Valentine NWR Valentine, Nebraska 2011 Visit with Brandon

Valentine National Wildlife Refuge

          Valentine National Wildlife Refuge

In 1935, this 72,000-acre complex was established 25 miles south of Valentine as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. The Refuge is a showcase for the representative habitat of the Sand hills in north-central Nebraska, an attractive mixture of native short grass prairie and numerous wetlands, wet meadows, lakes, and marshes.
Ornithological Summary:
The current bird list at the Refuge numbers 270 species; 108 of them have been recorded nesting. May, September, and October offer good opportunities for observing a large variety of migrating birds. The Refuge's many water features attract large numbers of shorebirds, waterfowl, colonial waterbirds, and wetland specialists. Trumpeter swans, American bitterns, western grebes, and many species of ducks remain for the summer to raise broods. Hundreds of American white pelicans and double-crested cormorants can be seen during the migration season. The upland prairies support many different grassland-dependent species, such as greater prairie-chickens, sharp-tailed grouse, upland sandpipers, dickcissels, and grasshopper sparrows.

Fort Niobrara NWR 2011 Brandon Trip

	Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge
	HC 14 Box 67 Valentine, NE   69201 E-mail: fortniobrara@fws.gov  Phone Number: 402-376-3789
	Visit the Refuge's Web Site: http://fortniobrara.fws.gov	Many of the natural behaviors and traits of bison can be seen today on Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge.

	Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is 19,131 acres in size and is located 4 miles east of the city of Valentine along the Niobrara River. The Refuge offers many activities for visitors. Bison, elk, deer, and prairie dogs can be seen along the wildlife drive at all times of the year. Interpretive displays at the visitor center describe the history and ecology of the area. Hiking trails lead to Fort Falls and, for the more adventurous, into the Niobrara River Wilderness Area. Canoeing or tubing through down the Niobrara National Scenic River is a popular activity on the Refuge. Getting There . . . Fort Niobrara NWR is located about 5 miles east of Valentine, Nebraska, on U.S. Highway 12. The visitor center is about 1½ miles from the Refuge entrance. Various directional signs are located along the route. This region of the country is the point of convergence of six distinct ecosystems. Once a military fort, Fort Niobrara NWR was established by Executive Order in January 1912 as a "preserve and breeding ground for native birds." Its purpose was expanded later that same year to include the preservation of bison and elk herds representative of those that once roamed the Great Plains.				Environmental Education Fishing Interpretation Photography Wildlife Observation Fort Niobrara NWR management includes many diverse techniques. Through the grassland and fenced management program, the bison and elk herds are managed under natural conditions to assure a genetically sound breeding population, provide appropriate viewing opportunities for public enjoyment, and support scientific studies. Grassland habitat management strategies are designed to maintain or improve grassland health and provide forage for bison and elk. Approximately 50 miles of interior fence and 50 miles of boundary fence (perimeter, river corridor, and road right-of-way) are used to control timing of grazing and movement of the fenced animals. In addition, prescribed fire plays a significant role in the management of these native grasslands. Other habitat management on the Refuge strives to maintain the existing diversity and abundance of various native birds and other wildlife by providing a mosaic of habitat conditions. Biological monitoring of native birds and other wildlife is carried out to the greatest extent possible with current staffing and management priorities.

Blackwater NWR Cambridge Maryland

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

         Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge                             Cambridge, Maryland 

View from the wildlife drive after a storm.
Location	Dorchester County, Maryland, USA
Nearest city	Cambridge, Maryland
Coordinates	38°24′50″N 76°05′50″W / 38.413921°N 76.097231°W / 38.413921; -76.097231Coordinates: 38°24′50″N 76°05′50″W / 38.413921°N 76.097231°W / 38.413921; -76.097231
Area	27,000 acres (110 km2)
Established	1933 (1933)
Official website

view of Blackwater NWR near the observation platform off the wildlife drive

Satellite image of the refuge

The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1933 as a waterfowl sanctuary for birds migrating along the critical migration highway called the Atlantic Flyway. The Refuge is located on Maryland's Eastern Shore, just 12 miles south of Cambridge, Maryland in Dorchester County, and consists of over 27,000 acres (110 km²) of freshwater impoundments, brackish tidal wetlands, open fields, and mixed evergreen and deciduous forests. Blackwater NWR is one of over 540 units in the National Wildlife Refuge System, which is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Blackwater Refuge is fed by the Blackwater River and the Little Blackwater River. The name "blackwater" comes from the tea-colored waters of the local rivers, which are darkened by the tannin that is picked up as the water drains through peat soil in the marshes.

Wildlife

In addition to a wealth of wetlands and forests, Blackwater Refuge is also host to over 250 bird species, 35 species of reptiles and amphibians, 165 species of threatened and endangered plants, and numerous mammals that can be spotted throughout the year in Blackwater's marshes, forests, meadows, and fields. During winter migration, Blackwater Refuge is also home to upwards of 35,000 geese and 15,000 ducks. The Refuge is currently host to three recovering species: the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel, the delisted migrant peregrine falcon, and the recently delisted American bald eagle.

Mammals

Blackwater Refuge is home to a variety of mammals, which until recently included the South American Nutria. Introduced to the refuge in the 1930s, intensive trapping efforts starting in 2002 helped nearly eliminate the animal from the area. Among the mammals is also the Delmarva fox squirrel, considered an endangered species. Blackwater forest management programs are working to protect this squirrel.^[1]