John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge At Tinicum

If you've been out on the trails lately, you'll begin to see new bird species showing up as the Spring is taking hold. Yesterday, we caught this rather beautiful bird on video putting on its show while foraging. Can you tell us what this may be and what identifying characteristics you would use to teach someone else to identify the bird? U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

How many tires do you think these tireless volunteers pulled out of Tinicum Marsh yesterday? Drop your best guess in the comments! Thank you to our amazing volunteers, some of who has come out every day this week! Photos: Wingyi Kung/USFWS... U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region

We are more than halfway through Refuge Cleanup Week! Big thanks to all volunteers who came out to pick thousands of pounds of litter! Tinicum Marsh is looking cleaner by the hour! There are still 3 more days to get involved! We will be here today, tomorrow, and Saturday (4/15 - 4/17), from 9 am to noon! Email Erika at [email protected] to sign up. Photo: David Stoughton/USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Ask a biologist!

It is time for "Ask a Biologist" with Garrett White, the Refuge Biological Technician. He will be giving us spring updates and answering all your questions tomorrow on Facebook Live tomorrow 4/13 at 1 pm!

Flowers come in all shapes! Have you noticed any trees blooming like this box elder? Comment below how many different types of flowers you have seen at the refuge and in your neighborhoods! Photo: Wingyi Kung/USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Hello, spring beauty! A fitting common name for Claytonia virginica (Virginia Spring Beauty) because it is one of the first to bloom and won’t stick around too long. Find them in the warbler woods near the emergent wetland! Show us your pictures of spring flowers! Photo: Wingyi Kung/USFWS

Welcome in the Spring with baby animal facts

While this baby snapping turtle is only two acorn caps big, they can live up to 100 years old and grow to be 15 inches long! Get your daily dose of cute and learn more about baby animals tomorrow 4/6 at 1 pm with Ranger Ben on Facebook Live! Photo: Wingyi Kung/USFWS

Calling all volunteers who are tired of seeing litter on the refuge! Join us for Refuge Cleanup Week from April 12 to April 17! Everyday that week, we will be meeting from 9 am to noon to pick up litter. Registration is required to keep group size small. Please email [email protected] to register. Photo: Frank Miles/USFWS

Garrett, Hoan, and Hannah answer visitor's questions and we see the Marsh Machine in action!

Have you seen eagles on the refuge lately? Eagles are active on the refuge all winter long and we believe that the same pair has been nesting on the refuge for more than a decade! Now we are asking for your help to help us identify these birds! At least one of the eagles has metallic bands around its legs, which researchers use to keep track of individual birds. If you have seen or have a picture of the specific numbers on the band, please let Garrett know at [email protected]! Photo: A large adult eagle is soaring over marsh grasses. Lamar Gore/USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

How did all this litter end up on the refuge? When we use and improperly dispose of plastic, it gets washed down to our streams, rivers, and oceans. It accumulates in sensitive habitats like Tinicum Marsh, where wildlife have no choice but to eat and live in trash. We too depend on our watershed for our health, so isn't it time for us to take action? Video: The sun sets over the wetlands of Tinicum Marsh on a steely, cloudy January day. We zoom past marsh plants to a group o...f Canadian Geese feeding among an enormous mat of plastic bottles and other litter. Wingyi Kung/USFWS Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Part 2 of our MobilizeGreen Conservation Crew Conversation: Take a moment to hear the words of a few of our high school interns as they discuss their experience in conservation these last few months, as well as some observations they have in the conservation world. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River

Garrett, the Refuge Biological Technician, will be answering your January questions next Tuesday 1/12 at 1 pm, on FB Live! He will be joined by special guest, Hoan and Hannah, who are part of the Maintenance Team. Leave your refuge or biological questions below! U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Part 1 of our MobilizeGreen Conservation Crew Conversation: Take a moment to hear the words of a few of our high school interns as they discuss their experience in conservation these last few months, as well as some observations they have in the conservation world. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River

Dramatic lighting at sunset! The days grow shorter but the sun still cast light beautifully on the changing landscape. Refuge trails will reopen to the public on Sunday 10/25. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region

School is back in session! The refuge education team have been busy adapting lessons to the digital world! With one of our classroom transformed into a studio, Refuge environmental educators continues to teach in the classrooms of Philly Nature Kids, aka the 4th grade students from Penrose and Patterson Elementary Schools. Today, students examined a stuffed Common Merganser model and learned about the importance of habitat! Photo: Ranger Kelly Q. sits at a desk and holds up ...a stuffed black and white merganser in front of screen, where many students watch from their home. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region

Earlier this week, you got to see the female Hoody (Hooded merganser), today we get to see the male of this species, which makes its appearance with a stark array of contrasting colors making up its hood and body. This diving species is built for the environment and behaviors in which they hunt for food. Can you make out some of those features here that make its hunting method successful? We asked a question about this earlier in the week. :) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Ask a Biologist!

You can't miss this bright red cardinal in the stark winter landscape! These backyard birds stick around Philly all year long and are some of the brightest pop of color on bare trees. Have you seen any lately? Photo: A bright cardinal face the camera directly, showing off their dramatic face markings. It sits on bare branches with hazy leaves in the background. Lamar Gore/USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The entire refuge will be closed to visitors during the mentored archery deer hunt days. The dates are: October 22 - 24, November 19 - 21, December 3 - 5, and December 17 - 19. Hunting is safe and getting safer, thanks to hunter education programs. Hunter education is designed to produce safe, responsible, knowledgeable and involved participants. In order to provide a quality hunting experience, we are choosing to close the refuge to all visitors on hunting days to not only m...aximize safety for all involved but to provide for quality experiences for all user groups. For more information on the mentored archery deer hunt at John Heinz NWR, please visit: https://www.fws.gov/nwrs/threecolumn.aspx?id=6442455656 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System

This is a Friends of Heinz Refuge at Tinicum appreciation post! The refuge would not be able to provide the same level and quality of habitat restoration and environmental education programs without our Friends! They are a non-profit organization whose sole mission is to support the refuge. The funds that they raise goes towards field trip buses, food and supplies during public events, partner organization stipends, and more! You can support them by shopping at the refuge sto...re (when we are back open), participate in their plant sales and other fundraising events, or join them! Photo: The Friends take a kayak tour as part of their 20th anniversary and the 2017 Friends Annual Meeting. Ramona and Linda is taking the lead! #LiveYourWild #WildlifeRefuge U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Next Tuesday, October 20th, Garrett will answer biology questions on Facebook Live! Tell us what you want to know!

Join refuge Environmental Educators as they share tips, tricks and ideas for bringing the outdoors into your student's learning! John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge leads live nature programs on our Facebook page every Tuesday and Thursday at 1 pm until further notice. Find us at www.facebook.com/johnheinznwr/live

We still need your help! Calling all volunteers to cross that finish line on planting the remaining 2000 plants (out of 16,550 plants)!!! Enjoy the refuge on a beautiful fall day and help us build habitat! Join us this weekend for a couple of hours at the Visitor Center Parking lot. We will be practicing CDC guidelines of social distancing. All equipment provided, but bring your own PPE, gloves, and water! Please email Wingyi at [email protected] with your preferred date...s and times. Thank you! Planting schedule for the week is: A. Tuesday, October 13th 8am 12pm B. Tuesday, October 13th 3:30 6:30pm C. Wednesday, October 14th 8am 12pm D. Thursday, October 15th 8am 12pm E. Thursday, October 15th 3:30 6:30pm F. Friday, October 16th 8am 12pm G. Saturday, October 17th 8am 12pm H. Saturday, October 17th 12:30 3:30pm Friends of Heinz Refuge at Tinicum U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Audubon Pennsylvania

This past weekend we hosted over 40 participants that were selected in the mentored archery deer hunt lottery for an orientation weekend that included activities on hunting and its role in conservation, deer biology, healthy habitats, crossbow safety, and the field to fork model. Special thanks to our partners Pennsylvania Game Commission, Friends of Heinz Refuge at Tinicum, Union Sportsmen's Alliance, The Quality Deer Management Association, Lancaster Archery Supply, and Kin...sey's Outdoors for supporting this program. Participants, including mentored first time hunters 12 and older, licensed Jr. hunters, veterans, and active duty military will work with Refuge staff and partners on the following weekends to continue their journey on learning more about the role of hunting and conservation. 2020 Archery Hunts (Thurs - Sat) Hunt 1: Oct 22 - 24 Hunt 2: Nov 19 - 21 Hunt 3: Dec 3 - 5 Hunt 4: Dec 17 - 19