2019 11-28 Sacramento NWR
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We left home at 630am for Sac NWR in hopes of some early morning light. There were a few rain showers along Hwy 50 going through Sacramento, after which it was a dry day. The clouds persisted and it became colder as we moved north (duh!). Hopes of early light had to be postponed. We made two complete trips around the driving loop, as described below.
Our first drive around the auto loop there was abundant wildlife, not abundant sun (no sun at all). We were bundled up and had the truck heater on full. Many harriers worked the wetlands and we took a few shots. One irrigation channel that came up to the dirt road from the south and stopped had a group of 5 river otters actively hunting. I had to shoot across the front seat and out the passenger window with backlighting. Nevertheless, seeing otters is rare and we loved it.
The new observation deck across from the older elevated platform is quite nice and there is a little water there now. Black-necked stilts were foraging a few feet from the northern platform railing. Geese and ducks were also in the vicinity. No turtles were seen today (too cold?). The northbound leg of the loop, from the elevated platform to the main flow control valve on the levee, featured numerous raptors (including a single great horned owl on the same branch as previous trips). A couple of nicely perched red-tailed hawks were photographed as was a lone, small Accipiter. I thought it might be a Cooper’s hawk, others in the Facebook Birding group are proposing sharp-chinned hawk…the debate continues.
Naturally, the most impressive phenomenon this time of year and remains beyond normal still photography’s ability to do justice, are the many tens (hundreds?) of thousands of geese, mostly snow geese, in the wetlands. Ross’s geese, some white-fronted geese, and very few Canada geese were present among the multitudes of ducks (mallards, pintails, shovelers, etc). The most minor disturbance sends them to the air in waves so as to eventually obscure most of the sky. The sound of all the wings beating and geese calling makes the whole experience breath-taking if not spiritual. The annual migration of these big birds is amazing.
On the way out, at the end of our first trip around the loop, a large adult bald eagle took off from a tree directly above the roof of our truck and we finally saw it from a tail-view as it few across the adjacent ponds and sent the geese and ducks into the air.
After an hour lunch break in Willows, the clouds parted and we headed back for a second, sunnier drive around the auto loop. This time the light was much improved for photography. In addition to the aforementioned birds and otters, this trip featured a skunk (in the brush, camera shy) and a young mule deer feeding in the brush close to the road. The geese were really jittery and masses of them were constantly in the air.
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Read MoreWe left home at 630am for Sac NWR in hopes of some early morning light. There were a few rain showers along Hwy 50 going through Sacramento, after which it was a dry day. The clouds persisted and it became colder as we moved north (duh!). Hopes of early light had to be postponed. We made two complete trips around the driving loop, as described below.
Our first drive around the auto loop there was abundant wildlife, not abundant sun (no sun at all). We were bundled up and had the truck heater on full. Many harriers worked the wetlands and we took a few shots. One irrigation channel that came up to the dirt road from the south and stopped had a group of 5 river otters actively hunting. I had to shoot across the front seat and out the passenger window with backlighting. Nevertheless, seeing otters is rare and we loved it.
The new observation deck across from the older elevated platform is quite nice and there is a little water there now. Black-necked stilts were foraging a few feet from the northern platform railing. Geese and ducks were also in the vicinity. No turtles were seen today (too cold?). The northbound leg of the loop, from the elevated platform to the main flow control valve on the levee, featured numerous raptors (including a single great horned owl on the same branch as previous trips). A couple of nicely perched red-tailed hawks were photographed as was a lone, small Accipiter. I thought it might be a Cooper’s hawk, others in the Facebook Birding group are proposing sharp-chinned hawk…the debate continues.
Naturally, the most impressive phenomenon this time of year and remains beyond normal still photography’s ability to do justice, are the many tens (hundreds?) of thousands of geese, mostly snow geese, in the wetlands. Ross’s geese, some white-fronted geese, and very few Canada geese were present among the multitudes of ducks (mallards, pintails, shovelers, etc). The most minor disturbance sends them to the air in waves so as to eventually obscure most of the sky. The sound of all the wings beating and geese calling makes the whole experience breath-taking if not spiritual. The annual migration of these big birds is amazing.
On the way out, at the end of our first trip around the loop, a large adult bald eagle took off from a tree directly above the roof of our truck and we finally saw it from a tail-view as it few across the adjacent ponds and sent the geese and ducks into the air.
After an hour lunch break in Willows, the clouds parted and we headed back for a second, sunnier drive around the auto loop. This time the light was much improved for photography. In addition to the aforementioned birds and otters, this trip featured a skunk (in the brush, camera shy) and a young mule deer feeding in the brush close to the road. The geese were really jittery and masses of them were constantly in the air.
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Snow geese in formation.
Chen caerulescens aerial formations 2019 11-28 Sac NWR--025
