2021 12-29 Sac NWR
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We (Sue, Oliver and I) arrived around 10:30 AM. Being the first semi-sunny day after a prolonged rainy period, we found the refuge rather crowded. Everybody seemed to behave themselves and we got great looks at the magnificent panoramic vistas caused by the clear air, and the wonderful wildlife particularly the raptors.
The sightings began with a flock of coots that left the pond and we’re foraging in the grass right next to the road. A little further, there was a large turkey vulture striking a pterodactyl pose on a tree stump with a large red-tailed hawk sitting quite close on a tree branch. Peaceful coexistence.
There were several additional red-tailed hawks on our passage to the viewing platform area. All the while, it should be noted, the skies were full of hundreds and hundreds of snow geese and their sounds were incessant. At the platform, a half dozen photographers had their lenses trained on s juvenile bald eagle sitting in a nearby tree. By the time I got out of the truck, grabbed my camera, and started heading up there, it had flown off. This left the three of us alone on the platform just as an adult bald eagle did a fairly close flyby. The views from the platform looking back at Mendocino national Forest revealed the most snow I’ve ever seen on Snow Mountain. Spectacular.
Our slow trip northbound on “Raptor Road” brought us even more eagles and hawks. There were two subadult bald eagles working the pond to the east and harassing the ducks and geese. One of them slashed down and grabbed a duck. It sat on the duck in the water mantling for quite a while before it finally took off. In the trees, we saw two more subadult eagles, one was very large and it, too, was mantling.
No non-humanoid mammals sighted today
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Read MoreWe (Sue, Oliver and I) arrived around 10:30 AM. Being the first semi-sunny day after a prolonged rainy period, we found the refuge rather crowded. Everybody seemed to behave themselves and we got great looks at the magnificent panoramic vistas caused by the clear air, and the wonderful wildlife particularly the raptors.
The sightings began with a flock of coots that left the pond and we’re foraging in the grass right next to the road. A little further, there was a large turkey vulture striking a pterodactyl pose on a tree stump with a large red-tailed hawk sitting quite close on a tree branch. Peaceful coexistence.
There were several additional red-tailed hawks on our passage to the viewing platform area. All the while, it should be noted, the skies were full of hundreds and hundreds of snow geese and their sounds were incessant. At the platform, a half dozen photographers had their lenses trained on s juvenile bald eagle sitting in a nearby tree. By the time I got out of the truck, grabbed my camera, and started heading up there, it had flown off. This left the three of us alone on the platform just as an adult bald eagle did a fairly close flyby. The views from the platform looking back at Mendocino national Forest revealed the most snow I’ve ever seen on Snow Mountain. Spectacular.
Our slow trip northbound on “Raptor Road” brought us even more eagles and hawks. There were two subadult bald eagles working the pond to the east and harassing the ducks and geese. One of them slashed down and grabbed a duck. It sat on the duck in the water mantling for quite a while before it finally took off. In the trees, we saw two more subadult eagles, one was very large and it, too, was mantling.
No non-humanoid mammals sighted today
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Haliaeetus leucocephalus bald eagle JUV in tree 2021 12-30 Sac NWR-b-070
