2016 12-06 Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
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Having read a lot of posts about the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, and seen wonderful photos from others, Sue and I decided to take the day and see for ourselves. The Wildlife Refuge is located along the I-5 about an hour and a half north of downtown Sacramento. The Refuge has a nice visitor center and there is a charge for parking. We opted for the “Senior Lifetime Pass” for $10. There is a walking trail but we opted for the 6 mile driving tour which requires you to stay inside your vehicle except at the “park and stretch” stops, about 4 along the way. This rule seems to work well in promoting animal tame-ness as opposed to other areas we’ve been lately where the wildlife runs or flies away when you are out of your car. I like it. In the parking lot a group of birders staring at the same tree pointed out a friendly Cassin’s kingbird.
The wildlife at this time of year is quite spectacular with masses of snow geese resting in several areas of the wetlands. Many thousands of these geese were seen, mostly sleeping with their heads back or dabbling for food in the shallow waters. Mallard ducks and coots were also abundant. Small to medium sized flocks of snow geese were seen flying In and out of the ponds. Red-winged blackbirds were abundant. Herons, egrets, hawks, falcons, harriers, and other species were also abundant and some close to the road. One great white heron and one of the many red-tailed hawks were within a foot of the edge of the road and did not move or take flight as we slowly drove up, shot photographs, and left.
At one rest stop there is a viewing platform/deck. As we looked out over the landscape a large male ring-necked pheasant wandered along the base of the platform, pecking at the ground. Great looks and photographs were had. In another location, where a grassland was situated between the ponds, 7 or 8 deer were seen grazing about ¼ -mile from the road. In another location we saw movement in the tall roadside grass and it turned out to be a jack rabbit. It, too was tame and remained still for good photos.
On our way out a black phoebe was busy catching flies inside the parking payment kiosk. A wiley belted kingfisher perched on a tree branch devoid of leaves.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
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Read MoreHaving read a lot of posts about the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, and seen wonderful photos from others, Sue and I decided to take the day and see for ourselves. The Wildlife Refuge is located along the I-5 about an hour and a half north of downtown Sacramento. The Refuge has a nice visitor center and there is a charge for parking. We opted for the “Senior Lifetime Pass” for $10. There is a walking trail but we opted for the 6 mile driving tour which requires you to stay inside your vehicle except at the “park and stretch” stops, about 4 along the way. This rule seems to work well in promoting animal tame-ness as opposed to other areas we’ve been lately where the wildlife runs or flies away when you are out of your car. I like it. In the parking lot a group of birders staring at the same tree pointed out a friendly Cassin’s kingbird.
The wildlife at this time of year is quite spectacular with masses of snow geese resting in several areas of the wetlands. Many thousands of these geese were seen, mostly sleeping with their heads back or dabbling for food in the shallow waters. Mallard ducks and coots were also abundant. Small to medium sized flocks of snow geese were seen flying In and out of the ponds. Red-winged blackbirds were abundant. Herons, egrets, hawks, falcons, harriers, and other species were also abundant and some close to the road. One great white heron and one of the many red-tailed hawks were within a foot of the edge of the road and did not move or take flight as we slowly drove up, shot photographs, and left.
At one rest stop there is a viewing platform/deck. As we looked out over the landscape a large male ring-necked pheasant wandered along the base of the platform, pecking at the ground. Great looks and photographs were had. In another location, where a grassland was situated between the ponds, 7 or 8 deer were seen grazing about ¼ -mile from the road. In another location we saw movement in the tall roadside grass and it turned out to be a jack rabbit. It, too was tame and remained still for good photos.
On our way out a black phoebe was busy catching flies inside the parking payment kiosk. A wiley belted kingfisher perched on a tree branch devoid of leaves.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
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Red-tailed hawk.
Buteo jamacensis in tree 2016 12-06 Sacramento NWR-d-023
Red-tailed hawk.
Buteo jamacensis on tree branch 2016 12-06 Sacramento NWR-012
Snow geese.
Chen caerulescens snow geese in wetlands 2016 12-06 Sacramento NWR-653
American kestrel.
Falco sparverius American kestrel 2016 12-06 Sacramento NWR-017
Mallard.
Anas platyrhynchos mallard 2016 12-06 Sacramento NWR-013
Jackrabbit.
Lepas californicus jackrabbit 2016 12-06 Sacramento NWR-014
Cassin's kingbird.
Tyrannus vociferans Cassins kingbird 2016 12-06 Sacramento NWR-004
