Date: 8/10/25 2:55 pm From: Florence Sanchez via groups.io <sanchezucsb11...> Subject: [sbcobirding] Black Tern update and Bird Refuge, Aug 10
Found other birders down on East Beach this morning looking for the Black Tern Wes reported yesterday. One birded had seen it earlier well east of the outfall, but it was flushed well down the beach by a walker and we could not refind it.
Over the years, the Bird Refuge has been a good spot to look for Black Terns, so I headed over there. No luck on the tern, but the place was very birdy. Best of all, we are starting to get some exposed mud at the east end and the "apron" near the parking lot is also widening. This location has produced such niceties as Semi-palmated Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper in past years when there has been a good amount of exposed mud.
No such luck today, but I found Several Black-necked Stilts at the east end, 4 of which were half-grown chicks; also a Spotted Sandpiper, a Least Sandpiper, and 2 Dowitchers, which I suspect (from a single call note) were Long-billed. Also, 17 Black Skimmers were resting on the mud spit and foraging over the water, which is also a good sign of favorable habitat.
Florence Sanchez
