In response to folks wanting to grow the gorgeous wildflowers that were blooming around the Wetlands Complex last year, I looked into getting seeds. I wanted to have some of those beauties growing around my property too. Like so many things in life, I discovered that growing native plants from seeds is not an easy process! (HOLY COW, that is an understatement!) Mary Jo, another VC volunteer connected me with an amazing woman at the Mundy Wildflower Garden at Cornell University in Ithaca. She taught us so much about the process via some Zoom meetings and gave us a tour yesterday. I’m still working on making some of those native plants and seeds available for Friends’ members, volunteers and visitors. It is a work in progress. If I had a Harry Potter wand it might happen faster. Alas, I don’t have a magic wand, Harry Potter’s or otherwise. However, if all goes well, I hope to have seeds available this fall and some plants next spring. Keep your fingers crossed!!
On Tuesday, there were a couple hundred least sandpipers in the VC Wetland. We also found two spotted sandpipers in the Main Pool close to the Wildlife Drive. For years there has been a pair that hang out on the edge of the Main Pool usually within about 50 yards south of the Seneca Spillway. If you drive slowly close to the left edge of the Drive, many times one or both fly out over the water. They have a characteristic stiff wing beat. I often hear them before I see them! So, check the Merlin app and learn their call. Don’t play it out there, it is illegal to play bird calls on the Refuge. However, you can record calls and songs especially via the Merlin app to help you with identification.
The eaglets in the nest east of Benning Marsh are dark brown and getting HUGE!! Usually on Saturdays and Sundays we have roving naturalists out there with a scope for you to check them out! I’m including a picture of some of the heron nests from the Tschache Pool Tower. Most of the herons are standing!! I want to interpret that as the young have hatched!! Keep and eye on them!! I will! On Monday we saw what appeared to be a newly hatched brood of Canada geese in the VC Wetland. They were small, bright yellow and hanging out with mom on the nest. A short time later they were gone. I guess the parents felt all were ready to move on out to feed. Also on Monday, I came upon a Canada goose family who were in the middle of the Wildlife Drive. Mom and Dad were preening and resting and there was a little pile of goslings huddled together. I tried to VERY slowly drive around them but they let me know they were very unhappy with my presence and obvious interference!!
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. Currently, the Wildlife Drive is only open for vehicles, no hiking or biking yet. The Wildlife Drive opens for hiking and biking on May 25, 2023. Dogs on a leash are only allowed in and around the Visitors’ Center and on the Seneca Trail. Dogs on a leash are not allowed walking on the Wildlife Drive or Esker Brook Trails, ever. In the Northern Montezuma Wetlands Management Area (WMA), the DEC had new Wildlife Management Area land-use regulations pass in 2022. The regulations state that dogs must remain on a leash and under control of the owner at all times on any WMA property, with a few exceptions related to hunting. Also, folks must clean up after their pets. All of this information can be found here: https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/p51expressterms.pdf if you’d like to take a closer look. Fishing is not allowed in any of the Refuge impoundments, but fishing is allowed in the waters, canals, rivers and lakes, around the Refuge. Last year I checked with the DEC staff about fishing and was told that visitors may fish in the Northern Montezuma Wetlands Management Area (WMA). I asked about the ponds on Howland’s Island and other areas. My source said people can fish in them, but he doesn’t know why anyone would want to as they are not particularly good places to fish. He said that the rivers, streams, canals and lakes in and around the WMA are way better for fishing.
ENJOY, be respectful and safe.
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