We enjoyed a pleasant day at the Refuge yesterday. We started at Tschache Pool Tower where there were still good looks at the great blue heron colony, also called a rookery or heronry. We noticed many of the herons returning to the nests were carrying nesting material. Cornell’s, All About Birds site stated that “males collect much of the nesting material and offer it to prospective mates. The female usually builds or improves an existing nest. Eventually they lay between 2 – 6 eggs and take 27 – 29 days to incubate. They are monogamous during the breeding season but take a different mate each year.” There was one great egret at Tschache Pool. They are starting to come back as there was one near the spillway last Sunday and Monday. We had the usual ducks that would be seen this time of year. Toward the back of the unit, Linda found an Eurasian wigeon, unfortunately out of sight from the tower. The three bald eagle nests that I check from the service road all appeared to be tending to young!! At one point, there were three immature bald eagles perched on muskrat mounds in the front part of the unit as another immature was flying around the same area.
Knox-Marsellus and Puddler Marshes also had the ducks we would expect this time of year. However, the views are quite distant and on sunny days, difficult to see in the morning due to sun glare. We carefully checked the western part of Knox, hoping to get a glimpse of the sandhill cranes nesting. No luck. We will keep checking and I know others will too.
On Sunday I saw a common gallinule from the May’s Point Observation deck, my first of the season. But I haven’t seen or heard them anywhere else yet. This past Sunday and Monday mornings, I heard a Virginia Rail about halfway up Eaton Marsh. I studied the area carefully and couldn’t see one. There is a lot of bent-over vegetation and I guess they are under that cover. Hopefully, someone will get lucky and catch a glimpse of one out there.
I’m including a picture of a great egret, double crested cormorant (Knox), pied-billed grebes, and a turtle. We saw several painted turtles on the dikes and there was also one on the Refuge entrance drive. It seems they are coming out of hibernation, so we need to watch out for them.
I hope you can get out to the trails, towers, or Wildlife Drive soon.
ENJOY, be respectful and safe.
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