..................On my way down to southeast of Lodi, Calif. to visit
my daughter and 4 grandchildren for Thanksgiving, I stopped and spent
some time at Sacramento NWR, and Colusa NWR nears Williams, Cal. in the
central valley. Just a few things for those interested in Calif. birding.
..................As for ducks.....one sees most of the same species as
up here during the winter. Except...........just zillions and zillions
more astronomical concentrations of ducks----along with the even more
"mind-boggling" numbers of SNOW GEESE (ROSS'S GEESE included), and
hundreds of GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE (both PACIFIC and TULE I am
told), and some TUNDRA SWANS. * No* Canada Geese present.
................Then there were 130 some BLACK-NECKED STILTS (....more
than I ever seen in one place!!!); a goodly number of WHITE-FACED IBIS;
a couple of AVOCETS; AND......lots and lots of LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHERS(about 200), and lots of ducks and more SNOW GEESE----all on
*one* pond next to the viewing platform at autotour route at Sacramento
NWR.!!!!!
................COMMON MOORHENS; RING-NECKED PHEASANTS; plenty of HARRIER
and RED-TAILED HAWKS and TURKEY VULTURES everywhere--even 1 KESTREL.
................3 WHITE PELICANS (at Colusa NWR); Both SNOWY and GREAT
EGRETS; YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES; YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS;COMMON
YELLOWTHROATS, BLACK PHOEBES ;SAVANNAH, WHITE-CROWNED, AND
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS; RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS (everwhere!!!); WESTERN
MEADOWLARKS; MARSH WRENS; and a SORA (heard---not seen!!)

................And...........all the rest of the birds that were
present, but which I didn't see.!!! )-: )-:
................Nothing new that I haven't seen before-----just sure
delightful winter viewing.

................Cheers....Gerald Hamilton
Brush Prairie, Wash.
gerald at e-z.net