Linda B. and I had a wonderful walk on the South Spring Pool Trail yesterday. It was cool to start, yet quite pleasant.  It was a little “buggy” in a couple of places, but nothing a little insect repellent didn’t handle. Gray catbirds, common yellowthroats, song sparrows, northern cardinals, red-winged black birds and common grackles kept up almost constant singing and chatter for us. Sometimes it was difficult to hear and sort out other birds.  I was able to get a picture of a common yellowthroat that was up in a tree singing for all it was worth. It was probably molting but it sure looked like it was wearing a tutu, all set for a ballet performance!! We found some swamp milkweed near the trail.  It is a wonderful, native plant that is great for monarchs and other pollinators. When we were up on the esker part of the trail, we saw several of the lovely ebony jewelwing damselflies flitting along the trail.  We also found some cool moths that were identified by Carrick Palmer for me. He said they were Virginia ctenucha moths. Check out the antennae in the pic!!  Thanks, Carrick!!

  On Monday morning, I found the sandhill crane family in Seneca Flats right in front of some beautiful pickerelweed in bloom. However, I think it should be called pickerel flower.  The term weed doesn’t do it justice!! The good news is that we should be able to see those gorgeous blooms for several weeks in the units along the Wildlife Drive. In Eaton Marsh I got a picture of a male mallard in eclipse plumage.  He looks just like a female except for the color of his bill. There were several ospreys fishing over the Main Pool. Sometimes you can see as many as 5 or 6 at one time!!  I also saw baby coots, gallinules and pied-billed grebes from the Wildlife Drive. Unfortunately, they were pretty far out. I hope as they get older, they will venture closer to the Drive for more folks to enjoy.  May’s Point had all those babies too, as well as an osprey and black terns.  From Tschache Pool Tower, I found a trumpeter swan family on a muskrat mound.  The adults were preening so even after quite a wait, I only saw two cygnets. Holy cow, those birds have huge wings!!  Six cygnets were reported a week ago so there could have been more behind the adults. I hope there were more!! There were lots of great blue herons and still some young in the nests in the rookery.  I counted at least thirty black terns flying over the cattails!  Throughout the day on Monday, there was a flock of 10 sandhill cranes in the southern part of the Main Pool that could be seen from the upper observation deck at the Visitors’ Center.  There were also, Caspian terns, gulls and lots of ducks out there. I saw an adult bald eagle perched on a muskrat mound as well.

  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 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.