Gull-billed Terns and Ring-necked Duck

(Reminder: There will be more posts than usual at the beginning of The June Challenge. It will go back to normal before long. I’m saying this because this morning, after posting twice yesterday, I received emails from two people asking to be removed from the mailing list!)

This is one of those rare Junes that’s almost better than spring migration.

Chip Deutsch and Matt Bruce saw two Gull-billed Terns at La Chua this morning. Matt wrote, “We watched for about five minutes as the birds flew over the water on the east side of the trail near the last bend before the tower. We got to see them at very close range (maybe ~30′ at one point). They had full black caps, short tails, distinctly stout black bills, pale gray backs, and a little bit dark gray along the edge of the wingtips.” They were gone when several of us walked out La Chua this evening.

A Ring-necked Duck has been at Sweetwater Wetlands Park since the 3rd, in the channel south of Cell 3. I was uncertain of its identity for a while. At first I thought Ring-necked because of the distinct peak at the rear of the crown. Then I started to think that it might be a Redhead, because molt might cause the peaked crown (it’s missing its flight feathers and is thus in eclipse plumage) and the banding on the bill is so faint, more like a Redhead’s. The general opinion among experienced birders, however, is that it’s a Ring-necked. Bob Carroll got a photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/74215662@N04/26860625233/in/dateposted-public/

A walk out La Chua this evening was profitable. I dressed for rainy weather, so of course there wasn’t any rain at all. Mike Manetz pointed out the Hooded Merganser that Frank Goodwin found on the 1st at Gator Point and Ben Ewing found an adult Yellow-crowned Night-Heron and a Whooping Crane while scoping from the observation tower. Also present were up to four Blue-winged Teal, two Roseate Spoonbills, and about 25 Semipalmated Sandpipers. Alas, no Greater or Lesser Yellowlegs and no Dunlin.

Anne Casella advises, “After birding this morning, I stopped at the Campus USA on NW 12th St and NW 4th Avenue at 11 am. While I was at the cash machine, I heard a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher so I parked and got out to look for it. A Yellow-throated Vireo began singing in an oak tree across the street and was very easy to see. It then flew to an oak in the Campus USA parking lot, still singing away. A lot easier to see than the Yellow-throateds at San Felasco.”

I’ve still got some printed June Challenge checklists on hand. If you’d like one, send me your mailing address and I’ll put one in an envelope for you.