Phew, it was a hot one today!! The morning was sunny, very hot and breezy. We surveyed all but May’s Point and Tschache Pool before the storm came through. At one point it rained so hard that we had to stop and wait for a while until we could see well enough to continue. I decided to include my observations for Tschache and May’s from my survey yesterday morning (July 5) before I opened the Visitors’ Center.
The sandhill crane family was seen in Seneca Flats (pic of colt included). The two bald eagle eaglets were still in the Maple Island nest. I have seen one up higher in the tree and the younger sibling has been flapping its wings getting ready to take flight.
I’m including a picture of a buttonbush that I saw on the west side of the Wildlife Drive about halfway up to the spillway. Button bush is a native plant that is sometimes called common buttonbush, button-willow and honey-bells. It can grow up to 6-8 feet tall. It has beautiful round, white blossoms. It is an important food source for pollinators such as butterflies, moths and beetles.
At the east end of Van Dyne Spoor Road I watched an adult bald eagle flying around with 3 first year bald eagles in the vicinity of the nest. WOW, it was an awesome sight!! It appears there were 3 eaglets in that nest this year.
It may seem quiet at the Refuge but there are many great things to see and experience at Montezuma. Come visit and be sure to bring your binoculars!!
Jackie 🙂
Thanks Jackie. These are very helpful for VC volunteers. Last week when I drove to the east end of Van Dyne Spoor it appeared that a Kildeer was sitting on a nest in the dirt road about half way out along Sandhill Crane Unit. I could not pick out the eggs, but it appeared that she was protecting something. Hope no one drives over them.