My husband and I drove down to the refuge Sunday to see if the Yellow-rumped Warblers had moved on. We didn’t see any this time. There were some Yellow Warblers but not the Yellow-rumped Warblers still working the brush near the Deer Run Trail Observation Deck. We spotted one mature American Bald Eagle to the right, at the end of the marsh, partway up a snag pine tree. This photo is enlarged. You’ll need to use a good pair of binoculars, a scope or you can use one of the 2 permanent scopes mounted at the deck to see eagles in that tree. We have also spotted them at the opposite end of the marsh but the leafed-out trees make that spotting hard to see. We also see them flying overhead in that area.
We spot them in the same tree quite a number of times in the past. Also from the observation deck, looking straight across the marsh, we spotted a deer and a Great Blue Heron. It’s a beautiful place to spend some time and the trail is really nice. Drive to the coordinates (use the coordinates format below that your GPS unit uses) and park. The trail is a well maintained path to the red-roofed observation deck.
N 41.589170, W 079.976180 or
41.589170, -79.976180 or
+41° 35′ 21.01″, -79° 58′ 34.25″
If you drive to the headquarters, keep your eyes out for Cedar Waxwings that we spotted flying from tree to tree just outside the Headquarters door Sunday.
Coordinates at headquarters:
N 41.626104, W 079.960285 or
41.626104, -79.960285 or
+41° 37′ 33.97″, -79° 57′ 37.03″
On the way down the driveway from the headquarters, on our right, a Green Heron flew past us and landed on a dead tree branch on the side of the pond.
Coordinates from the road with the pond on the right.
N 41.629588, W 079.961461 or
41.629588, -79.961461 or
+41° 37′ 46.52″, -79° 57′ 41.26″
If you are looking for the handicapped accessible fishing/view deck, there is one at pond K.
Coordinates for Pond K parking is
N 41.582964, W 079.978464 or
41.582964, -79.978464 or
+41° 34′ 58.67″, -79° 58′ 42.47″
A good place to see wildlife is the obesrvation blind. In this little shelter with diagonal cutouts for viewing you can observe the ducks, warblers, deer and whatever else lives in the area without them seeing you. It’s great for taking photos. The bushes are getting pretty high outside of the shelter as of last Sunday but you can still see the birds and animals. The trail is a nice, almost level walk from the parking lot. We spotted this baby chipmunk on the trail. He wasn’t more than 3 inches long. So cute!
Coordinates to parking lot of the observation blind
N 41.575218, W 079.975643 or
41.575218, -79.975643 or
+41° 34′ 30.78″, -79° 58′ 32.31″
Coordinates for the actual observation blind. The blind is a little over 1/10 mile from parking over easy trail.
N 41.575545, W 079.9776725 or
41.575545, -79.977672 or
+41° 34′ 31.96″, -79° 58′ 39.62″
This is my first try at giving GPS coordinates by waymarking. Waymarking marks the coordinates of places, things, and points of interest. There are a lot of people getting GPS units, both hand-held and car units and I thought it may be a fun way to visit the refuge. I’m new to the geocaching crowd, also, (I found my first at Oil Creek State Park last weekend) and am still learning to use my DeLorme PN-40. Please let me know if you have issues using these coordinates and I encourage suggestions. Come back and visit the blog to find new coordinates of birds, animals or points of interest I find on the Erie National Wildlife Refuge when we visit. My husband and I want to walk many of the refuge trails this summer and we’ll let you know what we see and give you coordinates to points of interest.
