Message from the Board

The Annual Birds, Bugle and Brunch event was awesome.  It was enjoyed by the Friends of Camas members, Idaho Falls Zoo families and many supporters of the National Refuges.  There we many traditional activities and several new ones. The IF Zoo sponsored pollinator games, the NRCS helped kids make and launch wildflower seed balls and there were new magnifying viewers purchased with the CHC Grant at the invertebrate table.  The FoC Board wants to extend a special thank you to all the volunteers who made this even so successful.

Refuge Manager's Notes

September 16, 2019

So far the weather in September has stayed reasonably warm in the area and I do not believe we have seen a frost yet on the Refuge.  Many signs of fall in the air with the harvest season kicking in and many of the waterfowl species taking advantage of the food source.  Flocks of geese and ducks can be seen and heard lifting off the Refuge in the mornings to go feed in harvested grain fields.

Signs of fall migration getting stronger as we have seen shorebirds pushing through the area in the last month and songbirds being seen at the Refuge in the trees.  Sandhill cranes are starting to stage as numbers have definitely increased in the last week.  Good numbers of waterfowl can be viewed especially in the evening hours as these birds are night roosting on Refuge wetlands. 

Despite the warm and mostly dry conditions on the Refuge we are still holding water in many of our wetlands.  Big Pond, Redhead, Toomey, and Two-Way Ponds all still have good water with a variety of waterbirds using them.

As far as big game animals, white-tailed deer can be seen (especially does with fawns) around the auto-tour route and near the headquarters.  Elk started their fall ritual of bugling last week during the short-lived rain we had.  They still can be heard early in the morning and late in the evening, but if you do come out to listen, hurry because it usually does not last long.  Camas also has had some moose hanging around the Refuge for a good part of the summer.  There is one cow with two calves and a cow with a single calf.  One has been spending quite a bit of time around the headquarters area but has not been consistently seen at given times or locations.

Brian Wehausen, Refuge Manager