We had a beautiful, sunny, yet cold day at the Refuge yesterday. There were lots of cool birds. Pete spotted a Wilson’s snipe in the southern end of Larue’s Lagoon and a small flock of dunlin in Seneca Flats. I saw an American bittern and heard a Virginia Rail in Eaton Marsh. There was a good variety of ducks around, mostly dabblers, and we saw a few more Canada goose goslings. You have to admit the goslings are really cute at this stage!
It seemed like someone opened the gates and released the ibises. They have been seen recently in many units around the Wildlife Drive, the Sandhill Crane Unit and Guy’s Marsh in Northern Montezuma. People have been seeing one to three of them at a time. We had an exciting challenge trying to keep track of them. We were watching one in an area east of the eagle sculpture when a bald eagle flew over flushing it. We were trying to keep it in sight as it flew around. All of a sudden there were two ibises flying around! We had no idea where the second one came from. After a while they finally came down near the Wildlife Drive, closer to the eagle sculpture. We slowly drove up to the area, carefully searching the water and vegetation but couldn’t see them. We went up to the observation deck by the sculpture and looked back hoping to get a glimpse of them from another direction. No luck! It was like they evaporated into thin air; those rascals!! We finished surveying the Main Pool and went over to May’s Point to survey. Pete made a wonderful discovery at the May’s Point bald eagle nest. He saw two eaglets!
We had one more unit to survey, the Visitors’ Center Wetland. As we were approaching the VC observation deck we saw a dark bird fly into the north end. It was an ibis!! While we were watching it and showing it to several visitors, two sandhill cranes were walking along the dike behind it!! Holy cow!! Those species were life birds for some VERY happy visitors.
I’m including pictures of one eaglet in the May’s Point nest, some dunlin in Seneca Flats, a cute muskrat enjoying a snack, and the robin’s nest on a step of the Tschache Pool tower. There is also the beginning of a nest on a step of the Seneca Trail Tower. Those are two high human traffic areas on the Refuge. I don’t know what is up with those birds!!
The weather is predicted to be a bit warmer with some sun. I hope you can get out to experience the Wetland Complex trails, towers and/or the Wildlife Drive!
ENJOY, be respectful and safe.
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