SMNWR May 24

Cyndi and I did four hours of birding beginning at about 0900, which produced a modest 45 species, including a few birds and numbers that pleased us and induced flags from eBird.

East River Pool – 325 White Pelicans (255 an exact count of a single flying flock, the remainder an estimate of others on and over ERP), with many of these birds being young, (from western Gulf of Mexico population?); 21 Wood Storks (single flying flock); 5 Roseate Spoonbills; 2 Caspian Terns

Stony Bayou 1 (walked the levee from Lighthouse Road to the flap gates and back) – Despite high tide in the bay, considerably fewer shorebirds than on Friday. A couple each of Wilson’s and Black-bellied Plover, at least one White-rumped Sandpiper among the many Semi-sands, a Dunlin, a Spotted Sandpiper, two each Caspian Terns and Black Skimmers, many dozens of nesting Least Terns, two imm. Reddish Egrets, one of them white phase, a Least Bittern (SB#2). Also, a mockingbird was alternating imitations of Chuck-wills-widow and Black Rail. A nice variety of wildflowers were present, reminding me of the ever thickening layer of rust on my botanical knowledge.

The lighthouse area was very quiet, but a Whimbrel and Oystercatcher were on the sand flats. We did not bird Picnic Pond, but couldn’t miss the three Turkey Vultures enjoying a well-ripened alligator carcass in the picnic area. No other picnickers were present.