Montezuma NWR has some great areas for birds, but in some cases the birds are too distant to appreciate well, even with a scope, and the best potential viewing areas appear to be along dikes which are off-limits to the public. Many other refuges allow more public access, and now Montezuma NWR is taking a step in this direction. They are allowing field trips led by volunteer birders onto the dikes around Knox-Marsellus and Puddler Marshes this fall especially for viewing shorebirds. Steve Benedict, Linda Benedict, Kevin McGowan, and I have been chosen to lead these trips. There are plenty of birders and field trip leaders as good as or better than I, so I assume I was asked at least in part because I gave formal feedback to the management plan. I hope some of these better birders, as well as folks who want to learn or just enjoy a new birding vantage, will join me in this opportunity.
The first trip I have scheduled is for the late afternoon and early evening of this Sunday, 11 August. The formal meeting place is the visitor center at 5:30pm to accommodate people who sign up through the refuge but are unfamiliar with Knox-Marsellus. We will caravan directly to East Road, unless I hear of some amazing bird in between (other than the Red-headed Woodpeckers) that deserves a stop. I am also willing to meet people at the overlook on East Road around 5:50pm, which may be easier for birders who are already closer to the site. Please tell me and Andrea Van Beusichem, Visitor Services Manager at the refuge, who is copied on this email, that you would like to join this trip and where you intend to meet.
I'd like to know how many people we have and who is in the group, so we can judge the success of the program and get feedback. Once we leave the overlook I'd like to stay together to minimize any possible disturbance to birds and to maximize communication within our group about the birds. We'll walk down to the dike on the west side of Knox-Marsellus impoundment at the base of the hill below East Road and work our way south. I plan to stay out until the sun goes behind the hill, when shorebirds become harder to see and the Black-crowned Night-Herons come out, or about 8pm.
The walk will be easy, using a road where refuge staff drive. Once we get to the bottom of the hill, it's flat and even. The maximum distance, if we go all the way to Towpath Road and return via East Road, is about 2 miles. There are no puddles, and we won't be bushwhacking, just walking through grass which has been cut and driven over this season. There weren't many bugs when Kevin and I scouted there on Tuesday, but I can't guarantee that will be the case on Sunday. The vegetation is not too high to see through, at least for adults. Although we will be considerably closer to the birds than from East Road, many will still be far away, so please bring a scope and tripod if you have them, and be willing to share your scope and knowledge with others. This is not just a chance to see birds, but also to learn about them.
The plan is to concentrate on shorebirds. Kevin & I noted 13 species of shorebirds; 9 other species have been reported lately, 4 additional species can be expected during the season, and there are 3 more rarities which have shown up here in recent years. We also expect to see and appreciate herons, waterfowl, terns, swallows, and any other birds that come our way. With luck the rare American White Pelican and Marbled Godwit will still be there, or perhaps some other interesting or unusual birds will show up.
As the water is drawn down in Knox-Marsellus, which has already begun, the mudflats will extend farther east, and it will make sense to go out on the dike between Knox-Marsellus and Puddler. Looking west, it will be best to have morning light, so I hope to lead a future field trip in the morning, date TBA.
--Dave Nutter
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