Birding Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Wanting to see more birds on my vacation, but not wanting to go too far out of the way on our return trip, I decided to go to Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Northern California, nearly on a straight line from Tahoe. Since I’d never been there this time of year, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I knew we were in California when we were greeted by a Great Egret flyover.

EgretGretng

Being California, we saw several on the refuge, both in the water and in recently harvest wheat fields, but my favorite shot of the day was of this one taking off from the wetlands.

EgrtTakof

I do occasionally see Great Egrets in Washington, but I really knew I was in California when I saw several Snowy Egrets standing on the dam, refusing to fly no matter how long I aimed my camera at it.

SnwyEgrtGat

I am more used to seeing Brown Pelicans in California than White Pelicans, but this one was accommodating enough to drop in just as we were about to leave the refuge.

PlcnLandng

We were really “just passing through” on our way to Crater Lake, but I definitely got my bird fix, one that would last until I got home and could get to the ocean to catch the last of the Fall Migration.

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