Summer Sights
Things to see when the day is long at national wildlife refuges

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The sun is high. The day is long. You can feel the heat build hour by hour. But if you think nature is dormant at national wildlife refuges because animals are stuck in the summer doldrums, think again.

On land, in the air and in the water, life is astir on refuges. You just need to know where to look. Sea turtles are nesting. Tule elk are bugling. Dragonflies are staging crazy aerial displays. Osprey chicks are hatching. Salmon are swimming upstream in a rush to spawn. Monarch butterflies are fueling up before it’s time to migrate. Here’s just a taste of what you can see and where this summer on national wildlife refuges.

Summer on Refuges

Natural phenomena aren’t the only reasons to look at national wildlife refuges in summer.

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Story Tags

Birds
Birdwatching
Fish migration
Fishes
Reptiles
Wildlife refuges
Wildlife viewing

Recreational Activities