Chuck and Anne invited us to join them for a bird watching outing last Thursday. We arrived at Ding Darling National Wild Life Refuge at dawn. Chuck and Anne spotted 34 different species and shared lots of interesting information about them. One highlight was observing two eagles in hot pursuit of an Osprey attempting to steal his fish. The Osprey’s evasive maneuvers were successful. Attached are pictures of several birds. Resolution for some shots is less than satisfactory because of distance and telephoto limitations. But hopefully, it will give you some idea of the amazing variety at Ding Darling. It was a really fun experience. Picture identification:

1) Snowy and Great (larger bird) Egret








2) Yellow Crown Night Heron








3) Roseate Spoon Bill








4) Immature Ibis








5) American White Pelican








6) Red breasted Merganser








7) Cormorants