2018 01-26 Sacramento NWR
By the time we got to the refuge, the fog had lifted and revealed a generally cloudy sky. We took the 6 mile driving loop and right away we passed a tree with a pair of red-tailed hawks. We’ve been seeing lots of red-tailed hawk pairs in our area lately… perhaps it is the start of the breeding season. Not far away from the tree with the hawks there were a couple of rabbits one of them very close to the road. Again along the beginning of the loop, in the pond, there were a dozen great white fronted geese close to the road.
As we turned and headed east two harriers we’re seen separately flying low as they always do. One of them came close enough for some good in flight photos. Along this eastern segment or the loop, there was a multitude of Coots, mostly in the water, but here in there a few bold ones were out in the grasses along the road. Also seen in the grasses were two red-necked pheasants, the larger bird stayed partially exposed and was photographed. The smaller pheasant disappeared into the weeds. About eight minutes later we passed another tree that had a different pair of red tail hawks.
Near the viewing platform where the road starts to trend to the north, Suellen spotted three turkey vultures feeding upon a carcass on a sandbar in the estuary. A few minutes later there was a single red tail hawk in the tree. A bald eagle which I saw on a tree top from quite a distance had taken flight before we got to it. When the road turned west again there was a hawk very happily perched on a warning sign right next to the road. It “posed” for some good portraits. About seven minutes later we did find the bald eagle up near the top of another tree where could be photographed quite easily. Nine minutes after that, we encountered a falcon on the end of the tree branch which we photographed as it was feeding on its prey. Continuing down the road we spotted, in the distance, another red-tailed hawk perched on the solar panels that power the irrigation pump. Our last sighting as we left the driving loop was yet another red-tailed hawk in a tree.
All in all it was a very productive day.
Special note: GPS signals don't penetrate my truck cab very well, this results in less information for the MAP shown at the bottom of this page.
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On the way to Sac NWR we stopped at the Maxwell Cemetary to try and photograph the elusive vermillion flycatcher. We'll try to get closer next year.
Pyrocephalus rubinus Vermillion flycatcher 2018 01-26 Maxwell Cemetary--002
PyrocephalusrubinusVermillionflycatcher2018MaxwellCemetary002
Red-tailed hawk in a tree - it's nictitating membrane is closed.
Buteo jamaicensis in tree 2018 01-26 Sacramento NWR-b-016
Snow goose - reflections.
Chen caerulescens Snow Goose CLOSE in pond 2018 01-26 Sacramento NWR--003
Snow goose.
Chen caerulescens Snow Goose CLOSE in pond 2018 01-26 Sacramento NWR--018
Juvenile red-shouldered hawk - posing.
Buteo lineatus JUV red-shouldered hawk 2018 01-26 Sacramento NWR--002
Juvenile red-shouldered hawk - posing.
Buteo lineatus JUV red-shouldered hawk 2018 01-26 Sacramento NWR--039
Bald eagle.
Haliaeetus leucocephalus Bald Eagle in tree 2018 01-26 Sacramento NWR--044
Bald eagle.
Haliaeetus leucocephalus Bald Eagle in tree 2018 01-26 Sacramento NWR--109
Merlin - with food in talons.
Falco columbarius Merlin feeding 2018 01-26 Sacramento NWR--008
Merlin - feeding.
Falco columbarius Merlin feeding 2018 01-26 Sacramento NWR--030
Merlin - feeding.
Falco columbarius Merlin feeding 2018 01-26 Sacramento NWR--062
Merlin.
Falco columbarius Merlin feeding 2018 01-26 Sacramento NWR--101
