Sightings May 30- Chef Pass and Lake Catherine area

Today I spent a few hours doing some marsh bird surveys in the vicinity of Chef Pass and the Lake Catherine community farther out Highway 90.

Along Almonaster on the way out, I passed a group of Black Vultures at roadside, hopping around a freshly road-killed armadillo.

Perhaps the biggest highlite was watching a group of ten Forster's Terns at close range, sitting on a cement slab at the water's edge.  Eight were full breeding plumage- something that is short-lived, so it was a treat to see them in full color.  Orange beaks and legs, the beaks with black tips, and full black caps.  They were unconcerned with me because I was in the car.   After a nice study, a much larger Caspian Tern settled with them.

A short time later, five huge American White Pelicans came over cruising southeast into the breeze.  This species is much more common in winter than summer, but there are a handful that hang around at this time of the year when the rest are up in the northern prairies breeding.

PY