We switched our survey from Friday to Thursday this week. Shorebirds are beginning to trickle into Seneca Flats (north end) and Benning Marsh (east end)!! Pied-billed “grebelets” stole the show in the Main Pool. In the area near the spillway they were closer to the Wildlife Drive and easier to see. On the Wildlife Drive across from Seneca Flats, we watched a common gallinule family emerge from the vegetation to get grit from the road! We surveyed the Sandhill Crane Unit from Van Dyne Spoor Road.  At the easternmost end, American “cootlets” stole the show.  Lovely swamp rose mallows are blooming in many areas now!! There are oodles of woodland sunflowers blooming as well.

 Ooops, I forgot the sound challenge last week. I noticed that the Merlin folks have changed the format some.  Now, “Sound ID” is the first option when you open the app.  However, you are going to go to the bottom of the screen and choose “Explore,” touch the search symbol and type in killdeer.  The first two choices are mostly what I hear. Killdeer nest at Montezuma and may even nest in or near your own backyard. ENJOY!!

 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: pied-billed grebe(lets) Main Pool, #2: pied-billed grebe(lets) Main Pool, #3: pied-billed grebe(let) a little older, less striping on head and neck Main Pool, #4 adult pied-billed grebe – Main Pool, #5: adult common gallinule – Wildlife Drive, #6: 2 adult common gallinules – Wildlife Drive, #7: common gallinule giving grit to chick – Wildlife Drive, #8: common gallinule family (7 chicks) – Wildlife Drive, #9: common gallinule family retreating back into the vegetation – Wildlife Drive, #10: young American coots Sandhill Crane Unit/VDS Road, #11: adult bald eagle in “spillway tree” Wildlife Drive, #12: Canada goose family Wildlife Drive, #13: great blue heron – Main Pool, #14 great egret – Main Pool, #15: wood ducks – Main Pool.

ENJOY, be respectful and safe.