Yesterday, Reuben Stoltzfus joined us once again for our survey at Tschache Pool.  We took advantage of his superior identification skills while he was scouting for a guided shorebird walk he plans to lead this Saturday, August 12.  If you are interested in joining, here is the link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/montezumas-guided-shorebird-walk-tickets-694164985157?aff=oddtdtcreator.  Many, many THANKS to the Refuge staff who have cut some “windows” in the vegetation to facilitate viewing. At Tschache we found many shorebirds, long-legged waders, gulls, terns, ducks, and raptors. As a matter of fact, as soon as we started up on the tower, there was a peregrine falcon raising havoc with the shorebirds!! Shortly after we got out on the service road, that peregrine spent several minutes trying to capture a belted kingfisher!!  WHAT A RUCKUS!! Repeatedly, the peregrine would fly upwards about 25 or 30 feet then dive in pursuit of the kingfisher!! It was amazing drama and I thought we were going to witness “murder at Montezuma” but somehow the kingfisher evaded the falcon. HOLY COW!! Right after the falcon gave up on the kingfisher, a merlin appeared and stirred up the shorebirds. WOW!! I guess every”birdy” must eat. The American avocet was still present as well as two juvenile Bonaparte’s gulls. As we rounded the first curve and were heading away from Route 89, dozens of great egrets flew in from the back part of Tschache.  I suspect a bald eagle had something to do with that!! When we got to the next curve, we flushed some of the relocated egrets and dozens of black crowned night herons came up out of the cattails. Anyone on the tower would have had an AMAZING view of all those birds!! They squawked and flew around for quite some time.

I noticed spotted jewelweed (or spotted touch-me-not) along the Wildlife Drive.  It is a type of impatiens, has orange and orange-red blossoms, and prefers wet areas. Eventually, the plant will produce pods that will burst open when touched. It is native to the Finger Lakes, NY State and North America! YAY!!

This week’s sound challenge is the Caspian tern.  Go to Merlin, select “Explore” at the bottom, touch the search icon and type in Caspian tern.  The third “calls” choice, is normally what I hear, alerting me to their presence.  The fourth choice is what I hear from the juveniles.  ENJOY!!

We may have an explanation for the flock of gulls and Caspian terns that are hanging around on the Wildlife Drive and are unwilling to move out of the way of vehicles.  It seems someone saw people in a vehicle throwing food to them!! It is ILLEGAL to feed wildlife on the Refuge! If you see this, please report it to Andrea at andrea_vanbeusichem@fws.gov. Thanks!

Pic #1: American avocet Tschache Pool, #2: American avocet & 2 Bonaparte’s gulls Tschache Pool, #3: American avocet & Bonaparte’s gull Tschache Pool, #4: Bonaparte’s gull Tschache Pool, #5: great egrets Tschache Pool, #6: great egrets in flight Tschache Pool, #7: young pied-billed grebe Main Pool, #8: pied-billed grebe family Main Pool, #9: pied-billed grebe adult and young grebe Main Pool, #10: spotted jewelweed Wildlife Drive, #11: adult bald eagle Wildlife Drive, #12: belted kingfisher from May’s Point Observation Deck, #13: row of Caspian terns on exposed log Tschache Pool, #14: double crested cormorant on stump Main Pool, #15: great blue heron on stump Main Pool, #16: green heron Seneca Flats (near water gauge post), #17: purple martins Visitors’ Center, #18: sandhill cranes Visitors’ Center Wetland, #19: what Tschache Pool looks like during a water drawdown, #20: white tailed doe Tschache Pool service road.

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 that the folks at the DEC reported sedge wrens at the Montezuma Audubon Center and near their Morgan Road office.

ENJOY, be respectful and safe.