This week marks the Vernal Equinox, the official start of Spring.

We are three weeks away from the Vernal Equinox, but Spring is already underway at the refuge.

The current duck population levels at the refuge are probably as high as they are going to get.

This winter, St. Marks NWR does not have the duck numbers that we have come to expect.

It is November at St. Marks NWR. Change is in the air.

 Fall migration is well underway. Bird diversity and numbers are increasing at St. Marks. You should plan a trip down here.

As I came into the refuge late this morning, the two adult flamingos on Stony Bayou 1 were in close proximity and the two juvies on that pool were off on their own.

 The duck season at the refuge starts out slow and you still have plenty of time to come down and get in on it. Who knows? Maybe you will find a rare duck.

 If you must endure August, you might as well come down to the refuge.  Don’t worry, August never lasts more than a month.

St. Marks songbirds are through with nesting and are going through their post-breeding molt and fattening up for migration.

I like Black Bears, but I also respect their strength. This bear had also stopped and was facing away from me.

Many of the shorebirds are in breeding plumage, making ID a bit easier for those who find shorebirds frustrating.

Spread your wings, break free and fly down to St. Marks. There’s still time to get in on shorebird migration this year.

Two billion birds cross the Gulf each year on Spring migration. Five million of these migrants flew over St. Marks this April.

Cyndi and I birded from 1000 - 1400 today and tallied 73 species. 

Spring Migration starts slowly, but 360,000 birds have already migrated across the refuge this month.

Water levels are high in the pools, so shorebird habitat along lighthouse road is scarce, with only a few longer legged species in lighthouse pool.

It’s still winter, but Spring is stealthily and steadily sneaking in.

Even with duck numbers beginning to drop, they are still showing high species diversity in what has been a good duck winter.

There’s a lot happening at the refuge, right now.

A hybrid Aytha duck with characteristics of both a Canvasback and a Redhead was observed at the lighthouse pool.

Cyndi and I observed a variety of species, including several species of waterfowl, at various locations around the refuge.

Fall migration has ended for another year. It’s time you came down to the refuge for some good winter birds.

Plenty of Common Loons and a few Horned Grebes in the bay