Arriving at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area, in the Missouri River Valley, on this warm, sunny morning, I noticed that the annual signs are up, advising visitors that the southern half of the refuge will be closed from October 15 to March 1 to provide undisturbed wintering habitat for waterfowl. At the same time, I found that this floodplain refuge is drier than I have ever seen it; I suspect the migrating geese and ducks will take note as well.
I did observe 6 northern shovelers and 6 pied-billed grebes on my 7-mile tour, hardly the throngs that one might expect in mid October. Indeed, turkey vultures and red-winged blackbirds dominated the scene, not exactly members of the waterfowl clan; a lone, immature bald eagle was feeding on carrion in a dry crop field and a sharp-shinned hawk strafed the floodplain, likely hoping to pick off a blackbird.
Per reports that I have received, the dry landscape is intentional, necessary for the health of native wetland plants. No doubt that is true but the waterfowl will, for now, go elsewhere. Maybe next year.
