Horicon National Wildlife Refuge 9-3-19

Today my mother and I decided to take a drive up to Horicon National Wildlife Refuge. The previous weekend we had learned that several of our friends from Sand Bluff Bird Observatory were also driving up to Horicon, so we decided to go with. When we arrived, we drove around the 3-mile refuge loop. Here we met up with our friends on the boardwalk to go see some rails and other birds. The highlight of the boardwalk, in my opinion, was seeing a Virginia Rail very close to my feet. We did this by playing its call to lure it in closer. Then we went to the Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area where we walked on a boardwalk there. Here we saw wood ducks and blue-winged teals. Then we went to the car, ate lunch, and drove back to the NWR where we walked on the boardwalk there again. We were just about to turn around and go home when two Whooping Cranes flew in and landed near the boardwalk. I had a fabulous day today, and I hope to come back soon.
Species I saw-
50 Canada Geese
30 Trumpeter Swans
100 Blue-Winged Teal
50 Mallard
20 Mourning Doves
2 Virginia Rail
1 Sora
3 Common Gallinule
7 American Coot
4 Whooping Crane
2 Green Heron
1 Northern Harrier
1 Olive-Sided Flycatcher
1 Traill's Flycatcher
4 American Robin
1 Northern Cardinal
1 Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
1 Red-Eared Slider