The Main Pool and Van Dyne Spoor Road were the “birdiest” yesterday.  Even though there were not huge numbers of birds there were still some incredible things to see.  We found two mama mallards with young ducklings (one in Eaton Marsh and the other from VDS Rd). We heard Virginia rails in three locations along VDS Road. Common milkweed blooms are becoming pods and swamp milkweed is blossoming! We found several locations with lovely yellow woodland sunflowers and purple cone flower blooming as well. Seneca Flats has copious amounts of gorgeous pickerel weed.  Keep in mind that not only are the flowers beautiful, they are easy to photograph because they don’t fly away!!

 On the Wildlife Drive south of the spillway there has been a large flock of Canada geese, ring-billed gulls and Caspian terns.  They stretch all the way across the Drive. When vehicles want to pass, they inch over toward the Main Pool and as soon as the vehicle goes by, they stretch back across the Drive!! It is comical to observe, however, their body language gives one the impression that they are not pleased with the imposition of having to move for traffic!! Just past the spillway Pete found a juvenile green heron, a bird with a lot of striping on its neck and down its breast. While I was trying to get a picture of it, an adult black-crowned night heron flew in near it.  I was able to snap one pic of the two herons – cool size comparison. On Monday morning I saw one of the first-year bald eagles in a tree east of Benning Marsh. But we didn’t see any yesterday. Also on Monday, I noticed that many great blue heron nests in the rookery were empty!! There was also a lot of herons down in the marshes at Tschache Pool and May’s Point, many were young birds. There were some great egrets with them as well. Many purple martins have fledged this week, there are so many martins hanging around the martin houses!! AWESOME!!

 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. 

 Pic #1: swamp milkweed, #2: woodland sunflower, #3: first-yr bald eagle, #4: Canada geese, ring-billed gulls, Caspian terns, #5: juv. green heron, #6: black-crowned night heron & juv. green heron, #7: great blue heron rookery @ Tschache Pool, #8: great blue heron rookery @Tschache Pool, #9: eastern cottontail at Tschache Pool parking area.

ENJOY, be respectful and safe.