We were fortunate to have Marsela, a summer intern, accompany us yesterday. We enjoyed her enthusiasm, help with recording and her young eyes! Having an extra set of eyes was a huge help! From the Seneca Trail Tower we found most of the mallards (thanks to an adult bald eagle flushing them), some shorebirds (difficult to see/identify due to great distance and vegetation) and the swallows in the tree. (swallows, not on list but a picture is included.) Other shorebirds were found in the slough just before Larue’s Lagoon. From our vantage point on the Wildlife Drive the birds were backlit and difficult to identify. Someone walking on the Seneca Trail would have a better look at them. This week short-billed dowitcher, solitary sandpiper and Wilson’s snipe were reported there. There were also some shorebirds in the Main Pool by the spillway. We did not see the sandhill crane family. Other crane chicks in the area are flying, so maybe our little one is more mobile now too. As we approached the spillway there were several pied-billed grebe families. They are a wonderful summer experience for us.
I’m including a picture of some Joe-Pye weed I found on the Seneca Trail. It is a native plant that is wonderful for pollinators, including Monarch butterflies, that blooms mid to late summer. I’m also including a picture of button bush that I found along the Wildlife Drive. It is a native plant whose blossoms provide nectar for pollinators, including hummingbirds. Its seeds provide food for waterfowl, shorebirds and songbirds. YAY, native plants!!! The other pictures are some swamp rose-mallow in Seneca Flats and a common gallinule in the Sandhill Crane Unit, seen from Van Dyne Spoor Road. Check out its toes!!
It is predicted to be REALLY HOT for the next few days, but 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, the Refuge Wildlife Drive is open to hikers and cyclists as well as cars. Dogs on a leash are only allowed in and around the Visitors’ Center and on the Seneca Trail.
ENJOY, be respectful and safe.
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