The Visitors’ Center and Wildlife Drive are open again!! Woohoo!! Monday was an absolutely, gorgeous day with many, many visitors. Our sandhill cranes that have been entertaining visitors prior to the openings were again present in the Visitors’ Center Wetland. At one point Monday morning a visitor popped into the building to report that there were 40 cranes out in the wetland!! Way cool, for sure!
The bird list reflects our surveys at the Sandhill Crane Unit and May’s Point Pool. In addition to the birds, Linda spotted a mink scooting along the edge of the Crane Unit, along Van Dyne Spoor Road. That was fantastic as we hadn’t seen one in a while. We also heard a Virginia Rail along the east dike. My first of the season. Great news, many of the birds seen at May’s Point can be seen from the observation deck. Sadly, it appears that our May’s Point bald eagle pair have had a nesting failure. They are often seen in a tree just east of the deck or perched on a muskrat lodge out in the unit. The great blue heron rookery is filled with herons! Last week I counted over 250.
Join us on Saturday, April 6 at 11:00 AM at the Visitors’ Center for Pete Saracino’s Total Solar Eclipse Explained presentation. If you can’t make it in person, we are planning to Zoom it. Go to the posting on April 1 to get the Zoom link.
Hopefully, you can get out soon to explore the REALLY COOL and BEAUTIFUL things at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex trails, towers and the Refuge Wildlife Drive. Just a reminder: the Refuge Seneca Trail is only open as far as the wooden observation deck, a short distance past the tower. Also, the Refuge Wildlife Drive will be closed to visitors on Monday, April 8. There will be access to the Visitors’ Center and parking area and the abbreviated Seneca Trail until the area reaches capacity. The current plan is to reopen the Wildlife Drive on Tuesday, April 9.
Pic #1: American Coots in the Main Pool, #2: May’s Point bald eagle pair, #3: Canada geese in the Main Pool at the beginning of the Wildlife Drive, #4: great blue herons in the rookery at Tschache Pool, #5: sandhill cranes in the Visitors’ Center Wetland.
There will not be a write up next week, sorry. Survey results will be posted in the VC sunroom and on the VC desk.
ENJOY, be respectful and safe.
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