Revisit to Savannah NWR to pick up missing stamps

I had actually visited the Preserve back in the spring, but the Savannah preserve stamp was being repaired, and I missed the Tybee Stamp-  so that got fixed.  

September 26th 5 Blue Goose at Crystal River NWR!

September 26th Tour Mother lode for NWR's!

Went to the Crystal River Visitor Center and managed to get 5 Blue Goose Stamps, and two pins as well!!!!

	Chassahowitzka  National Wildlife Refuge
	1502 S.E. Kings Bay Drive Crystal River, FL   34429

Crystal River  National Wildlife Refuge
1502 S.E. Kings Bay Drive Crystal River, FL   34429

Egmont Key  National Wildlife Refuge
1502 S.E. Kings Bay Drive Crystal River, FL   34429

Passage Key  National Wildlife Refuge	Pinellas  National Wildlife Refuge 1502 S.E. Kings Bay Drive Crystal River, FL   34429
1502 S.E. Kings Bay Drive             Crystal River, FL   34429

Blackbeard Island NWR Coastal Georgia

This was a non visit, having gotten the stamp at the Harris Neck preserve.
Blackbeard Island is not available to the public, so I get to count it....

NEWS: Blackbeard Island NWR To Be Closed Intermittently for Biological Work

Blackbeard Island NWR will be closed to all public access, intermittently, from April 7 through April 11, 2014. As part of a statewide effort to reduce the amount of feral hog damage to property, natural resources, and public health and safety, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be partnering the the U.S. Department of Agriculture to remove feral hogs from the refuge. 

Welcome to Blackbeard Island NWR

Blackbeard Island was acquired by the Navy Department at public auction in 1800 as a source of live oak timber for ship building. In 1924 the island was placed under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Biological Survey to be maintained as a preserve and breeding ground for native wildlife and migratory birds. A presidential proclamation in 1940 changed its designation from Blackbeard Island Reservation to Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge. In 1975, three thousand acres of the refuge were set aside as National Wilderness. Blackbeard Island was named for Edward Teach, alias Blackbeard the Pirate. Rumors of Blackbeard's buried treasure still flourish, but no evidence of his fortune has ever been discovered.
The island is comprised of interconnecting linear dunes thickly covered by oak/palmetto vegetation. There are approximately 1,163 acres of open freshwater or freshwater marsh, 2,000 acres of regularly flooded salt marsh, 2,115 acres of maritime forest, and 340 acres of sandy beach.
The primary objectives of the refuge are to provide wintering habitat and protection for migratory birds; provide protection and habitat to promote resident and migratory wildlife diversity; and to provide protection and management for endangered and threatened species (loggerhead sea turtle, wood stork, piping plover). Notable concentrations of waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, songbirds, raptors, deer, and alligators can be seen at various times of the year.

Getting There . . .

Blackbeard island is accessible only by boat, and transportation to the island is not provided by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Visitors are welcome to bring their own private watercraft, or arrangements for trips to the refuge can be made through local boat captains and marinas, as well as authorized tour guides. A public boat ramp on Harris Neck NWR (Barbour River Landing) may be used as a launching site for trips to the island.

Harris Neck NWR Townsend Georgia April 20, 2014

Welcome to Harris Neck NWR Harris Neck NWR was established in 1962 by transfer of federal lands formerly managed by the Federal Aviation Administration as a WWII Army airfield. Located in McIntosh County, Georgia, the refuge serves as an important link in the chain of refuges along the Atlantic seaboard, and is the inland base for two neighboring barrier island refuges, Blackbeard Island and Wolf Island refuges, both located southeast of Harris Neck. Harris Neck's 2,824 acres consists of salt marsh, open fields, forested wetland and mixed hardwood/pine forest. Because of this great diversity in habitat, many species of birds are attracted to the refuge throughout the year. In the summer, thousands of egrets and herons nest in the freshwater ponds, while in the winter, waterfowl can be found feeding and resting on the refuge. Over 15 miles of paved roads and trails provide the visitor easy access to the many different habitats. Chosen for it's accessibility and bird diversity, Harris Neck is one of 18 sites forming the Colonial Coast Birding Trail, inaugurated in 2000. Getting There . . . Harris Neck NWR is located in McIntosh County, Georgia, 5 miles north of Eulonia and 50 air miles south of the port city of Savannah. To reach Harris Neck, take Exit 67 off I-95 and travel south on U.S. 17 for approximately one mile, then east on Harris Neck Road for seven miles to the main entrance gate.

Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR Mississippi

Got here because I noticed a sign on I-10-  Pretty reserve.

Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge

  

Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge The Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge is one of more than 540 national wildlife refuges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It was established in 1975 to safeguard the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane and its unique disappearing wet pine savanna habitat. The refuge consists of more than 19,000 acres in four units and is now part of the Gulf Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The Refuge Complex Manager also administers Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge (Mississippi/Alabama) and Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (Alabama). Getting There . . . The Mississippi Sandhill Crane Refuge is located in Jackson County, Mississippi, three miles north of Gautier. The headquarters/visitor center is located one-half mile north of I-10, exit 61, on the Gautier-Vancleave road. The refuge was established for the protection and recovery of the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane and the restoration of its unique habitat, wet pine savanna (pitcher plant bogs). It is estimated that 95-97% of this habitat has been altered, and the refuge serves as a key remnant ecosystem representative. The pine savanna has a rich herbaceous flora and includes some of the highest plant diversities, particularly carnivorous plants, in North America. The non-migratory Mississippi sandhill crane population has increased from 30-35 cranes in the mid-70s to the current 110-130 birds Fire Management: Managers use prescribed fire as the primary habitat anagement tool on the refuge. The prescribed fire program is used to mimic the natural fires that burned through the savannas every few years. Fires suppress the growth of hardwood shrubs and trees, create large open areas and clear out dead under-story plants while "recycling" nutrients. These nutrients act as fertilizer rejuvenating the wire grass and pitcher plants. The main objective in management of the refuge habitat is the long-term ongoing restoration of the unique and endangered wet pine savanna. As a result of fire suppression and pine plantations, afforestation is a major problem as trees and shrubs have supplanted the once-open savannas. In fact, some ecologists believe up to 90 percent of the trees on the refuge, primarily slash pine, need to be removed. Because of rainfall and low topography, the soils are often too wet for typical timber harvest or mechanical removal with heavy equipment. Hand-clearing with chain saws may be the only way to remove trees in many areas. Invasive Species Management: Exotic, non-native plant species can cause real problems with native habitats and restoration efforts. Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica), a noxious grass, is causing concern as it is forming monotypic stands along roadways and other disturbed areas, and making its way into refuge habitats. Management of cogongrass is a challenge, but prevention of its spread into native savannas is necessary. Farming for Wildlife: A number of upland sites have been cultivated to provide winter feeding areas for cranes. There are now 13 food plots (or crop units), totaling about 113 acres and a 40-acre pasture on the refuge. Chufa, a sedge that produces a nut-like tuber, has been the major growing season crop. Corn, sunflowers, and a number of other crops have also been planted. Ryegrass, winter wheat, vetch and other cover crops have been planted in the autumn. Deer, turkey, and other resident wildlife also use the crop units. Water Management: The changes in habitat in areas surrounding the refuge have developed and caused important changes in the natural water regime, resulting in drier habitats and disturbance to historic crane roosts. Refuge personnel have created roost ponds and constructed several water control structures to adjust water flow into savanna edges during nesting season. Crane Population Management: A restocking effort with captive-reared birds is used to bolster the wild population. Although cranes lay one or two eggs each season, very rarely is more than one chick reared successfully. Beginning in 1965, "extra" eggs, the second viable egg from a two-egg nest, were occasionally removed from the local nests to become part of a captive flock. This captive breeding flock is divided and about half of the cranes reside at the Audubon Institute's Species Survival Center outside New Orleans and about half are at the White Oak Conservation Center near Jacksonville, Florida. Since 1981, captive reared cranes have been released annually on the refuge. This program is the largest crane release program in the world and has been so successful that 90 percent of the free-flying cranes seen today are captive-reared. Refuge personnel monitor the cranes year-round to understand as much as possible about how they live and what they need to survive and nest successfully. Many of the cranes are marked in different ways so they may be identified individually with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service bands, plastic leg bands and leg bands mounted radiotransmitters. The information obtained is put in a data base and provides clues to habitat use, nesting, survival rates, cause of mortality, and many other aspects of local crane life.  m

Grand Bay NWR Mississippi

Got this on the first trip through the Mississippi Gulf Coast: It was unique in that they had an additional stamp, which I made a second trip for:  

Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge Grand Bay NWR is one of over 540 National Wildlife Refuges managed as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Grand Bay NWR was established in 1992 under the Emergency Wetlands Resources act of 1986 to protect one of the largest expanses of undisturbed pine savanna habitats in the Gulf Coastal Plain region. The refuge is located in Mobile County, Alabama and Jackson, County Mississippi, and when complete will encompass over 32,000 acres. The refuge is part of the Gulf Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The Refuge Complex Manager also administers the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge and Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. Access to refuge lands (especially interior portions) is limited, but is available mostly on the Mississippi side and by boat. Getting There . . . Grand bay NWR is located approximately 7 miles east of Pascagoula, Mississippi and approximately 20 miles west of Mobile, Alabama. From Interstate 10, take the Franklin Creek exit (exit 75) and head south to US Highway 90. Cross US 90 onto Pecan Road and go approximately 1 mile to a very active railroad crossing, this is Bayou Heron Road. Cross over railroad track and keep to your right. The office is approximately 1 mile from railroad crossing. The largest portion of the refuge consist of a mosaic of pine savannas, interspersed with poorly drained evergreen bays and pond cypress stands graduating to estuarine salt marshes to the south.

Merritt Island NWR Merritt Island Florida

This was part of a visit to the Canaveral National Seashore in Titusville, during 2012.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) headquarters is located five miles east of U.S. 1 in Titusville, Florida. The Refuge, which is an overlay of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, was established in August 1963 to provide a buffer zone for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the quest for space exploration. Approximately one half the Refuge's 140,000 acres consist of brackish estuaries and marshes. The remaining lands consist of coastal dunes, scrub oaks, pine forests and flatwoods, and palm and oak hammocks. The coastal location of MINWR, with its seven distinct habitat types and position between the subtropic and temperate zones contribute to the Refuge's importance as a major wintering area for migratory birds. Over 500 species of wildlife inhabit the Refuge with 16 currently listed as federally threatened or endangered. Several wading bird rookeries, approximately 10 active bald eagle nests, numerous osprey nests, up to 400 manatees and an estimated 2,500 Florida scrub jays can be found on the Refuge. The objectives of MINWR are to provide habitat for migratory birds, to protect endangered and threatened species, to provide habitat for natural wildlife diversity, and to provide opportunities for environmental education, interpretation, and compatible wildlife-oriented recreation. In addition, as part of a complex, MINWR administers Lake Wales Ridge and St. John's National Wildlife Refuges. Getting There . . . From I-95: take Exit 220 (SR 406, Garden St.) east through Titusville. Cross over the Indian River Lagoon. The Refuge entrance sign and information kiosk are located on the east side of the Indian River Lagoon. Refuge maps and brochures are available at the kiosk. Continue east for 4 miles to reach the visitor information center, located on the right side of the road. From U.S. 1: follow U.S. 1 to Titusville. At the intersection with SR 406 (Garden St.), turn east. Cross over the Indian River Lagoon and follow the above directions. A wide variety of habitats exist on the refuge, ranging from freshwater impoundments to vast saltwater estuaries. Gradually, the marshes give way to hardwood hammocks, pine flatwoods, scrub and coastal dunes. Seven distinct habitats provide for over 330 species of birds, 31 species of mammals, 117 species of fish, 68 species of amphibians and reptiles and over 1,000 species of plants. The refuge also supports 16 wildlife species listed as federally threatened or endangered. The most productive and diversified areas of the refuge are the marshes. These shallow water grasslands provide a home for crabs, worms, clams and fish, which attract animals higher in the food chain such as birds, river otters, American alligators and raccoons. Refuge marshes attract hundreds of thousands of migratory birds every year, who travel from the north to feed and rest here during the winter. This type of habitat can be seen from Black Point Wildlife Drive, a seven-mile auto tour through refuge wetlands and uplands. Scrub is a habitat unique to Florida, and one of the most important habitats for endangered species in the state. Species like the scrub jay, gopher tortoise and indigo snake rely on this habitat for food and shelter. The scrub oak acorn, for example, is a primary food source for the Florida scrub jay. You can possibly view these animals and their habitat from the one-mile scrub ridge trail. The refuge also serves as one of the most important sea turtle nesting sites in the United States, averaging over 1300 loggerhead nests each year. It is also an important nesting area for the green sea turtle and leatherback sea turtle. A 43-mile stretch of beach from the south end of Cape Canaveral Air Station to the north end of Canaveral National Seashore composes the longest section of undeveloped beach on Florida s Atlantic coast. This lack of development makes this beach prime for sea turtle nesting. Learn More>> The forces of wind, waves and fluctuating sea levels shaped the alternating ridges, swales and marshes of Merritt Island. Over the millennium, human occupation has ebbed and flowed just as the sand dunes have. Archaeological data suggest the island was inhabited by at least seven distinct Indian cultures as early as 7,000 B.C. Burial mounds and shell middens are all that remain today. Spanish explorers, British colonists, pioneer citrus growers and civil war troops all contributed to the history of Merritt Island.     The incessant salt marsh mosquito kept Merritt Island largely uninhabited until the early 1960's, when NASA began acquiring land that is now John F. Kennedy Space Center. In 1963, land acquisitions were complete, and those lands not vital to the space program were turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Today, this 43 mile long barrier island is managed as Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore.