(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



Daily Bucket - Vic Fazio Wildlife Area from Floodplain to Farmland [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags']

Date: 2023-05-30

A crop-duster works on the fields just over the levee from the wildlife area.

We had so much water this winter that the Vic Fazio Wildlife Area in the Yolo Bypass Flood Basin was closed until April due to the overflow waters from the Sacramento River. I finally got a chance to visit during the Memorial Day weekend.

To my surprise, not only was the basin dry but the most of the ponds that usually exist year-round were dry too. There were just several small areas that were more like oversized puddles. Most of the basin is farmed and already been plowed and seeded with whatever crop is planned for this year.

The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.

We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.

Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the phenological patterns that are quietly unwinding around us. To have the Daily Bucket in your Activity Stream, visit Backyard Science’s profile page and click on Follow.

Because there were no ponds, there were almost no waterfowl.​ ​​​​​​I only saw 3 mallard drakes. Last November, this area teemed with Pintails, Shovelors, Tundra Swans, Mallards, Coots, geese and a variety of shorebirds. The only geese I saw this time was a small line of Canada Geese overhead, honking as they flew past the bypass in search of water.

I also didn’t see any raptors. I usually see at least one Red-tailed or Red-shouldered Hawk in a line of trees I call Raptor Row.

The egrets worked the small water bodies left behind. There were plenty of other birds to be seen.

I captured a lifer — the Marsh Wren. I kept hearing these little guys who stayed hidden deep in the tule rushes. And then, one popped out to sing.

Marsh Wren in full song

I finally took a decent photo of a Ring-necked Pheasant, a non-native Asian species released for hunting that is now endemic to the most of Central Valley.

Ring-necked Pheasant stands on dry land in what is normally a pond.

Dozens of Red-winged Blackbirds were everywhere — flying, fighting and singing their hearts out.

The Blackbird flashes his bright red wings to warn other blackbirds away

A Red-winged Blackbird hen keeps her eye out for the males.

Here are a few of the other birds I saw during my visit.

First the egrets, herons and other waterbirds. I usually see Black-necked Stilts but that pond was dry.

Great Egret with a juvenile? It looks too small to be a snowy.

Snowy Egret

Black-capped Night Heron takes to the sky

Great Blue Heron hides among the tule rushes.

A pair of American Avocets rest in a little puddle

Canada Geese in flight

Two mallards paddle by 3 great egrets in one of the few wet spots

Here are the rest of the birds I saw.

Western Kingbird

House finch feeding on a seed head

Northern Mockingbird

Western Meadowlark in one of the dry ponds

Brown-head Cowbird

Song Sparrow lifting his head in song

LBB — not a song sparrow; possibly an English House Sparrow hen?

I only saw Song Sparrows on this visit. In the winter, I see White-crowned, Gold-crowned and Savannah Sparrows as well.

This beauty stopped just long enough for me to get a photo

Even though the bypass is bone dry, the spring runoff is very high, very fast and extremely cold. People are being warned to stay out of the water. Unfortunately, there have been at least 6 drownings already on the local rivers. Some of the American River Parkway access points are closed due to the high water flooding the parking and picnic areas.

Weather has been unseasonably cool in the mid 70s but temperatures for the next week are expected to rise to the mid 80s by the end of week which is about average.

What’s up in your neck of the woods?

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/5/30/2171814/-Daily-Bucket-Vic-Fazio-Wildlife-Area-from-Floodplain-to-Farmland

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/