The water levels were very low in most of the pools and the flies were relentless. Nonetheless, we pursued and visited five areas of the refuge. We only identified three birds at the Visitor’s Center: purple martin, house sparrow, and blue jay. Birds that we saw in Raymond Pool included short-billed dowitchers (perhaps 200), snowy and great egrets, common yellowthroat, black-necked stilt, indigo bunting, semipalmated sandpiper, least sandpiper, and bald eagle. Shearness Pool had the most water and most species (25) including great blue heron, snowy egret, glossy ibis, mute swans (many families), wood ducks (one female seen with 16 young), great egret, marsh wren, black skimmer, common gallinule, ruddy duck, green heron, barn swallow, killdeer, herring gull, and Canada goose. Bear Swamp Trail only had six species including common yellowthroat, Carolina chickadee, and great egret. Bear Swamp Pool also lacked birds but we manages to identify eight of them including gray catbird, marsh wren, yellow-breasted chat, and great blue heron.
MY PHOTOS: wood duck, mute swan, great egret, black-necked stilt, marsh wren, snowy egret, common yellowthroat, red-winged blackbird
