A beautiful mid-summer morning. It didnt even get hot until 8:30 am. Except for the managed ponds, water levels are low. The area around the Double bridges has water in the two creeks and scattered puddles, but also still has Prothonotary Warblers and Red-eyed Vireo. I was still able to find Acadian Flycatcher there two weeks ago, but did not see one this morning. Based on the Duncans report from Pensacola, I looked for Yellow Warbler, usually the earliest migrant songbird. I did not find any, but they should be watched for along the edges of the entrance road. The best birding was in Tower Pond, which is being managed for migrant shorebirds. The Dowitchers and Western Sandpipers are likely returning migrants. Its already getting cold up North with lows in the mid-thirties on their breeding grounds. Great Blue Heron Great Egret Snowy Egret Tricolored Heron Reddish Egret Black-bellied Plover (two were in transitional plumage) Greater Yellowlegs Willet Western Sandpiper (most were in breeding plumage) Short-billed Dowitcher (most were in breeding plumage) Laughing Gull Caspian Tern Sandwich Tern Forsters Tern Least Tern Black Skimmer. In early July you have to watch closely for signs of migration. Soon though, Yellow Warblers will be easy to find along the entrance road and Black Terns will show up. Birding at the refuge is still pleasant (and not life threatening) in the morning. Get up early and go birding.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Jul 2014 14:47:51 +0000
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