If you were along the coast of Florida or Georgia and saw a large, white, rather ugly, wading bird with a grayish head and strange beak searching the water for food you wouldn’t be surprised that you were seeing a Wood Stork.
But if you were 70 miles from the Iowa line at Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Chariton County, MO, and saw such a bird, you would be! That is just what happened to Ron Conner, volunteer work camper at the Refuge, on July 26, as he drove by the Swan Lake outlet to south pool. This is only the second time Wood Storks have been recorded at the Refuge, which was established in 1937. The first record was on July 10, 2012, when Steve Kinder, Grand River Audubon member from Chillicothe, saw four at the northwest corner of the Swan Lake marsh.
As of July 29, one of the Wood Storks was still there, actually feeding in the same area as Thursday. This is the time of the year when unusual birds may make at appearance in our area as young leave the nest and strike out on their own .
Article Written By Myrna Carlton of Chillicothe Mo and member of the Grand River Audubon. Attached photo taken by Paul Mckenzie of Columbia Missouri
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