Bird Walk Will Take Place Saturday

Since the first Monday this month, January 2007, is a holiday, we are switching to Saturday, January 6 for our monthly Bird Walk.

This is a one-time change and we will be back to Mondays next month, February 5, 2007.

Although our first walk this fall had few birds, they were interesting ones. A Red-shouldered Hawk was our first "hearing," although eventually we did see the bird soaring over the swamp. We had walked down the River Trail, which goes through Cypress Swamp and was quite dry and quiet.

When walking through this trail, one feels as if one were walking through the Forest Primeval. The trail leads to a boardwalk that ends at a lookout over the river. By scanning the river, soon we found a Pied-billed Grebe, a Coot and some Cormorants, while behind us a flock of smaller birds landed in the top of a leafless tree. They were Robins. Up north they are the harbinger of Spring; here they bring our Fall weather.

To go on the Bird Walk, meet at 9 a.m. on Saturday, January 6 at the Refuge Headquarters. For directions or more information, call Joan Stephens at 352-463-1095.