Good news for those who have been inquiring about the tall vegetation along the Wildlife Drive. A pass has been mowed on each side of the Drive!!  Woohoo!!  However, in some places the cattails are REALLY tall and can block the view. But I understand that would involve a different piece of equipment that the Refuge does not possess. So, if you have a huge pile of cash sitting around, gathering dust and would like to purchase said equipment, let me know and I will get you in touch with the folks who could help you make that happen! The silver lining is that, despite the extremely dry conditions, the cattails are thriving!!

There is going to be a series of guided shorebird walks at Knox-Marsellus Marsh. Participants must be pre-registered to join and go down on the dikes. There is a limit of 25 participants per walk. Folks may register using Andrea’s work phone (315)237-9862. They should leave a message with their name, phone number and first and second choice of walks. There are still openings for this Saturday, August 20 and on September 3. Speaking of shorebirds, there were some, mostly in the southern part of the Visitors’ Center Wetland and in Knox-Marsellus Marsh. When we first got down on the cross dike at Knox, I could see a flock of about 50 shorebirds, mostly peeps, flying around and around over on the north side of the unit. However, when we got closer, I only saw a small flock and they were being pursued by a peregrine falcon!! They flew northward over the dike and we didn’t see them again. RATS!!

I’m including a picture of a belted kingfisher that was perched on top of the water gauge at Seneca Flats!! It kept looking down into the water and there were also three pied-billed grebes in that area. So, I think it must be a good place to fish, if you are a bird! I also got a picture of the osprey family nesting at the west end of Towpath Road.  I didn’t realize there were two young ospreys in the nest until I checked out my photos!! COOL!!  The other osprey photo is of that same nest. I just thought it was funny that the power company put up a lovely saucer for the parents to use for a nest but they opted for something else!  The trumpeter swans with two cygnets were in Puddler Marsh.  The whole family was really quite shy and seemed very leery of our presence on the dike. Sorry guys!!  The other trumpeter swan picture was taken from the Wildlife Drive, up near the spillway.  The black crowned night herons were in trees along Knox and Puddler Marshes.  Maybe this weekend’s guided walk participants will get a glimpse of them.  Knox had a mama wood duck with some fairly young ducklings and a young barn swallow was taking a bit of a rest on a phragmite seed head.

The weather forecast shows a couple of pleasant days ahead so 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. The Wildlife Drive is no longer open to hikers and cyclists.  It’s just cars until May 25, 2023.  Dogs on a leash are only allowed in and around the Visitors’ Center and on the Seneca Trail.

ENJOY, be respectful and safe.