It was another wonderful morning out at the Dam on the Coon Rapids Side. The redheads and the lesser scaup were still there and in increasing numbers but still not a lot.  I saw more buffleheads and goldeneye.  My friend Larry saw some ruddy ducks but they weren’t in the area that I was walking. I also saw my first bluebirds of the season. There was a pair by the walkway that hung around for quite a while.  We saw six or seven trumpeter swans a couple of bald eagles, more Canada Geese, and even more cedar waxwings.  There were at least 20 hooded mergansers on the BP side of the river, thanks to a tip from another birder with a scope. There was a young man flying a drone near the channel.  He said that he had the sense to keep it way from nests so I was happy about that. Here is a link to some photos.  
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ronsthoughts/ <https://www.flickr.com/photos/ronsthoughts/>

Ron Taube
Coon Rapids