More Roseate Spoonbills in Jefferson

This morning at 8 AM I peaked over the Mississippi River levee across from Jefferson Playground in Old Jefferson, and was surprised to see two Roseate Spoonbills probing the swale with the usual White Ibises.

The birds were gone 30 minutes later when I returned, but after spotting one yesterday and two today, it seems like it is a good time to be on the alert for them.

Despite reports of good numbers of migrant songbirds in City Park, there were few in the Jefferson batture - just 9 Yellow Warblers.  However, I did see a falcon barreling south along the river- whatever species it was, it was a migrant, since none nest south of Lake Pontchartrain. It was at quite a distance, but seemed to me to be a Merlin based upon its relatively small size and very direct, powerful flight.  The other small falcon, American Kestrel, is much more buoyant in the air, and flies less directly and intensely than Merlin. 

Peter