The first birds I noticed when arriving at Lake Contrary this morning were the Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots. The grebes swimming around randomly and diving in search of some small minnows. The coots were in groups moving around, bobbing their heads and picking at food items floating on the surface of the water. Several American Crows were flying around overhead, uttering their caws every now and again. As I drove around the perimeter of the lake an American Kestrel flew off of a roadside utility wire. He has probably looking for sometime for breakfast too. There are usually Red-winged Blackbirds around in the cattails and this morning was no exception. I always enjoy seeing the Eastern Blluebirds which are generally seen perched on roadside utility wires, diving down to the grass/weeds below to hawk the various insects which are their fare. European Starlings are everywhere, always. I estimated over 2500 of them flying in many places around the area and many sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on the roadside wires. It was a good day for various sparrow species. As I stopped my vehicle beside a brush pile of tree branches/weeds next to the road, I encountered White-throated, White-crowned, Fox, Swamp, Song and Vesper Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos. In with the many sparrow were the ever-present Northern Cardinals. Also seen during my return home were Red-tailed hawks, Eurasian Collared-Doves and Rock Pigeons. All in all an interesting one hour around my little patch south of town.