Squaw Creek NWR to be Dedicated as Important Shorebird Site

By James Ed. Ducey

Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge will be formally dedicated May 12th, as a shorebird site of regional importance within the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.

Nearby Mound city has proclaimed that it will also be "Shorebird Site of Regional Importance Day", "to recognize the outstanding accomplishments" of the refuge, said Mayor David Duncan.

The network is a voluntary, non-regulatory approach to protecting key habitats for shorebirds during all stages of their life cycle, and to maintaining healthy populations in the hemisphere. The site was designated in mid-January by the network.

The value of the managed wetlands in the Missouri River valley of northwest Missouri, is apparent in the large numbers of shorebirds being reported this season, through late April. Some high count, migratory shorebird numbers reported are:

Lesser Yellowlegs - 04/21/2007, 896 count

Pectoral Sandpiper - 04/21/2007, 848

Lesser Yellowlegs - 04/23/2007, 683

Two snowy plovers were reported on April 29th, the same Julian date as when seen in 2004. There were 120 American Golden-Plover on April 17th this season. Dowitchers and godwits are regularly reported on MOBirds-L, the bird group sponsored by the Audubon Society of Missouri.

"Squaw Creek has the best shorebird habitat it has had in the past five years," said Tommie Rogers, a refuge volunteer from Mound City. "Hundreds of shorebirds are in Mallard marsh, Snow Goose B, C, and D. Moist soil unit one is good. Unit 2 is good but cannot be seen from the road. Some shorebirds are using unit 4, 5W and 5E. Some use Eagle pool, where the water depth has been variable because of recent rain." Eagle pool is being drained this spring to enable construction of a new boardwalk by the Friends of Squaw Creek NWR.

A minimum of 60,000 shorebirds, 150,000 ducks, 250,000 geese and 250 bald eagles, typically occur each year at the refuge, according to information at the Network website. Thirty-eight species of shorebirds occur with lesser yellowlegs, pectoral sandpipers, least sandpipers and white-rumped sandpipers the most predominant.

There have been 235 species noted on the refuge in the last five years.

A variety of activities and events will be held on Saturday - the weekend of World Migratory Birdday - including:

• a. 8:00a.m. - 10:00 a.m. - mist netting and banding of shorebirds on the refuge
• b. 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - spotting scopes set up for visitors to see shorebirds on the refuge
• c. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - a wood carving demonstration in the headquarters building
• d. 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. - wildlife photography workshop in the Outdoor Classroom
• e. 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. - Brian Harrington, author of "The Flight of the Red Knot", Senior Staff Scientist from the Manomet Center, Massachusetts, and expert birder will give a program in the auditorium titled "Shorebird Migration Marathons - why the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Network?"
• f. 2:30 p.m. - Reading of the Mound City Proclamation and unveiling of the WHSRN sign in auditorium
• g. 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Guided marshland hayride bird tour
• h. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - The Missouri Junior Duck Stamp Artwork on display in the auditorium

All of the events are free and open to the public throughout the day. The auto tour route will be open from sunrise to sunset and the Office open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Squaw Creek NWR was established in 1935, and currently encompasses 3,002 hectares (7,415 acres). About 140,000 people visit each year. The Annual Eagles Day is a popular annual celebration held the first of December.

There are presently 66 hemispheric, international and regional shorebird sites of regional importance within the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network of North and South America, including 40 in the United States.

Website of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
Friends of Squaw Creek NWR