#4 - Mounds Pools

The large evergreen trees you have been seeing on the right (west) are red cedar trees. Their bluish berries are good food for cedar waxwings. The two evergreen hollies, also on the right, are more easily identified in the fall and winter when they both have bright red berries. The shrubby holly with the tiny green leaves and many small gray branches is the yaupon holly. The larger, tree-sized holly with brighter green leaves is the dahoon holly.

On the left is a short dike or levee that "T's" into a larger levee around Mounds Pool #3. Many birdwatchers and fishermen like to hike out all the way to the back side of Mounds Pool #3 from here. The following directions will lead you on a shorter loop hike of approximately 2.5 miles that will take you back to your car.

Turn south (to your right) at the "T" and follow the levee between Mounds Pools #2 and #3. Look for eagles, ducks and wading birds from October through March.

Eventually, the levee will bring you to a grassy service road that lies very close to the Mounds Pool #3 eagle nest. Please remain on the trail or levee at all times and heed any signage. The nest is usually active from November-March. The refuge biologist flies over all of the refuge's eagle nests several times annually to assess nesting activity.

Turn right onto the service road, which will take you back to the paved road and back to your car. If the pull-off area at Stop 4 is crowded, reverse these directions and park on the apron just before the service road. Remember not to block the gates to official vehicle traffic.