I swung by the Senator Ted Hickey Bridge on the lakefront (crossing the industrial canal by the Lakefront Airport) this morning, and there were 130 or so birds arrayed on the breakwaters:
60 or so Laughing Gulls
69 Forster's Terns
5 Black Skimmers
1 Royal Tern
1 Ring-billed Gull
Nice to see more Forster's Terns there than gulls.
The five skimmers were 3 adults, and 2 immatures. I imagine they are from the local rooftop nesting populations elsewhere in the city. They are at the breakwater here from time to time.
The Ring-billed Gull was out of season. Although a few linger through the summer on the outer coast (eg, Fourchon), it is less usual to see them in summer in New Orleans. It looked like an adult except for some localized dark mottling remaining on the wing weathers, which indicates some immaturity. They take three years to mature to adulthood.
A little west on the lakefront, near the first shelter, a Great Blue Heron standing on the lake wall looked fairly tame- perhaps accustomed to panhandling fish or scraps from people.
Good birding,
Peter
for a copy of Birding Made Easy-New Orleans, email me at birding.made.easy.new.orleans@gmail.com, or look for it at the Maple Street or Garden District Book Shops.
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