Despite cloudy, breezy, and windy conditions, birding was decent at the refuge today at our four stops. Upon arrival, a male ruby-throated hummingbird was on the red flowers by the volunteer shed at the visitor’s center. Other birds identified in this area included chipping sparrow, purple martin, tree swallow, laughing gull, and brown-headed cowbird. We identified 26 species along the Dike Trail including great blue heron, mallard, blue grosbeak, common yellowthroat Forster’s tern, Caspian tern, royal tern, osprey, greater yellowlegs, American goldfinch, American black duck, dunlin, and eastern towhee. Some of the birds we identified along Boardwalk Trail included a flock of glossy ibis, chipping sparrow, Carolina chickadee, gray catbird, red-winged blackbird, snowy egret, northern cardinal, boat-tailed grackle, and common yellowthroat. Our last stop was at Fleetwood Pond. Some of the birds we identified there included yellow-throated warbler, Canada goose, pied-billed grebe, ovenbird, great-crested flycatcher, and Carolina wren.
MY PHOTOS: ruby-throated hummingbird, chipping sparrow, brown-headed cowbird, great blue heron, mallard
