An All Birds, All the Time Sort of Day

Had a pretty good day birding with Don today. We started out on Brewer Road, Placer County where the birds du jour were Long-billed Curlews and Wilson's Snipe. Neither are rare but they are always fun to find. I got some so-so pictures because the birds were a good distance way.

Amazing Levitating Long-billed Curlew

We found a huge flock of Wild Turkeys which I've never seen on Brewer before - maybe some twenty birds.

Next we headed to Consumnes Refuge, and on the way in spotted a small skunk - broad daylight mind you - digging on a bank. I only got a picture of its butt as it dove into the shubbery. ARGH! I ought to forgive myself as I was doing the driving.

Tail end of Skunk

We went on the marsh boardwalk, and saw the 'usual' suspects - Pintails, Marsh Wrens, Cinnamon Teals and such - saw a lovely male Blue-winged Teal. Loads of Sandhill Cranes.

No Tundra swans or Snow or White-fronted geese - other than Canadas - as they've all headed north already. We had a pari of Virginia Rails right next to the boardwalk and even though I was only a few feet away I could not get a decent picture to same my life because the reeds were in the way. Oh well. I guess when I get a nice one I'll really appreciate it. Got a nearly-almost -ok- Marsh Wren picture - those tiny buggers don't hold still for more than a few seconds at a time.

Let's play 'Find the Marsh Wren'

Let's see - other birdie highlights in the Consumnes area were a Great Horned Owl and a Barn Owl (I didn't see the Barn, damn it).

After Consumnes we headed for the Rancho Seco area to look for Lewis Woodpeckers. The last time we were there we found loads of the birds before we even got out of the car, but this time were were none. BUT, Don spotted some Hooded Mergansers which I don't see very often.

We ended the day with beer and sushi at Mikuni's in Fair Oaks. Nice, nice dinner and whew! I'm ready to call it a day.