For the first time since last week's storms, I returned to Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area this morning. There I found significant tree damage from the high winds and extensive flooding across the Missouri River floodplain which damaged most of the crop fields. Fortunately, the graveled roadways remained intact.
While the strong storms and torrential rain disrupted human activity, wild residents of the refuge were unfazed and, in some ways, benefitted from the severe weather. Great blue herons and great egrets were especially active and abundant, foraging in the shallows, roosting in trees or cruising above the soggy landscape. On the other hand, waterfowl were limited, represented only by a small number of Canada geese, mallards and wood ducks, and raptors were absent altogether. Sightings of note included a large number of killdeer and indigo buntings, a few lark sparrows and a lone blue grosbeak.
Experiences such as mine this morning remind us that we are at the mercy of natural forces. Nature sculpts the landscapes and sustains the ecosystems on which we depend; offering fertile floodplain soil for our crops, she might also destroy our efforts with impunity.
