This area was bought by the Dutch in 1679 from the Indians. It was called "Boompies Hoock" or tree thicket in German. The Price: One gun and some powder, three waist coats, alcohol, and a kettle. At close to 16,000 acres it is now managed to support migrating ducks and geese. I was early for the large numbers of these (over 100,000 Snow Geese will arrive here later) but hoped to find some shorebirds. I did find them at Shearness Pool (the largest of the four fresh water pools in the refuge) in good numbers. Most were American Avocets, Greater Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Willets, and Least Sandpipers. The only problem was distance. I hoped that they might move closer at different times but they stayed well away from the road.
Large numbers of Bobolinks and sparrows were feeding in the tall grasses along the roads but for most of the time being a birder rather than a photographer produced the most results.
 |
| Bobolink |
 |
| Caspian Tern |
 |
| Double-crested Cormorant |
No comments:
Post a Comment