If you’ve been reading this blog, you are well aware that I am involved in invasive weed control through the Friends of the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Today I saw some evidence that such programs have real benefits.
I was at Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge today to photograph. The staff at this refuge has been working hard to control reed canary grass and other invasives in the marsh with the hope that doing so would promote the growth of more plants that provide high quality forage for waterfowl. Well, it appears to be working, at least as far as Northern Pintails are concerned. There are I’d say at least 3000 pintails on the slough. When an eagle or something would scare them off the water the sky was filled with them and the rest of the time the marsh looks like a mirror where someone spilled pepper with all of the pintails resting. Pintail music fills the air and birders clog the road.
Unfortunately, I saw no Dusky Canada Geese today. If you don’t know this is the rare subspecies of Canada Goose that is one of the primary concerns on the refuge.
These photos aren’t from today, but if you want to take a look at the critter you’ve just been reading about, click here.