With many youngsters about to start their Christmas vacation, now is a great time to take them on a wildlife sightseeing trip. One of the best opportunities to view bird life in Lake County will be on Saturday during the Redbud Audubon Society”s annual Christmas Bird Count.
Members of the local Audubon chapter will be on hand to escort people during the bird count. According to Audubon representative Darlene Hecomovich, the bird count is open to the public and all you have to do is show up on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. at either the Clear Lake State Park or at Anderson Marsh. Hecomovich recommends bringing a pair of binoculars. She also stresses that you don”t have to be an expert birder as there will be experts accompanying you.
For more information call 928-5591. Interested individuals can also attend the Redbud Audubon Society”s monthly meeting at the Kelseyville High School library on Thursday evening. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. and you will learn all the details about the Christmas Bird Count.
In addition to the Christmas Bird Count, there are also numerous opportunities to view wildlife throughout the county. One of my all-time favorites is the herd of tule elk at Lake Pillsbury. The herd now numbers close to 50 animals, including several large bulls. They can normally be seen on the old airstrip at the north end of the lake.
Lake Pillsbury itself is now little more than a puddle but should fill with the coming rains. Regardless, it”s a beautiful drive and a great place to take a lunch and enjoy the scenery. To reach the lake, take Highway 20 west to the Potter Valley turnoff. Take the county road into the lake. The road is gravel but is in good shape and can be traveled by auto.
Wildlife can also be seen in huge numbers on Clear Lake. One of the most enjoyable sights are the hundreds of white pelicans that are presently visiting the lake. The best way to see the birds of Clear Lake is by boat and one of the best places to launch is Lakeside County Park.
In the park itself is a large flock of Canada geese. They can be seen feeding on the green grass next to the ball field. Earlier this week I observed a white-fronted goose mixing with the Canada geese. It is also not unusual to see one or two snow geese.
A trip to the Sacramento Valley is a rare opportunity to view one of the largest concentrations of waterfowl in the country. Millions of ducks and geese spend the winter in the Sacramento Valley. In fact, the Sacramento Valley is the primary wintering ground for more than 50 percent of all the waterfowl in the Pacific Flyway. The ducks and geese start their migration in Alaska and Northern Canada and by mid-December they have settled in the federal and state wildlife refuges in the Sacramento Valley.
There are four federal refuges and two state refuges. The largest is the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, located just south of Willows on I-5.
The Sacramento Refuge offers a 5-mile self-guided auto tour which takes you within a few yards of thousands of the ducks and geese that winter on the refuge. There are also bald and golden eagles as well as pheasants and hawks.
One of the most spectacular sights takes place when the huge flocks of snow geese leave the refuge in the mornings to feed in the nearby rice fields. Waterfowlers call these massive flocks of snow geese a “grind.” The sky turns literally white with the geese and their calls are deafening. This is one trip that you want to bring along a pair of binoculars and a good camera. The tour takes about two hours.
To get there, take Highway 20 from Lake County to I-5. Take the Norman Road
Exit just south of Willows and turn north on the frontage road to the refuge. As you enter the refuge there are signs directing you to the tour road.
The Colusa National Wildlife Refuge also offers an abundance of waterfowl. The refuge is located on Highway 20 between the towns of Williams and Colusa.
In addition to the refuges, waterfowl can be viewed throughout the Sacramento Valley as they fly to and from their feeding areas. For example, the rice fields along Highway 20 and 162 are loaded with geese and ducks.
On the way to the Sacramento Valley, be on the lookout for the herds of tule elk along Highway 20 near the Cache Creek Wildlife Area. The elk can often been seen within a few yards of the highway.
Wildlife viewing can be one of the most exciting and rewarding outings of the year and Lake County and the surrounding communities are the perfect places to do it.
