Monday’s southerly winds must have brought a bunch of bald eagles to Tschache Pool. We saw mostly immatures, EVERYWHERE!! WOW, we recorded 26 but there were probably way more. It was difficult to keep track of them while trying to properly survey waterfowl. We did find a Eurasian wigeon again, sadly, in the farthest part of Tschache away from the tower. However, I did get a rather poor picture to share. On Monday, I saw my first Refuge eaglet on the May’s Point nest, viewed from the observation deck! Sorry, no pics. I hope you can check it out, as the leaves will soon block our view. We also saw an eaglet on one of the nests viewed from the Tschache Pool service road. I’m including a picture from the Tschache Tower of some of the great blue herons on nests. The picture doesn’t do it justice, but it is cool to see how they are camouflaged and really blend in with the colors of the trees and sticks of the nests.
The Sandhill Crane Unit had at least 9 black terns. It was nice to see them return. While on Van Dyne Spoor Road, two ibises flew by heading west, turned and flew southward. They appeared to set down in front of the south dike. But when we got over there, we couldn’t find them. Today people are reporting 3 in the pool near the eagle sculpture on the Wildlife Drive. Maybe that’s where they went!
On Monday, I saw my first of the season Canada goose gosling. It was in Seneca Flats.
Yesterday was the last day that we will survey Tschache Pool, Knox-Marsellus and Puddler Marshes and the Sandhill Crane Unit from the dikes. We will survey those units only from public access points for a while. The weather forecast is for a couple of cold days, followed by a warming trend. I hope you can get out soon to explore the Wetlands trails and towers.
ENJOY, be respectful and safe.
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