We were going to start our survey a little later than usual so I could help with conducting inventory for the store but then it was still so foggy at 9:00 that we didn’t start until 10:00! Holy cow, it was DENSE!! There was a gentleman sitting in his car in the VC parking lot with the window down.  He said, “I can’t see them but I can hear them!” Way to go, great attitude!!

 Eventually, we started at Knox-Marsellus Marsh. There were dowitchers, yellowlegs and a pectoral sandpiper in the mix but no Hudsonian godwits for us!! RATS!! We both searched and searched and searched again after we surveyed Puddler Marsh, but did not see any.  Our sandhill crane count was up to 64!!  Woohoo!!  I looked it up and discovered that a group of cranes is called a sedge.  According to the International Crane Foundation, “A sedge is a grassy or marshy habitat that cranes frequent and thus came to be associated with a flock of cranes.”  COOL!  Also, there have been reports of cranes in some fields near Knox, so keep an eye out for them elsewhere!

 You will see on the list that Canada geese and ring-billed gulls are showing up in larger numbers. Puddle ducks are continuing to arrive, especially mallards and green-winged teal. Duck numbers and species should continue to increase as we go through October and the diver ducks start arriving!

  As we were returning along the eastern dike of Puddler Marsh we looked up a saw an osprey!! Fantastic find, as most ospreys have already left the area. Yesterday seemed to be the day of the turtle.  We found painted turtles just about everywhere. Most were up out of the water sunning themselves.

 I am including pictures of an immature black-crowned night heron, two young pied-billed grebes, and great egrets.

    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!  And thank you to those folks who have responded already!

  Also, I won’t be doing the next 3 surveys as I have been called to Grandma duty to help with some day care.  However, I will still be at the Visitors’ Center on Mondays and plan to post each bird list when I get it.

  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.