Wild Turkey at Bombay Hook NWR.

Graeme and I left early yesterday to head to Bombay Hook.  Graeme suggested a heavier jacket, and I was glad, later. It was unusually cold and windy.

I saw my first Wild turkey tom, which was cool. Now I want to see one display.

There was the usual cast of hundreds of wading birds, including Avocets and Stilts, but the star was the huge flock of Dunlins who just kept coming and coming.

All in all, we had a good day.

Bombay Hook 21

Sunrise at Bombay Hook.

Willet 2021-2

Willet 2021-1

I don’t often see Willets.

Barn Swallow 2021-4

This Barn Swallow was eating gravel (Alongside the Tree Swallows) at Bombay Hook.

Great Egret 2021-21 Great Egret 2021-23 Great Egret 2021-14 Great Egret 2021-22

Great Egret 2021-21

Many Great Egrets were in the marsh pools.

Forster's Tern 2021-3 (1)

Forster's Tern 2021-3 (2)

A few Forster’s Terns were feeding in the shallows.

Mute the poor quality audio

Dunlin 2021-5

Dunlin 2021-6

Many thousands of Dunlin were resting and feeding.

American Avocet 2021-11 American Avocet 2021-10

American Avocet 2021-12

It’s always fun to watch the American Avocets forage in the marsh.

Greater Yellowlegs 2021-6

Greater Yellowlegs 2021-3

Greater Yellowlegs were few in number.

Red Winged Blackbird 2020-5

Many hundreds of Red Winged Blackbirds are nesting in the marsh.

 

 

Black Necked Stilt 2021-2

We saw only a few Black Necked Stilts

Tree Swallow 2021-15

Tree Swallows are nesting all over the refuge.

Purple Martin 2021-2

The Purple Martin Colony was fully occupied.

Wild Turkey 2021-1