Posted by Kathy Walters on July 27, 2002 at 18:34:54:
I took a walk down the east side of the marsh trail south from the parking lot. In the cypress on the North of C-8 I saw 2 Snail Kites, one male, one female. They remained from 6:40am until 7:30. Also saw 6 black-and-white warblers, one blue-gray gnatcatcher, heard one catbird, and saw two family groups of Great-crested flycatchers--one in the trees across the canal from east C-8, and one in the Visitor Center parking lot in the trees in the center of the butterfly garden.
Also of note, there are hundreds of wading birds flying to the east out of the interior just after 6:30am.
C-6 had lots of 1st year tricolored herons, great egrets, all phases of little blue herons, great blue herons, and a few snowy egrets.
.C-6 is the Impoundment bordered by Lee Road on the North, the administration building on the west, the road to the Marsh Trail on the East and the Marsh trail on the South. C-6 will be pumped down in the next 2 weeks to inspect and repair the culvert under Lee Rd. It is anticipated that the shallow water will attract lots of birds. I'll keep you posted.
Loxahatchee NWR is west of 441 on Lee Road. Take I-95 to Linton Blvd in Delray Beach (taking this exit allows you to avoid most of the construction on I-95 to the north). Go west to Jog Road and turn right. Go to Atlantic Blvd and turn left (west). Go west to 441 and turn right. Watch for the brown refuge sign at Lee Rd. directing you left into the refuge. There is a $5 fee to enter the refuge unless you have a duck stamp or a pass. The marsh trail parking lot is past the entrance on the left. Look for the sign. The impoundments are numbered consecutively, starting with C-6 at Lee Road, C-7 at the entrance to the marsh trail and then C-8 further south.
Kathy