Back to Colusa National Wildlife Refuge

After three plus weeks on the road, we were ready to be home, but I wasn’t ready to drive all the way from Fresno to Tacoma in a single day. Besides I haven’t been able to drive past the Sacramento and Colusa National Wildlife Refuges without stopping since I found them several years ago.

We arrived at Colusa mid-day and the birding was relatively slow, which might be why I managed to spot this Wilson’s Snipe

before it scurried into the reeds.

Although I’d gotten a better shot only two days before I am always excited when I spot one of these elusive birds.

There’s nothing elusive about Great Egrets

and they almost seem more common in California than crows in Tacoma, but I seldom get this close to them.

Nor do I go to California to see ducks, but I liked this shot of a pair of Northern Pintails and a pair of Widgeons.

I do go south to see Black-necked Stilts, so I was happy to see these two, though I missed seeing Avocets..

Truthfully, though, I generally stop at Colusa before going to the Sacramento National Wildlife to see the Night Heron rookery. Though there didn’t seem to be as many herons there as usual, it was still easy to get some nice shots.