Waterfowl by the millions at Loess Bluffs NWR
PHOTOS BY GARRY BRANDENBURG — Snow geese by the millions is not an exaggeration. At the National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City, Mo., in the far northwest part of the Show-Me State, is a 3,400 plus acre unique wildlife area with shallow flooded water pools. This stopover point seems to a be a Missouri River landmark and funnel that attracts hundreds of thousands of water birds, mostly snow geese, and a huge assortment of all other types of waterfowl at this time of year. The count by refuge officials mid February pegged the estimate of snow geese at 1,234,017! Today's image of snow geese is a tiny sampling of what one may view if they wereto travel to the Loess Bluffs refuge. My image is a good representative I made at Hendrickson Marsh on Feb 21, 2017. It is entirely possible for other migrating snow goose flocks to venture through central Iowa now through the month of March. Along with lots of geese will be a wide assortment of ducks, like these Shovelers feeding and resting along the shoreline of Hendrickson Marsh. This weekend, Saturday evening, the 24th, is the local Ducks Unlimited fundraising banquet. Tickets may be purchased at the door of Midnight Garden, 1501 S. 17th Ave., Marshalltown. Your financial help for waterfowl and wetland conservation will be much appreciated.
A waterfowl migration spectacle is underway right now along the Missouri River bottomlands and wetlands of northwest Missouri. One of the best places is called Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge.
This scribe has traveled there several times, not every year, but at any time I have been there I made sure to have a full charge on my 35 mm camera batteries. Photo opportunities were outstanding and overwhelming. So many geese, and no way to capture the true breadth of this natural phenomenon. It is still fun to try.
And there were lots of eagles. And there were lots of species of hawks. And there were lots of species of ducks, although in much lower numbers than the geese.
And the sound of hundreds of thousands of airborne snow geese undulating across the landscape as they jumped up into flight and then quickly resettle onto the water somewhere else. The geese already on the water appear to leave no open space for flying geese to find an opening to slip into. However the geese do their thing, it works for them.
My past experiences of being at the NWR were fun, exciting and memorable, as I contemplated this microcosm of natural history, another huge spring waterfowl concentration as they wing their way northward. It is also easy now with computer access to observe the snow geese at Loess Bluffs NWR from the comfort of your home.
Just type into your search title these words: Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge Monthly Habitat Report. You will get a listing of current numbers of all waterfowl species, and an eagle count, to review, and there will be videos you can watch of what happened this week.
I did watch several videos this week of snow geese flights, with their goose voices honking vociferously. One word of caution — watching the geese on video is good — but never as good as being there in person to see and hear it for yourself.
So my words of wisdom for avid bird watchers, wildlife enthusiasts in general, and photographers, are these. Do yourself and your family a big favor and plan a road trip to northwest Missouri just to see spectacular huge flocks of snow geese. You will be amazed.
This week at Loess Bluffs NWR, habitat conditions were rated good with no frozen over wetlands. All the water was open. Greater White-fronted Geese were tallied at about 2,300. Snow geese dominated with 1,234,017.
Ross’s geese are a smaller all white goose, different from snow geese, and they numbered 34,500. Canada Geese were present in smaller numbers of about 655.
Trumpeter Swans at the refuge were over 2,000 and three Tundra Swans were in the mix. One has to look very carefully for the small yellow beak line on otherwise all black beaks to tell the difference between species of swans.
Ducks are yet to reach full concentrations however Gadwall numbers were pegged at 355, and of course mallards at over 26,000. Pintail duck counts showed over 8,000 and Green winged-teal at about 3,000. Ring-necked ducks noted by observers at 446 followed by Common Goldeneye at 437.
Much smaller bird species are beginning to filter into the refuge. Examples include all the woodpecker species, bluejays, crows, nuthatches, Carolina wrens, American robins, Goldfinches, American Tree Sparrows, Song and Swamp sparrows, Red-winged blackbirds, Common grackles and others. There is something for everyone at Loess Bluffs.
Be sure to also stop at the visitor center to sign the guest book, review items for sale, and observe special wildlife mounts in display cases for close up looks at Missouri River wildlife.
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Ducks Unlimited’s annual fundraising banquet is this Saturday evening. The local chapter of DU, Iowa River Chapter, is the host.
Their banquet site is a new location, namely Midnight Garden at 1501 S. 17th Ave. in Marshalltown. Doors open at 5 p.m. for viewing of sales items, to participate in games, and purchase tickets for raffle prizes.
Among the prizes will be a nice assortment of long guns favored by waterfowlers and of course, a few excellent wildlife art prints depicting outdoor wildlife adventures and memories. A general admission ticket at the door will cost $75. Other ticket options for a spouse or youth (under 18) will also be available.
Ducks Unlimited in the United States, Canada and Mexico has a long list of projects and wetland enhancement work to its credit. In Iowa specifically, numerous project assistance is ongoing to make wetland habitats and upland nesting habitats get needed improvement.
Your participation in this DU event will help wetland conservation. This scribe urges you to help in any way you can. Attending the DU banquet is a good start. Thank you.
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Bald eagles are busy on nests. I have mentioned this in past stories. This week, the Decorah eagle pair celebrated laying egg number two.
Nearby nest camera video captured the event and made those images available to bald eagle viewers across the globe. People on every continent are watching Iowa’s bald eagle pair do their thing — again — in 2024 as they work to procreate their species.
Life goes on. Mother Nature allows us to observe and learn, enjoy and share another wonder of wildlife.
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Wildlife wonders focusing on a mammal this time, the pervasive White-tailed Deer, will be the main attraction at the 2024 Iowa Deer Classic Show. This event takes place next weekend, March 1, 2 and 3 in Des Moines at Hy-Vee Hall and nearby complexes. Over 700 vendors will have their products or services to share, sell, or advise.
Seminars to learn more will be held. Displays of past Hall of Fame deer will be shown. A special shed antler display is always a hit, and a new crop of deer antlers in the big buck contest will be on view.
The big buck contest brings in all kinds of entries, big and small, and a few unique shapes to antler growths to marvel at. Winners in the big buck contest will receive a walnut engraved plaque to display along with their deer mount. Winners of the big buck contest will be announced at about 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
Going on the same weekend as the Deer Classic, will be the NASP archery shoot state tournament. What is that? NASP stands for National Archery in the Schools Program, and it is popular nationwide.
For Iowa schools that use archery as one component of their physical education class offerings, it becomes a sports outlet for any student. This sporting activity allows any or all students to be participants and not be just benchwarmers.
The NASP has grown in Iowa from zero in 2006 to over 4,600 now in 2024.
“Students of all physical and athletic abilities can take part and succeed,” says Zach Benttine, archery coordinator for the Iowa DNR. “Archery is safe, personally rewarding and it teaches life lessons of patience, persistence, and friendly competition.”
The tournament features bullseye targets in the Jacobson Center, where 100 archers can shoot at any one time. The 3D target site will be inside the 4-H building where 30 targets will allow up to 60 shooters at a time.
This NASP archery event will hand out some well earned college scholarships based on the scores the archers submit. A total of more than $20,000 will be awarded. An additional $10,000 will go to archers based on academics, essays and other established criteria.
Winning archery teams may make their schools eligible for additional archery related equipment valued at about $18,000. Scholarships are made available by several conservation organizations including Pheasants/Quail Forever, Whitetails Unlimited, Iowa Bowhunters Association, Safari Club International, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Haney Family Foundation, Chuck Hallier Memorial and the NASP itself.
Public visitors can get tickets on site for $5 for folks over age 18. Ages 17 and under are free. All students and coaches at the NASP tournament also get a bonus free admission to the Deer Classic Show by exhibiting their NASP wristband.
This archery tournament will take place at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, specifically the Richard O. Jacobson Exhibition Center and the 4-H Building. Go and watch young archers hit the ten ring with their arrows time after time.
Smiles on their faces means they worked hard to earn their spot on a school team. Good luck to all the young archers.
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A quote to contemplate: “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”
— Babe Ruth
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Garry Brandenburg is the retired director of the Marshall County Conservation Board. He is a graduate of Iowa State University with a BS degree in Fish & Wildlife Biology.
Contact him at:
P.O. Box 96
Albion, IA 50005
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- PHOTOS BY GARRY BRANDENBURG — Snow geese by the millions is not an exaggeration. At the National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City, Mo., in the far northwest part of the Show-Me State, is a 3,400 plus acre unique wildlife area with shallow flooded water pools. This stopover point seems to a be a Missouri River landmark and funnel that attracts hundreds of thousands of water birds, mostly snow geese, and a huge assortment of all other types of waterfowl at this time of year. The count by refuge officials mid February pegged the estimate of snow geese at 1,234,017! Today’s image of snow geese is a tiny sampling of what one may view if they wereto travel to the Loess Bluffs refuge. My image is a good representative I made at Hendrickson Marsh on Feb 21, 2017. It is entirely possible for other migrating snow goose flocks to venture through central Iowa now through the month of March. Along with lots of geese will be a wide assortment of ducks, like these Shovelers feeding and resting along the shoreline of Hendrickson Marsh. This weekend, Saturday evening, the 24th, is the local Ducks Unlimited fundraising banquet. Tickets may be purchased at the door of Midnight Garden, 1501 S. 17th Ave., Marshalltown. Your financial help for waterfowl and wetland conservation will be much appreciated.
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