Post-rain Purple Martins

After all the rain today I finally got out to bird the T&C playing fields around 6 PM. There were hundreds of Purple Martins! I estimated 385 on the power lines by the Meadowheath parking lot and on top of the soccer field lights. These birds are staging for migration. I saw them between 6:00 and 7:00 but when I returned around 8:00 they were gone, heading south I assume. Here's a picture of a few on a wire. I also managed to find one Bronzed Cowbird in a huge flock of European Starlings on one of the soccer fields. Unfortunately it didn't let me get close enough for a picture. I came across a Ladder-backed Woodpecker too, which is unusual for the neighborhood.

It sure was humid but the temperature was pretty comfortable. (What a mild summer we've had so far!) I ended up walking past the playing fields and following Lake Creek all the way to the Parmer bridge. On my way back from the bridge the sun was lower in the sky and I took this picture.