HAPPY EARTH DAY!! Try to do something Earth friendly today and every day!!
We had a pleasant weather day for surveying yesterday. Also, I had the pleasure of surveying with 2 new companions. Patrick, our newest Bio Tech, filled in for Pete and Dave, one of our roving naturalists. The most outstanding feature at Tschache Pool continues to be the heron rookery. With my scope, I could see at least one heron on each nest and many had a second one perched on the edge! We saw many herons returning to the rookery with nesting material in their bills. There was almost constant comings and goings of herons there, really cool!! There were also many herons down in the marsh. I was asked yesterday how long the rookery had been at that location. I couldn’t recall, so I’m putting it out to you. Can anyone tell me when we first noticed this rookery?
Patrick and I definitely heard a sora along the service road. Dave thought he may have seen it scurry into the vegetation, but wasn’t sure. That was my first of the year sora, Woohoo!! We had a few Caspian terns and I watched one Forster’s tern still in non-breeding plumage foraging over the water. Dave saw one eaglet in the Clark’s Ridge nest. YAY!! With the really high temperatures last week the leaves have popped out and have nearly obscured my view of the other two eagle nests. Normally, this doesn’t happen until early May. I could, however, see adults on the edges, indicating that they were most likely tending to and protecting eaglets. We saw at least 11 immature bald eagles so it is safe to think some of those are migrating through at this time. The Clyde River was very low. I don’t understand the workings of the Canal/Clyde River system well enough to know what might be going on out there. But many of those eagles were in an area with really low water that probably was full of fish!
A glossy ibis had been seen in some units along the Wildlife Drive. So, of course after our survey, I headed out on the Drive hoping to get some pics of it. I guess, I didn’t have the ibis mojo yesterday and just missed it!! RATS!! But I did notice a good diversity of ducks in the Main Pool, some American coots close to the Drive and a Canada goose in Seneca Flats with some newly hatched goslings under her!! Dave K. found a couple of solitary sandpipers and some yellowlegs in the VC pool in the morning.
I am going to repeat this information from the DEC: as of 04/18 the Carncross Road access to Howland’s Island is open. However, in Spring sometimes conditions change so feel free to give them a call weekdays at (315) 365-2134 for an update. This is a terrific time to explore Howland’s Island to look for birds and spring ephemerals (plants that have a short life cycle) like trillium, trout lily, hepatica, etc. Howland’s Island has over 15 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding and non-motorized vehicles. And I would like to note that there are few mosquitoes right now, HUGE bonus!!
I am including pictures of a sandhill crane in Seneca Flats, an American coot, a pair of blue-winged teal and a male blue-winged teal in the Main Pool, and one of the purple martin houses at the VC. There is lots of activity all around!!
Hopefully, you can get out soon to explore and experience all the amazing things at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex trails, towers and the Refuge Wildlife Drive. Remember, the Refuge Wildlife Drive is currently open to vehicles only. Dogs on a leash are only allowed in and around the Visitors’ Center and on the Seneca Trail. Be sure to stop in and check out the Nature Store at the Visitors’ Center.
ENJOY, be respectful and safe,
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