Date: 8/18/25 11:59 am From: Kelly Chitwood <kellyannchitwood...> Subject: Union County Birds at Lock 8 and Calion Lake
For the past couple of weeks, approximately 800-1200 birds have been roosting in the cypress brake on the right side of the levee road on the way to the dam. Visibility is difficult through the trees, but I put a green flag around a telephone pole and near the shoreline at a small opening along the muddy water. Watch out for swamp puppies and danger noodles, bring insect repellent, a canon for the horse and deer flies, and wear shoes that protect your feet from pretty much everything that crawls.
It’s a mixed flock of Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Snowy Egret, great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Wood Stork and Roseate Spoonbill. If you arrive around 6:30 PM and bring a lawn chair, many of them can be seen overhead as they come in to roost. It’s really neat to have a Wood Stork flyover, as they are pretty cool to observe! So far I’ve not regretted looking up. 😂 all birds are in varying stages of molt which is helpful for identification.
There are a few peeps at Lock 8 and at the presently very low Calion Lake too. We also saw 1 Osprey and 1 Adult Bald Eagle.
