Lately, we have had an unusual collection of ducks in the Main Pool.  A male lesser scaup, a male redhead (we have, in past years, had females with ducklings; I found 1 mama w/ 1 duckling on June 5), two ring-necked ducks (there were two females with them a few weeks ago), a small flock of mostly male ruddy ducks and for the first time in quite a while, I found a male American wigeon! They usually can be seen with binoculars and are REALLY COOL to find there this time of year!! Wood ducks are mostly seen in the areas along I-90. The two eaglets were still in the nest east of Benning Marsh. Black terns, an endangered species in NYS, were seen in the Main Pool, from May’s Point Observation Deck and from Tschache Pool Tower.  Many visitors have been excited to come to Montezuma and get a “life bird” upon seeing one of our black terns!! May’s Point Observation Deck is a great place from which to see pied-billed grebe and common gallinule babies.  We should be seeing American coot babies there soon. The great blue heron babies are getting large and many are standing in the nests in the rookery.  Be sure to check out the new sign about bald eagles on the inside wall of the observation deck next to the eagle sculpture. It looks GREAT!! In many places along the Wildlife Drive, I noticed blooming spiderwort. There are not huge swaths of flowers and you will have to look for them, but they are lovely and worth the search!! If you want a sneak preview, there are some blooming in the wildflower garden at the Visitors’ Center. On the Seneca Trail, along the Seneca-Cayuga Canal, we found a blooming catalpa tree.  The exquisite white flowers reminded me of orchids.  Also on the Seneca Trail, we marked a stick with green tape, a little bit south of the floating dock. That stick marks the location to see both a cedar waxwing nest and an oriole nest! Stand near the stick with your back to the canal, find the tree covered with Virginia creeper and follow the trunk up to the leaves.  The oriole nest is on a limb that is towards the Seneca Trail.  The nest looks gray and a bit stringy. From the oriole nest look towards, 8 o’clock, for a dark clump where two limbs branch out. I will post the nest pictures again.  Have patience and good luck!!

  Remember that this week’s sound challenge is the willow flycatcher.  Open up your Merlin app, go to Explore Birds and put in willow flycatcher.  Choose the “sounds” tab. The first choice on the list has the characteristic “FITZ-bew” song.  I often hear it from the Seneca Trail and Tschache Pool Towers, many places along the Wildlife Drive and Van Dyne Spoor Road.  Good luck and have FUN!!

  It’s that time of year when turtles leave the marshes in search of a suitable place to lay and bury eggs before returning to their preferred locations. So, please continue to be alert for turtles on or near the Wildlife Drive, driveways and public roads. Please do not put yourself or others in danger trying to assist turtles. It is always much better to leave them alone and let them do what they do.  If you must assist a turtle, move it in the direction in which it was traveling. It is best to not handle snapping turtles and never pick one up by its tail.  That would most likely injure its spinal cord due to the heavy shell. Also, snapping turtles can deliver a nasty “bite.”

  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 new sign at observation deck near eagle sculpture, #2: spiderwort, #3: catalpa tree blossoms (Seneca Trail), #4: stick with tape (Seneca Trail), #5: Baltimore oriole nest (Seneca Trail), #6:  cedar waxwing nest (Seneca Trail), #7: great blue heron and red-winged blackbird (Eaton Marsh).

ENJOY, be respectful and safe.