After a brief closure due to flooding, Squaw Creek NWR reopened for wildbird watchers on May 17th.
“This wonderful, amazing refuge is open,” said Tommie Rogers, a refuge volunteer and resident of nearby Mound City. “The roads are dry and repaired. Water is draining quickly from most of the pools. As soon as the refuge reopened and Mallard Marsh had been drained, several hundred shorebirds stopped to feed.”
In the first bird report since flood conditions started on May 7th, a large variety of shorebirds were present in Mallard Marsh, including Short-billed Dowitchers and Lesser Yellowlegs.
Stilt Sandpipers, Dunlins, the Common Moorhen and Black Terns were also present, being reported by Peter Kondrashov. A group of birders visiting from Utah enjoyed a “pod” of warblers, including the Cape May Warbler.
Closure of the refuge occurred because of a 7” rainfall during an approximate 24 hour period on May 5-6.
“Flood waters are high in northwest Missouri, rising over some roads and flooding fields between Interstate-29 and the Missouri River,” Rogers first reported on MOBirds-L. “The roads on the refuge are badly damaged and washed out in places.” Refuge staff “anticipate them being closed at least a week, maybe longer. Squaw Creek has been overflowing, washing debris, soil, and overflowing all pools at the refuge.
“Hundreds of trees had accumulated at the bridge beside Mallard marsh. Flood waters washed them on past there.”
“I searched miles of flooded fields and mudflats looking for shorebirds after the initial 7 inches of rainfall while the refuge was closed,” Rogers said. “I found more than a hundred shorebirds in Atchison county where the Tarkio River overflowed its' banks creating mudflats among cropland debris. I didn't find any shorebirds in Holt County's flooded fields.”
Refuge staff dealt with several problems.
“Several river and creek levees broke north of the refuge causing water to flow into the north end of the Refuge,” said Ronald L. Bell, refuge manager. “Davis and Squaw Creek overtopped the banks within the Refuge. This brought in a large amount of sediment and trash into nearly every pool. The auto tour route was closed from May 6 until the 16th due to several washouts and loss of road gravel.
“There was significant damage along the Davis Creek portion of the auto tour route and at the north end of Pelican Pool. Three water control structures washed out including on Bluff Pool, Moist Soil Unit #4 and the North Woods. In addition, the Porter Creek Spillway (just west of the pump house) washed out and one section of the road through the north woods. There was some dike damage on Teal Pool.
“The Refuge was spared extensive damage since the 900 acre Eagle Pool and many of the smaller pools and moist soil units had been in draw down with very low water levels. If they would have been at full pool, there would have been a greater amount of damage. Chip Lehmer and Daryl Walker have done an outstanding job the past two weeks repairing damage and getting the auto tour route open.
High-water conditions meant blocked roads also prevented access to Big Lake and Rush Bottoms CA, with flooded fields locally present through May 15th.
After a few days, when access became available to the refuge headquarters, some birds could be observed on the marshlands to the west.
Flooding caused cancellation of the community event to recognize Squaw Creek NWR as a shorebird site of regional importance within the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. This event will be rescheduled.
Photo courtesy of Tommie Rogers.
“Since the refuge is a magnet for migrating birds, it provides much needed habitat for many bird species,” Rogers said. “The refuge hosts a higher variety of species than surrounding acreage within Holt County and other surrounding counties.”
No comments:
Post a Comment