Birding - Montezuma 9/21/11

 Savannah-Spring Lake Road

Today the Montezuma Audubon Center (MAC) scheduled a birding tour. Photographer-naturalist Dave Spier was the leader for the event. Once again arrived at the MAC to discover that only Dave was present. We made the decision to take my car and drive toMontezuma NWR - Puddler Marsh.

Before entering the MAC drove over to Savannah-Spring Lake Road looking for the gentleman who usually walks there early in the morning. On July 19, 2011 took his picture. Stopped to capture the deer shown above and then I saw the fellow coming towards me. Gave him a copy of this photo.

Pulled in the turnaround across from Colvin Marsh. Walked down to the kayak launch area on Crusoe Creek.

No birds but took this early morning shots.

Dave and I took to the road and our first stop was at Muckrace Flats on Savannah Spring Lake Road.  A Greater Yellowlegs was very cooperative and got up close to us.

At the far end were a Killdeer, 3 peeps sp. and a Semipalmated Plover (a life bird for me).

From here we proceeded to N. Montezuma WMA-Railroad Road. Walking the center dike we met a young man, Michael, who doing a wetland plant survey. Michael was helpful in confronting that the 5 birds we flushed out were Black-crowned Night-Herons (a life bird for me).

This being a day for cooperative birds 2 Night-Herons landed in nearby trees.

 Juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron

Black-crowned Night-Heron

We drove to and then walk the east dike. During our hour visit to Railroad Road we saw 17 different species, including Blue-wing Teal, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, and a Bald Eagle.

Retracing our steps we headed for Towpath Road. At the end we pulled into Montezuma NWR-Puddler Marsh. Thanks to Dave toting his cameras and the scope we were able to view 3 Stilt Sandpipers (a life bird for me). During our 40 minute stay we saw 13 different species, including a Cooper's Hawk, a Black-bellied Plover, a Semipalmated Plover, Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs, and Ring-billed Gulls.

Making our way back to Rte. 89 we decided to take a quick look from the May's Point Pool observation deck. Glad we did. We saw 3 Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs landed to our right and then they were immediately attacked by a Peregrine Falcon (a life bird for me). During our 15 minute viewing we saw 9 different species, including Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egert, Turkey Vulture, Canada Geese and Ring-billed Gulls.

Another great day for drive around Montezuma and Savannah looking for birds.