2018 08-24 Yolo & Yolo Bypass

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We spent a couple of hours taking a late summer trip around the Yolo bypass. For the most part the ponds are still dry in most areas. We drove to Area G passing the big field where, just a few weeks ago, we found numerous Swainson’s hawks, red tailed hawks, and harriers. Not too much luck in the back area is today. Quite a few turkey vultures were soaring and resting on the ground, but no hawk activity. We did find a couple of nice red tailed hawk’s riding a thermal and interacting quite a bit near the main entrance and above the freeway with all of its traffic There were not as many white-faced ibis as last time, on the other hand there were more red winged blackbirds, especially in the rice fields. There are both mature and immature rice fields in the area right now. I took some pictures of both. A single harrier was flushing out the blackbirds from the rice fields to the east. After the Bypass loop we drove over to see the burrowing owls. Only one owl was out of its burrow. We noticed that someone has sprayed weed killer along both sides of the road…probably not too pleasant for owls. It was a nice day, cool temperatures, but a bit smoky. Can’t wait for more water to be released and the fall migration to get going.

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Red-tailed hawk - vocalizing.
Buteo jamaicensis in flight 2018 08-24 Yolo Bypass-053
Buteo jamaicensis flight 2018 Yolo Bypass 053
Red-tailed hawk
Buteo jamaicensis in flight 2018 08-24 Yolo Bypass-075
Buteo jamaicensis flight 2018 Yolo Bypass 075
Red-tailed hawks, side by side
Buteo jamaicensis TWO in flight side by side 2018 08-24 Yolo Bypass-091
Buteo jamaicensis TWO flight side 2018 Yolo Bypass 091
Red-tailed hawks interacting vertically on a thermal
Buteo jamaicensis TWO in flight VERTICAL 2018 08-24 Yolo Bypass-086
Buteo jamaicensis TWO flight VERTICAL 2018 Yolo Bypass 086
Red-tailed hawk
Buteo jamaicensis in flight 2018 08-24 Yolo Bypass-079
Buteo jamaicensis flight 2018 Yolo Bypass 079
Red-tailed hawks interacting
Buteo jamaicensis TWO in flight 2018 08-24 Yolo Bypass-082
Buteo jamaicensis TWO flight 2018 Yolo Bypass 082
Red-tailed hawks interacting
Buteo jamaicensis TWO in flight 2018 08-24 Yolo Bypass-098
Buteo jamaicensis TWO flight 2018 Yolo Bypass 098
Red-tailed hawk
Buteo jamaicensis in flight 2018 08-24 Yolo Bypass-048
Buteo jamaicensis flight 2018 Yolo Bypass 048
Plegadis chihi White faced ibis in flight 2018 08-24 Yolo Bypass--002
Plegadis chihi White faced ibis flight 2018 Yolo Bypass 002
Healthy rice plants growing in the Delta water
Oryza sativa rice plants 2018 08-24 Yolo Bypass--007
Oryza sativa rice plants 2018 Yolo Bypass 007
Heathy rice plants - mature.
Oryza sativa rice plants 2018 08-24 Yolo Bypass--016
Oryza sativa rice plants 2018 Yolo Bypass 016
Northern harrier.
Circus cyaneus in flight 2018 08-24 Yolo Bypass-b-002
Circus cyaneus flight 2018 Yolo Bypass 002
Athene canicularia 2018 08-24 Yolo County--001
Athene canicularia 2018 Yolo County 001

CONDOR EXPRESS TRIPS

Click on the gray whale above and be transported to my Condor Express trip photos

2018 08-24 Yolo & Yolo Bypass