January 2022

 

Sometimes a change of scenery will do the trick, take us out of the usual, everyday life.  Often this variation is just the ticket.  Jimmy and I live in tall tree country, in Nevada County, where every January our Incense Cedar trees begin spitting pollen, and every January, my eyes begin to weep, I sneeze ferociously and my nose runs, and so I seem to be allergic to these very trees that surround us.  In January, for heavens sake!  Snow on the ground, pollen on the roof!  I'm on eye drops, nose spray, and allergy pills now, but allergy shots may be in my future.  I love to be outdoors, but not here, not now.  Where to go?

In Yuba County (among others), 30 miles downhill, down Highway 20, rice is planted on a large scale.  In winter many rice growers flood their fields to soften the stubble and make it easier to till in the spring.  It's a win-win for migratory birds, as the rice fields provide food and a resting place for nearly 230 wildlife species.  According to the California Rice Commission, these flooded fields are the source of 60% of the food for 7 to 10 million ducks and geese that migrate along the Pacific Flyway each winter.  Woodruff Lane in Yuba County is where we headed today, to see the birds.

Ahhhh, magnificent!

We saw a number of observant hawks.

Some of the flooded fields showed stubble, while others held more water.  Sutter Buttes appears hazy in the distance.  Be fun to hike in The Buttes come spring, but I believe only guided hiking is allowed.

While this area isn't quite as packed with birds as Gray Lodge, which we visited over two years ago and which is twice the distance from our house, we saw plenty to make us happy -- including Tundra Swans, Snow geese, White-fronted geese, and lots of duck species.  And many others.

We parked the car off Woodruff and set out on one of the levees that separates the rice ponds.  All the birds would eye us warily and if they thought we were too close, up they'd go!  What's funny to us was, when we'd walk to the other side of a pond, via levee, to get closer to the birds, those birds would've already paddled far away from us!  I know, no winning that one.

Cattails -- falling apart!

When flying overhead, Tundra Swans sound a little like Sandhill Cranes and initially we thought "sandhills."  All my pictures are zoomed in.  You couldn't sneak up on any of the birds since no cover could be had on a levee.  Tundra Swans, which are one of the largest migrating birds, travel across the sky in a Vee shape.

Away they go!

Jimmy stands on a wide levee with Shintaffer Rice Dryers behind him and Mathews Rice Dryer in the distance (behind Shintaffer).  Good place to start our explore.

Walking alongside Jack Slough, binocs in hand, Jimmy walks on the far side of the pond.  The birds, of course, have dispersed.

Northern Pintails were prevalent in this pond.

In this area, White-fronted geese were sitting peacefully ... till we came along.  Mind you, we weren't too close, but apparently not far enough away.  We didn't mean for them to fly, didn't want them to fly, but ....

Up, up, and away!

Swans, ducks, and a Whimbrel in the foreground.

They're noisy at takeoff.

We enjoyed hiking around the ponds.  Our elevation here was about 75 feet, or roughly 3100 feet less than where we live, so the flora was totally unlike our neck of the woods (good for me).  I was surprised that we didn't see any snakes or raccoons or other wildlife; just waterfowl of many types, and that was okay by us.  It felt grand to be Out and About today, tromp around some, feel the sunshine on our cheeks.  I hope we can do it again before the Great Migration starts north.