Today, we drove to the nearby Sacramento National Wildlife Reserve. I was keen to get my first look at a Yellow-billed Magpie and Tri-coloured Blackbird. To that end, we did the walking tour through open fields of the sanctuary. Unfortunately, the water had dried up, the marshes were withering and there were few birds.
Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Although the drying marsh did not work for the birds it provided good habitat for jackrabbits and lizards.
National Wildlife Refugees are fun places to explore as they are never crowded and those people you do encounter are fellow nature lovers. It is not everyone's cup of tea to wander through swamps looking for birds but we find it tranquil as a rule.
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As there was no open water on the walking tour there were few birds. Although, one Marsh Wren seemed to be making the best of it.
25) Marsh Wren
Things started to look up when we took the auto tour around the sanctuary. There were still a large section of the reserve with standing water. The migratory birds had flown north long ago but there were still several hundred resident birds.
33) White Pelican
Emma is always more excited by mammals than birds so she appreciated this close up look at the beaver that swam by.
Beaver
Lifer! I've seen hundreds of Western Grebes but this was the first Clarke's Grebe that crossed our path. Clarke's and Western grebes are almost identical except the latter bird has black feathers surrounding the eye. Clearly, this bird's eye is surrounded by white feathers.
44)* Clarke's Grebe
Marshland in the California Central Valley is essential to the waterfowl of western North America. If these marshes have their water diverted to crops and cities then the wintering grounds of millions of birds will disappear. No wintering ground means no birds to fly north in the spring. Lack of water in California affects us all.
It was 6:00 p.m.by the time we finished the auto tour. A wifi search confirmed that California cities are passing bylaws to prevent free camping in Walmart parking lots. We shifted gears and drove to the nearby Calusa Casino to dry camp for the evening.
Bonus! The casino welcomed us with open arms. When we went to the casino reception desk, they gave us the new players' freebies. We got half price at the buffet and some casino money which we soon lost at the tables.
June 16
When we got up in the morning it was sunny and hot again. We drove to the nearby Calusa National Wildlife Refuge.
This refuge was not as big or as well watered as the Sacramento NWR. Bulrushes were plentiful but the water had largely been diverted and the marshes were dry.
Calusa National Wildlife Refuge
We did the walking tour of the refuge then hopped in the RV for the auto tour.
51) House Wren
Calusa National Wildlife Refuge
A 52) Great Egret was foraging in a far meadow but few waterfowl were present.
A large snake exceeding six feet slowly crossed our path. It was moving steadily. I got in front of it to get it to hold up so I could take more pictures.
Bad idea.
When I got in front of the snake it sped up straight at me. This was not part of my plan.
With the agility of old, I snapped this photo then, using my Tilley hat as a cape, executed a two handed veronica as the serpent charged past.
Emma is a good sport about birding but has her limits. See suggested that there is more to life than trekking about in snake-infested swamps.
We got on Magellan and booked a campsite at the Yosemite Pines RV Resort. It was 84 kilometres away according to Magellan but Magellan measures distances as the crow flies not as the road winds.
Central Valley Grassland
As the oaks gave way to towering pine trees we passed the scenic old mining town of Graceland. It was evening before we pulled into our campsite.
The Yellow-billed Magpie would have to wait for another day.
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