2020 10-13 Sac NWR
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We arrived at the refuge and began our drive around the loop at 1130 am. It was sunny with a very light breeze. Although very clear looking directly up at the sky, lateral visibility was limited in the distance by smoke and haze. There were very few visitors while we were there and we left the refuge at 1:10pm. There was very little water and the majority of the pods remain dry. Those pods that did have water were festooned with greater white-fronted geese and other water fowl.
Right off the bat, the trees along the first couple hundred yards produced a nice white-tailed kite. It was somewhat back-lit so we shall keep our fingers crossed. Other raptors sighted today included a handful of red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures. The red-tails were photographed perched in trees, and the vultures were soaring directly overhead.
Along the southern leg of the loop that runs from west to east, one area had ample water. We stopped along the roadway when we could find a gap in the roadside weeds. Along with several photos of geese, I shot a couple of otters that were swimming quickly away from my location.
A small sign warning people from turning into an off-limits dirt road was a nice perch for a black phoebe. Further down the road we stopped for quite a while to shoot a bittern that was wading in the irrigation canal and actively hunting. These should be the highlight photos of the trip. Another stretch of pond had a close by great white egret that was also preoccupied with its hunt.
Several sky panoramas showed huge flocks of geese, including some pics taken from the viewing platform looking east. Most of the ponds east of the platform have not been flooded yet.
As a side note, we stopped at Maxwell Cemetery coming and going without any vermillion flycatcher sightings. The groundsman was busy both times with the tractor-mower and his noisy weed whacker. Recent social media posts of the bird had gotten our hopes up.
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Read MoreWe arrived at the refuge and began our drive around the loop at 1130 am. It was sunny with a very light breeze. Although very clear looking directly up at the sky, lateral visibility was limited in the distance by smoke and haze. There were very few visitors while we were there and we left the refuge at 1:10pm. There was very little water and the majority of the pods remain dry. Those pods that did have water were festooned with greater white-fronted geese and other water fowl.
Right off the bat, the trees along the first couple hundred yards produced a nice white-tailed kite. It was somewhat back-lit so we shall keep our fingers crossed. Other raptors sighted today included a handful of red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures. The red-tails were photographed perched in trees, and the vultures were soaring directly overhead.
Along the southern leg of the loop that runs from west to east, one area had ample water. We stopped along the roadway when we could find a gap in the roadside weeds. Along with several photos of geese, I shot a couple of otters that were swimming quickly away from my location.
A small sign warning people from turning into an off-limits dirt road was a nice perch for a black phoebe. Further down the road we stopped for quite a while to shoot a bittern that was wading in the irrigation canal and actively hunting. These should be the highlight photos of the trip. Another stretch of pond had a close by great white egret that was also preoccupied with its hunt.
Several sky panoramas showed huge flocks of geese, including some pics taken from the viewing platform looking east. Most of the ponds east of the platform have not been flooded yet.
As a side note, we stopped at Maxwell Cemetery coming and going without any vermillion flycatcher sightings. The groundsman was busy both times with the tractor-mower and his noisy weed whacker. Recent social media posts of the bird had gotten our hopes up.
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White-crowned sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys White crowned sparrow 2020 10-13 Sac NWR-008
