IT REALLY WAS A ROSS’S GOOSE!! I got the Ebird rare bird alert yesterday morning and thought yeah, sure, I don’t think so!  Someone must be confusing it with a herring gull. (Trust me, people have confused stranger things!!) When we got back to the Visitors’ Center we were told by Sue, the volunteer, she had seen pictures. Even though I was still skeptical, Allyn and I went back out in search of this rare, cute, little white goose. On my third look through the hundreds of gulls, it did indeed fly right into my scope view!! HOLY COW!!  A Ross’s goose at the Visitors’ Center Wetland on October 3^rd!! Yes, I have pictures!!

Even though the work on the Visitors’ Center Wetland by Refuge staff didn’t go according to their plans, what they were able to accomplish has been totally accepted by our migrants as adequate habitat!! This week alone, we have had numerous Wilson’s snipes, long-billed dowitchers, both yellowlegs species, and pectoral sandpipers to name a few. All in addition to our visits by a Ross’s goose, a few hundred gulls, Canada geese, sandhill cranes and a variety of ducks.

If folks are concerned about the dry conditions at Know-Marsellus Marsh, it is a good reminder that Mother Nature plays a HUGE role in what our impoundments look like.  Two months ago, since staff set up a drawdown of water in that unit to create shorebird habitat, we have not had much rainfall. Even though most of the water that fills Knox-Marsellus Marsh comes from rainfall, the good news is that staff has now set up the conditions for some water to flow from Puddler Marsh and it is predicted we’ll get some much-needed rain this weekend.  Keep your fingers crossed!! The other good news is that we have plenty of adequate habitat for migrating waterfowl in other parts of the Refuge. We can accommodate many different migrants this fall!!

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: Ross’s goose VC Wetland, #2: Wilson’s snipe VC Wetland, #3: close-up Wilson’s snipe VC Wetland, #4: bald eagle Wildlife Drive, #5:  great blue heron Wildlife Drive, #6: great egret Main Pool, #7: sandhill crane yoga Seneca Flats.

ENJOY, be respectful and safe.