We started our survey out on the Wildlife Drive with a beautiful rainbow arcing over the Main Pool that stayed visible for over an hour, thanks to the intermittent showers and sun! Lovely way to start the day, for sure! The water in the Main Pool is filling in nicely so we had a good mix of waterfowl and a few shorebirds all the way up to the spillway. Closer to the spillway we found the large plovers again.  At last, I was able to confirm both black-bellied and American golden!! Woohoo!

Tschache Pool is getting more water and is supporting more waterfowl as well.  On Monday morning from the tower, I could see over 100 great egrets in the unit.  AWESOME!!  Yesterday, there was only a handful visible from the tower.  RATS!!  However, when we rounded the point we found oodles of egrets and great blues!! Unfortunately, they were out of sight for visitors. But remember, you know they move around, so keep an eye out for them!

Knox-Marsellus Marsh has been on the “rare bird alerts” for almost a week now due to the Hudsonian godwits that have been hanging out there. After a couple of attempts, last Friday and Monday morning with no luck, I saw them yesterday.  YAY!!  Those rascals were behind a veil of dead vegetation and sometimes blocked by a Canada goose and it took what seemed like an eternity for them to move into a position so I could see them and their bills more clearly to make a positive identification.  They did just in time, because suddenly something flushed everything but the geese. But I did get to see the bold black and white on their tails as they flew out of sight!!

Yesterday, Knox-Marsellus had our highest sandhill crane count of the season – 52!!  That’s awesome, yet it is a sign of autumn advancing toward winter as those numbers increase.

On Monday October 3, I am going to give a presentation, “Bald Eagles of Montezuma”, around 1:00 PM in the Visitors’ Center.  It will run about 45 minutes and you are welcome to attend.  If you plan on coming, please respond in the comments here so I can have enough chairs set up for all.  Thank you!

Hopefully, you can get out soon to explore the REALLY COOL stuff at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex trails, towers and the Refuge Wildlife Drive.  On the Refuge, dogs on a leash are only allowed in and around the Refuge Visitors’ Center and on the Seneca Trail.

ENJOY, be respectful and safe.