Wetland Wildlife Rebounds After Drought at Museum of Life and Science

After weeks without rain, the wetland at the Museum of Life and Science nearly dried up, but a night of thunderstorms replenished the water, though levels remain below average as of July 8. Ranger Greg observed turtles swimming again and geese floating instead of trudging through mud. He had hoped for a complete dry-up to study animal adaptation and attract shorebirds like spotted sandpiper, solitary sandpiper, killdeer, and least sandpiper. Before the near-complete dry-up, a pair of hooded mergansers investigated a nest box; the female was last seen on May 9 peeking inside. A tree swallow nest in a box on the west side was more observable from the boardwalk, with birds mating, gathering nest material, and feeding young before fledging. Dragonflies, including male slaty skimmer and male great blue skimmer (the largest skimmer in the east), now patrol the habitat.