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I was in the area and decided to revisit Liberty Loop Trail in the Walkill River National Wildlife Refuge.  The last time I’d taken pictures here was in 2004. Digital photography has come a long way in the last 15 years and even my phone captures better images than the 2 MP point and shoot I was using back then.

Liberty Loop is a level 2.5 mile trail that begins in New York State and follows the perimeter of a former sod farm that straddles the New York/New Jersey border. The sod farm was restored to its natural wetland state after becoming part of the refuge.

This area is a haven for migratory waterfowl and the short-eared owls. The trail had been damaged by recent storms so I couldn’t get very far along. I didn’t see any owls, but there were some Canadian Geese pretty close to the parking lot.

The wetlands in this area were formed by the retreat of the glaciers. As the ice sheets receded, a glacial lake filled the valley they’d formed. The wetlands were once at the bottom of that lake.

Walkill River NWR posts:

• Liberty Loop Trail in Autumn
• Liberty Loop Trail Revisited
• Winding Waters Trail (Coming Soon)

Location: Oil City Rd, Pine Island, NY

Designation: National Wildlife Refuge

Date designated or established: 1990

Date of my visit: 3/9/2019