Category: Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area

Red-winged Blackbirds

by Earthwatcher, posted in American River Parkway, Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, California, Earthwatcher, Fair Oaks, Folsom, Fujifilm Cameras, nature, Nature Photography, Orangevale, Photography, Sacramento, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
Red-winged Blackbird Calling and Flashing Eapaulets
Look closely and you will see his breath condensing in the air while he calls.
Sailor Bar
American River Parkway, Fair Oaks, CA; MAR 2021

Its spring and male birds are displaying their most beautiful plumage and serenading with their most beautiful calls. To me, none is more beautiful than the Red-winged Blackbird. I’ve included a link to a video which I am sharing, not because I want you to see it but because I want you listen to it. It is from my favorite spring nesting spot; my favorite because of the song of these birds.

Link to Red-winged Blackbird video: Red-Winged Blackbird Melody – YouTube.

Please click on caption to se images at higher resolution.

Female Red-winged Blackbird
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Davis, CA; MAY 2020
Red-winged Blackbird Flashing Epaulets
Sailor Bar, American River Parkway, Fair Oaks, CA; MAR 2021

If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

A Visit to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area

by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, California, Earthwatcher, Fujifilm Cameras, nature, Nature Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
American Pipit
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Davis, CA; FEB 2021

We visited the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area in Davis, CA. Like many of the wildlife refuges in the Sacramento Valley, it is agricultural land where rice is grown. The fields are flooded over the winter to help decompose the stubble before planting the next spring. Waterfowl and shorebirds migrate to these wetlands to feed over the winter.

Here are a few examples.

Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution.

Long-billed Curlew
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Davis, CA; DEC 2020
Black-bellied Plover
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Davis, CA; FEB 2021
Least Sandpiper
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Davis, CA; FEB 2021
Wilson’s Snipe
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Davis, CA; FEB 2021

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

Birds Along the Water’s Edge

by Earthwatcher, posted in American River, American River Parkway, Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, California, Earthwatcher, Fujifilm Cameras, nature, Nature Photography, Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
Herring Gull
American River Parkway, Rancho Cordova, CA; NOV 2020

Today’s post features some birds that I found along the edge of the American River. The Kingfisher and Sandpipers are here, in the Sacramento area, much of the year but not always easy to find. The Herring Gull is a migrater found in large numbers during the Salmon Run.

The Herring Gull was fun to watch. I picked him up right after he caught the crayfish and got to watch as it positioned and swallowed the crayfish. It swallowed the crayfish whole, claw, and all. I think that is amazing.

Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution.

Least Sandpiper
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Davis, CA; DEC 2020
Female Belted Kingfisher
Sailor Bar, American River Parkway, Fair Oaks, CA; JUL 2020
Spotted Sandpiper
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, CA; NOV 2020
Least Sandpiper
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Davis, CA; DEC 2020

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

Egrets and Lizardicide

by Earthwatcher, posted in American River Parkway, Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, California, Earthwatcher, Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Fujifilm Cameras, nature, Nature Photography, Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
Great Egret (Ardea Alba)
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Davis, CA; MAY 2020

In this post, I am presenting 2 perspectives on the egret: the graceful, beautiful side and the visceral side.

A few weeks ago, we were at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Refuge in Davis, CA. In one of the sloughs, there were perhaps a dozen Egrets, both Snowy Egrets and Great Egrets. It turned out to be a great day for capturing them in flight.

Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution.

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Davis, CA; MAY 2020
Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula)
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Davis, CA; MAY 2020

The lizardicide, killing of a western fence lizard for food, happened at Effie Yeaw Nature Center. It was fascinating to watch. The actual capture was done in tall grass under the shade of a tree. After capture, the Great Egret made a short hop/flight out to the trail then prepared to devour his prey. The intrepid little lizard put up a strong fight but, in the end, it succumbed.

Stalking
Great Egret (Ardea Alba)
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, CA; JUN 2020
The Lizard’s Gambit
Great Egret (Ardea Alba) with Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, CA; JUN 2020
The Struggle
Positioning
The Swallow

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.