Although we are a between wintering waterfowl and passerine migration seasons, I still managed to eke out 76 species + one taxon (Plegadis sp.) at SMNWR today.
The flamingo had returned to its recently favored location on the north end of Mounds 3. A lot of water has been moved into M3 recently, so it has no shorebird habitat on the south end and virtually no waders.
Offshore had large numbers of Common Loons, Horned Grebes, Red-breasted Mergansers, Bufflehead, and Scaup sp.
Lighthouse Pool was down to nine Am Wigeon, two Ring-necks, and a few Bl-winged Teal.
Coming up on high tide in the bay, Tower Pond was loaded with shorebirds, including two Pectoral Sandpipers, two Wilson's Plovers, and one each Am Avocet, and Black-necked Stilt.
The best birds for me were the downy white Great Horned Owl chick and its parent in the nest near the south end of Mounds 3. There seemed to be some more down low in the nest, so perhaps a second chick is present.
Matt Johnstone