Autumn is in the air!! Our waterfowl numbers are increasing, leaves are changing colors and our temperatures have been dropping!! The sandhill cranes appear to be gathering (staging) in the usual areas. On Monday morning I saw about 100 down in Knox-Marsellus Marsh. Yesterday, we found about that many in Avery, a grassland area between East Road and Knox-Marsellus Marsh. Our pair of sandhill cranes continues to appear and feed in the Visitors’ Center Wetland almost daily. The sandhill crane family was across the Wildlife Drive from Eaton Marsh on Monday morning. The Southern end of the Visitors’ Center Wetland is the “HotSpot” for our later migrating shorebirds. Pete found 8 different species there yesterday! The past 2 days bald eagles have been messing with the birds in the VC Wetland. They would do a low fly-by that sent the ducks, geese and gulls scrambling. That didn’t seem to bother the shorebirds though, they mostly just kept on eating!
While we were at May’s Point yesterday, we found what appeared to be a new bald eagle nest, most likely built by the May’s Point eagle pair. It is across the river from the current nest. Only time will tell if that is the nest they will use next season. I will keep you posted!!
Pete is doing a guided nature walk again at 11:00AM this Saturday on the Seneca Trail at the Refuge. This is from the flier:
Have you ever wondered . . .
- The days are shortening, and the Sun’s strength is waning. Who’s to blame, Sun or Earth?
- Are there REALLY dinosaurs on the Refuge?
- What are the TRUE color of the leaves?
- Has Nature ALREADY given us the first signs of next spring?
- Can certain insects REALLY create their own “sleeping bags” for the winter?
- Is it the cold temperatures or fear of starvation that drives migratory birds southward and woodchucks into their burrows?
- How do parent plants ensure their offspring will have room to grow far away from them?
- 78% of our atmosphere is Nitrogen. As human beings we desperately need this substance to help make proteins and the building blocks of our DNA. Although we do breathe it in with every breath, we can’t access it this way. What very common and humble organisms do the job for us?
He is prepared to answer all these questions and more! Hope you can make it!
Just a reminder that the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex is having their annual meeting on Saturday, October 21 from 2PM to 4PM at the Montezuma Audubon Center, 2295 NY Rte. 89, Savannah, NY. If you are not a member yet, come along, meet some members, ask questions and join if you want to support the Wetlands Complex.
Hopefully, you can get out to explore and experience the Autumn grandeur and the awesome, magical migration at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex trails, towers and the Refuge Wildlife Drive.
Pic #1: sandhill cranes Avery, #2: sandhill cranes Avery, #3: juvenile pied-billed grebes Main Pool, #4: juvenile pied-billed grebes in vegetation Main Pool, #5: bald eagle in spillway tree Wildlife Drive, #6: wind-blown bald eagle in spillway tree Wildlife Drive (Monday was VERY windy), #7: bald eagle in spillway tree Wildlife Drive, #8: bald eagle pair May’s Point, #9: bald eagle near new nest May’s Point.
ENJOY, be respectful and safe.
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