06/03/2026
"April Activity" post from Carlene:
Friends and Family,
The Spring influx of animals makes April one of the best times to visit the Refuge! Many birds are returning to the wetlands and the mammals are active and easier to spot.
On Windmill Pond a female Bufflehead duck was being followed by three males! I wonder who will get her attention and win this courtship? Buffleheads are North America's smallest diving ducks that hunt by sight and are among the fastest waterfowl, flying up to 50 mph. The name "Bufflehead" is derived from "buffalo-head,” for the male's odd puffy head shape. They have also been called “Butterballs” because they are very small, chubby ducks that store large fat reserves to fuel their long migrations and have a high-protein diet for energy.
Also on Windmill Pond was a Killdeer looking out over the water with its striking red eye ring around its dark brown eyes. It relies heavily on its excellent eyesight with a small area of directed binocular vision helping it to spot tiny insects, earthworms, and other invertebrates on the ground.
Walking down the Pine Lake Loop Trail, I heard rustling and up in a tree was an American Red Squirrel (also known as a Pine Squirrel) most likely munching on a seed of a conifer cone. Like humans, the Red Squirrels have a dominant paw! A left-handed squirrel will hold a pinecone differently than a right-handed one when stripping it for seeds! What I noticed most about this squirrel was the white circle around its black eyes, some white on the belly and its bushy tail with hints of red it. And look at those sharp and strongly curved claws! No wonder they can rapidly scale up and down thick tree trunks and navigate on thin branches. Interestingly, they have four digits on their front paws and five on their larger hind paws!
A pair of Cinnamon Teal ducks were on Middle Pine Lake. The male (drake) stood out with his bright cinnamon-red plumage and striking ruby-red eyes. In contrast, his female mate was camouflaged in mottled brown making her blend seamlessly into the surrounding reeds and marsh grasses, which will protect her and her nest from predators.
Many Marsh Wrens could be heard singing in the reeds as I walked along. This Wren held up its short tail almost vertically above its back to aid in balancing, displaying and communicating. Could this have been a territorial or courtship display?
Shortly after leaving Turnbull, I spotted maybe fifteen Elk grazing way back in a field! I pulled off the road and quickly began taking pictures of the herd since I knew they could run into the forest at any moment. Some of them glanced up at me a couple of times and then went back to grazing. They supposedly eat roughly 3 pounds of food for every 100 pounds of weight each day. That would mean a 700 pound bull eats over 20 pounds of grasses, shrubs, and bark daily!
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” John Muir
Have a great day!
Carlene
