We birded in several areas of the refuge today and identified 40 species. Birds we identified from the Visitor’s Center included killdeer, house finch, American robin, and a flock of snow geese. The Raymond Pool Trail and Observation Tower was very good. Among the 23 species we saw there were eastern towhee, white-throated sparrow, northern shoveler, American avocet, green-winged teal, yellow-rumped warbler, northern pintail, American black duck, northern harrier, and brown-headed cowbird. Birds seen in Raymond Pool included northern shoveler, American avocet, green-winged teal, tree swallow, bald eagle, ring-billed gull, and boat-tailed grackle. Shearness Pool gave us 18 species including mute swam, Savannah sparrow, green-winged teal, American black duck, bufflehead, snow goose (3 on the ground), red-winged blackbird, greater yellowlegs, gadwall, mallard, fish crow, bald eagle, common merganser, and Canada goose. Bear Swamp Trail was virtually empty of birds as we only identified Canada goose and northern flicker. Bear Swamp Pool was better and some of the birds we identified there were northern harrier, Carolina chickadee, killdeer, mute swan, northern shoveler, green-winged teal, bald eagle, great blue heron, red-bellied woodpecker, and Canada goose. We finished up along the Boardwalk Trail. From the boardwalk looking east to the distant trees were two adult bald eagles near their nest. Other birds identified along this trail included tree swallow, pileated woodpecker, white-throated sparrow, turkey vulture, and red-winged blackbird.
MY PHOTOS: northern shoveler x 2, great blue heron, bald eagle, northern pintail, northern cardinal, white-throated sparrow, Savannah sparrow
