We decided to try something different for yesterday’s surveys.  Instead of doing the same units over and over, we surveyed the areas around the Wildlife Drive then walked the South Spring Pool Trail.  We will mix it up and survey other areas next Tuesday. We started on the Seneca Trail Tower and you will note that we kept those sightings separate from the Wildlife Drive sightings. There was a large number of mallards down in the marsh and a small flock of green-winged teal flew in behind a flock of about 40 mixed shorebirds.  None of them appeared to be dunlin and all seemed to be peep size.

We did not see the crane family, but in the back, eastern part of Larue’s Lagoon, we watched three white-tailed deer interacting with each other and with some Canada geese. The hooded mergansers were seen west of the Seneca Spillway out in the Main Pool and all appeared to be females.  We didn’t see any ducklings with them. We found a green heron in the pool at the north end Eaton Marsh.  Just around the left curve, past Eaton Marsh, there is a channel on the left before you get to Benning Marsh. There was a small flock of wood ducks in that channel.  A couple of them appeared to be young ones.  Their feathers looked a little downy to me.

We noticed around the Wildlife Drive that some common milkweed is just getting blossom buds while some others are starting to open up. If you get an opportunity to get close without going off the trail, they have a WONDERFUL, sweet aroma. Be careful, watch for pollinators!!  Also, while traveling on the Complex driveways and Wildlife Drive be alert for turtles on or crossing the drives.  It is best to stay back and let them cross on their own, especially if it is a snapping turtle.  Please, never pick up a turtle by its tail.  You can cause great harm to it if handled that way.  If you feel you must move a painted turtle, make sure you put it across the drive in the direction it was travelling.  If you are not sure the direction, leave it!

If you check out birdlist page 2, you will see that we identified 26 songbirds either by seeing or hearing them. We did confirm some calls using the Merlin App. The South Spring Pool Trail is a mowed grass trail going from Route 89 near Lay Road to the Ridge Trail in the Esker Brook Trails. We also encountered frogs jumping across the trail, damselflies, dragonflies throughout and a lovely tiger swallowtail.  It is an easy hike that is mostly level.  There is a steeper slope as you approach the Esker Brook Trails. There is a bench up on the esker just before you reach the Ridge Trail and there is one very near Route 89. At the end of our hike, we got our lunches from the vehicle and sat on the bench which is part of a deck near the beginning of the trail.  As we sat there, we kept hearing a green frog close by, saw and heard a belted kingfisher fishing, had a ruby-throated hummingbird whiz by and perch on a limb over the water, watched an eastern kingbird fly by and then perch on a limb near us and a couple of common grackles flitting around in the shrubs out in the water.  We could see minnows and polliwogs in the water from the deck. It was a relaxing and beautiful way to enjoy lunch!!  It was breezy and we didn’t have many bugs to contend with, but I would suggest you have insect repellent with you if hiking there, just in case.

Hopefully, you can get out soon to explore the Montezuma Wetlands Complex trails, towers and the Refuge Wildlife Drive.  Remember, the Refuge Wildlife Drive is now 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.