Swallows swarm the lotus at Weaver Bottoms, on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. - Photo by Eric Nelson

The revived vegetation along Weavers Bottom. - Photo by Eric Nelson

Last year's drawdown and the shortened drawdown of this year seem to have revived some of the emergent plants at the Weaver Bottoms area of the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

And swallows have returned as a result of the revived lotus populations, with literally thousands perched and flying above this backwater area.

Refuge Biologist Eric Nelson noted that it had been a long time since lotus had been seen in that area, and that it would be interesting to see if ducks discover the revived plants during their migration this fall.