While conducting the twice-weekly survey of the Montezuma Refuge Jackie Bakker, Linda Benedict and I are often privileged to witness some incredible natural events - a great blue heron in the process of gulping down an entire muskrat; a peregrine falcon knocking an immature black crown night heron out of the air; a huge flock of green winged teal engaged in a breathtaking starling-like murmuration; the raucous Spring arrival of a huge flock of greater yelowlegs; the early morning wonder of coming upon the overnight roost of a host of migrant monarch butterflies. Yesterday was no exception. In response to the dwindling amount of solar energy being received in the northern hemisphere, change is rapidly occurring. Two events yesterday confirmed this. As we drove along the Tschache Pool dike we were treated to the presence of 30+ bald eagles - of all ages - from this year's hatch on up to 4 year old birds and a few adults. The birds were perched in trees, on logs and stumps in the pool, flying along the dike or soaring overhead. The second episode occurred at Puddler Marsh. As we drove along the dike we witnessed 85 black-crowned night herons (young and old) leaving the trees along the dike where they commonly roost. We were stunned as the birds just kept coming out of those trees.....and coming and coming and coming! Noble Laureate, Bob Dylan, once sang that "the times they are a changing". While he wasn't talking about bird migration, his words can certainly be applied to these early September days as the planet's creatures prepare in myriad ways for the leaving of the light. I hope that in many ways you each can experience the bittersweet beauty inherent in this changing time of the year. Pete Sar
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