June NASWC Bird Walk

Three of us met this morning for the June NASWC bird walk. Spring migration is definitely tapering off and it's starting to feel like summer. We birded the flood plain property for about 2 hours and managed to see 27 species. The birding was slow and we did not see any migrants. But we did find some birds that have recently returned for the summer:

• A White-eyed Vireo was heard in some thick brush near the creek.
• Green Herons and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons were seen on the creek. Both of these herons are actually nesting in the neighborhood. (The picture is of a Yellow-crowned I took at the same spot in late April.)
  
• Many Chimney Swifts, Barn Swallows, and a few Purple Martins were in the air above us.
• A Black-chinned Hummingbird was briefly seen on a wire overlooking a backyard with a feeder. We also briefly saw a female hummingbird feeding on the flowers of a Mimosa Tree.
• The high point for me was getting a great look at a Yellow-billed Cuckoo that popped into view while we watched some chickadees. These elegant birds are often heard in the summer, but they can be very hard to see.