We birded in seven areas of the refuge. The Bear Swamp Pool was closed due to a fox with kits. A few birds we identified by the Visitor’s Center were common yellowthroat, purple martin, American goldfinch, and red-bellied woodpecker. Next, we walked the Raymond Pool Trail and climbed the observation tower. Some birds we identified here were great egret, mute swan, snow goose (1), bald eagle, white throated sparrow, blue-gray gnatcatcher, brown thrasher, great blue heron, Canada goose, black-necked stilt, willet, dunlin, black-bellied plover, greater yellowlegs, short-billed dowitcher, and killdeer. We drove along the dike to Raymond Pool and we saw many of the same birds we identified from the tower. Other birds we identified there were marsh wren, green-winged teal, gadwall, snowy egret, Forster’s tern, and ring-billed gull. Birds seen at Shearness Pool included Wilson’s snipe (2 at the beginning), mute swan, black swan (1 swimming with the mute swans), double-crested cormorant, bufflehead, ruddy duck, Canada goose, belted kingfisher, bald eagle, and red-winged blackbird. At Beaver Pond, birds we identified included green heron (2), Canada goose, tree swallow, American robin, and common yellowthroat. The trail to the Allee House was open for the first time in a long time. Some birds we identified along this trail were wild turkey (2), eastern bluebird, red-shouldered hawk, tree swallow, and common yellowthroat. Our last stop was the Boardwalk Trail. There were very few birds along this trail and we only identified common grackle, common yellowthroat, greater yellowlegs, marsh wren, great egret, and bald eagle (2 in the distant trees).
MY PHOTOS: Wilson’s snipe, blue-gray gnatcatcher, snowy egret, great blue heron, ruddy duck, bald eagle, Forster’s tern, Canada goose
