Great Start to a New Year

We took five walk-on participants on a tour with primary stops at East River Pool (ERP), the south end of Mounds #3 and a loop from the T-dike past the north end of Mounds #3 and past the west end of Stony Bayou #2.  

Enroute to ERP, the Osprey nest on the west side of the road about a mile south of the Visitor Center has been occupied by Great Horned Owls; ear tufts and eyes of one owl visible this morning.

ERP – the flamingo was seen as late as about 10 am; we arrived at 10:30. Two Black-necked Stilts and a good mix of common and expected species.

South End of Mounds #3 – Good numbers and diversity of ducks, including 10 Black Ducks, seen from outside the closed area.  Very few shorebirds here today (and Tower Pond empty) due to low tide in the Bay. Also several Avocets and four Bonaparte’s Gulls.

Headquarters Pond had a single Bufflehead accompanied by a single female Common Goldeneye.  No Spoonbills today and several B-cr Night Herons distant in back.

North End of Mounds #3 – Long-billed Dowitchers , a back lit Plegadis, White Pelican, and expected herons and egrets.

West End of Stony Bayou #2 – Several Plegadis, both White-faced and Glossy, and some unidentifiable.

additional note from Matt: You’ll note that I said “five walk-on participants”; 16 or 17 folks were signed up for this tour before the tour sign-up sheet went missing about two weeks ago.  This morning, not a single person who signed up showed up.  100% no-shows, which beggars probability and understanding.

If you sign up and can’t make it, please let the Refuge know.