We covered four trails in the refuge today. Our first stop was around the Visitor’s Center. Some of the birds we saw here included purple martin, northern flicker, blue grosbeak, common yellowthroat, and brown-headed cowbird. The Photographer’s Blind Trail was closed due to nesting vultures. Along the Dike Trail we counted 29 species including tree swallow, snowy egret, house wren, red-winged blackbird, great blue heron, Canada geese (with young), blue grosbeak, eastern kingbird, common tern, osprey, and brown thrasher. The next trail was the Boardwalk Trail where we identified orchard oriole, red-bellied woodpecker, red-winged blackbird, eastern wood-peewee, cedar waxwing, and blue-gray gnatcatcher. Our final stop was the Pine Grove Trail where the highlight was a prothonotary warbler. Other birds identified there were ovenbird, white-eyed and red-eyed vireos, northern cardinal, pileated woodpecker, and great-crested flycatcher.
MY PHOTOS: eastern kingbird, snowy egret, red-winged blackbird, red-bellied woodpecker, great blue heron, cedar waxwing, Canada goose, blue grosbeak
