What a change yesterday to have to wear a turtle neck, coat and gloves for our survey!! Holy cow!! But I was grateful to have them!! The temperatures were cold and the winds brisk. I know you’re thinking, “What’s she going to do when it snows and is REALLY cold?” Of course, you know I will be whining about that too!!
The Main Pool is filling up nicely. You can see way more water near the spillway since the repairs were completed. Now comes the wait as the water gradually fills over 750 acres of marsh. It will be interesting and fun to watch the changes over the next few weeks!! And the birds will notice and respond as well as more migrants arrive!!
Speaking of migrants, when we were surveying Tschache Pool, we saw many immature bald eagles yesterday. It is safe to say that many of those birds were migrating and using Montezuma as a bed and breakfast just like the ducks and geese. Unfortunately, most of them were back around the corner but there were several in the front area on the ground, in trees and flying around that we could see from the tower. The good news is that Tschache Pool has benefitted from the recent rains. I’m including a picture of some double crested cormorants that we encountered in an area that was totally dry a few weeks ago.
On the list, we put large plovers again in the Main Pool column. They were either black-bellied or American golden plovers. But again, distance and my inexperience to identify those rascals in non-breeding plumage prevents me from being more accurate. Sorry, but keep your eye out for them. They are fun to watch moving through the stubble!
The amazing tall plants with brilliant yellow flowers at the VC are Maximilian sunflowers. They are not only absolutely gorgeous but they are native to North America!! I took the picture from the north side of the VC deck. Check them out and see if you can find others around the Wildlife Drive.
I didn’t get many pictures yesterday so I am including some from last Tuesday’s survey. The killdeer were in the Main Pool, the pied-billed grebe and ruddy duck were in the Sandhill Crane Unit, the Canada geese were in Eaton Marsh. The last pic is of a mix of birds in Knox-Marsellus Marsh. There were shorebirds, ducks, geese and cranes!! Woohoo!!
Hopefully, you can get out soon to explore the REALLY COOL and BEAUTIFUL things at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex trails, towers and the Refuge Wildlife Drive. Dogs on a leash are only allowed in and around the Refuge Visitors’ Center and on the Seneca Trail.
ENJOY, be respectful and safe.
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