note, including yellow-rumped warblers almost everywhere, black vultures, chipping sparrows, and a snowy egret at the end of the day.  Early in the day, this flock of cedar wax-wings and robins were devouring berries, and did not seem to care about the truck being only a few feet away.

This female orange sulfur is the first butterful of the year I've seen, at Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge. 

Also near the refuge was this armadillo.

On our way to Alexandria for the night, this snowy egret

was by the side of the road, a first of the year for me.