2020 07-10 Sac NWR
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We began the diving loop at 10:30 AM having arrived early to beat the predicted heat. The whole area was pretty much bone dry except for a few irrigation canals and a fantastic amount of water in pond number two which is at the south end of the reserve. The entire pond was a-buzz with millions of blue damselflies that were hovering low over the water and dropping in for a swim.
Although this pond is fringed with reeds and the road alongside has frequent areas of tall weeds, there are still some gaps that let you use your binoculars and/or camera. Our target today was to try to find Clarke grebes with young chicks that people had reported. Social media showed the little chicks buried in their mothers back feathers and being towed around the pond
Although not exactly really close to the road, we did find one female Clark grebe with at least two chicks. At first the little chicks were out swimming freely in the pond next to mom. But they soon hopped back inside the feathers. Occasionally their little heads would poke out of the feathers like little passengers on a fluffy cruise ship.
Several photographs were taken of grebes feeding on damselflies.
A little further, around to the southeastern corner of the pond, we located larger grebes sitting on nest made a reeds floating in the pond. Are these larger Clarks grebes? Or are they western grebes? We will have to look at the images enlarged on the computer monitor to find the answer to these questions
There was no wind at all in the reserve today. The pond had a mirror glass surface which created perfect reflections in the photographs of the wildlife. A few white pelicans were also photographed, some in the air, some on the water
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Read MoreWe began the diving loop at 10:30 AM having arrived early to beat the predicted heat. The whole area was pretty much bone dry except for a few irrigation canals and a fantastic amount of water in pond number two which is at the south end of the reserve. The entire pond was a-buzz with millions of blue damselflies that were hovering low over the water and dropping in for a swim.
Although this pond is fringed with reeds and the road alongside has frequent areas of tall weeds, there are still some gaps that let you use your binoculars and/or camera. Our target today was to try to find Clarke grebes with young chicks that people had reported. Social media showed the little chicks buried in their mothers back feathers and being towed around the pond
Although not exactly really close to the road, we did find one female Clark grebe with at least two chicks. At first the little chicks were out swimming freely in the pond next to mom. But they soon hopped back inside the feathers. Occasionally their little heads would poke out of the feathers like little passengers on a fluffy cruise ship.
Several photographs were taken of grebes feeding on damselflies.
A little further, around to the southeastern corner of the pond, we located larger grebes sitting on nest made a reeds floating in the pond. Are these larger Clarks grebes? Or are they western grebes? We will have to look at the images enlarged on the computer monitor to find the answer to these questions
There was no wind at all in the reserve today. The pond had a mirror glass surface which created perfect reflections in the photographs of the wildlife. A few white pelicans were also photographed, some in the air, some on the water
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Aechmophorus occidentalis portrait reflection w damselflies 2020 07-10 Sac NWR--004
Aechmophorusoccidentalisportraitreflectiondamselflies2020SacNWR004
Aechmophorus clarkii juv on back & damselflies 2020 07-10 Sac NWR--355
Podilymbus podiceps Pied-billed Grebe & damselflies 2020 07-10 Sac NWR--008
