I had not been in the refuge for nearly three weeks and was hoping some winter residents would still be present. Cyndi and I spent about two hours in the refuge beginning at 0930 and our birding was restricted to the bay, lighthouse pool, and a few incidental pick ups on the drive in and out. No effort for passerines, as usual.
Being March, numbers are, of course, way down; but even with our very limited time and route we tallied twelve species of ducks and 45 sps. total. The Long-tailed Duck was very close, in the mouth of the channel from the salt water boat ramp and spending a bit more time on the surface than usual. A male Black Scoter was distant to the northwest from the same vantage point and a Common Goldeneye was not so distant to the southwest. Common Loons and Horned Grebes are still present in the bay and a very pale Reddish Egret was in lighthouse pool.
Water levels are high in the pools, so shorebird habitat along lighthouse road is scarce, with only a few longer legged species in lighthouse pool. I assume Tower Pond has not yet been flooded and should be productive when the tide is high in the bay (but I'm out of the loop on water level management and am currently unable to walk to Tower Pond).