We got an early start this morning to beat the heat. There was not much action at the Visitor’s Center although we didn’t stay there very long. There were many purple martins in their apartments and we heard a yellow-billed cuckoo in the distance. Our next stop was Raymond Pool. Among the birds we saw there were bald eagle, American avocet, marsh wren, black-necked stilt, semipalmated plover, Forster’s tern, short-billed dowitcher, and clapper rail (heard only). In Shearness Pool, we were lucky to see the pair of roseate spoonbills that were reported to be there for a while. They were near the end of Parsons Point Trail. Other birds seen in Shearness Pool and the adjacent marsh included great blue heron, common gallinule, eastern kingbird, one snow goose, wood duck, Caspian tern, greater and lesser yellowlegs, mute and tundra swans, short-billed dowitchers, and American avocet. Some of the birds we identified along Bear Swamp Trail were gray catbird, red-eyed vireo, great-crested flycatcher, eastern wood-peewee, and Canada good. Along Bear Swamp Pool, we identified common yellowthroat, turkey vulture, great egret, wood duck, killdeer, and snowy egret. The Boardwalk Trail was badly overgrown but we saw a bald eagle in the distant trees, great egret, and green heron. Our last stop was the Shearness Observation Trail and tower. Birds identified there included brown thrasher, glossy ibis, red-bellied woodpecker, northern cardinal, Carolina wren, laughing gull, and mallard.
MY PHOTOS: black-necked stilt, wood duck, short-billed dowitcher, American avocet, great blue heron x 2, Caspian tern, eastern kingbird, great egret, snowy egret
Marvelous! So amazed at the variety of birds in our area. The photos are so vivid. Thanks for posting Rich.
Thanks, Jay! There certainly are a variety of birds around here.