10,000 Birds

JANUARY 18, 2012

Colusa National Wildlife Refuge is part of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex in California’s Central Valley. This complex consists of five national wildlife refuges (NWR) and three wildlife management areas (WMA) that comprise over 35,000 acres of wetlands and uplands. I was not disappointed!

Geese 168

Geese Wildlife Sacramento South Dakota 168

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 12, 2011

I found these beauties at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, one of the many locations the Black-necked Stilt breeds in the California Central Valley (map courtesy of Terry Sohl at South Dakota Birds ). Black-necked Stilts will wade in water of any depth up to the height of their breast.

South Dakota 181

South Dakota Jordan Sacramento North America 181

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2017

Birders are familiar with the National Wildlife Refuge System, which consists of more than 550 units distributed through all fifty states. National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs), which are managed by the U.S. FWS calls WPAs the “Prairie Jewels of the National Wildlife Refuge System.”. Ding” Darling NWR in Florida.

Factory 116

Factory Ducks North Dakota Nebraska 116

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 30, 2013

The North American Tundra Swan ( Cygnus columbianus columbianus ) migrates in flocks of family groups… leaving their Arctic breeding grounds in late September and arriving in their wintering grounds in November and December 1 (click on photos for full sized images). Range map courtesy of Terri Sohl of South Dakota Birds and Birding.

California 106

California South Dakota Sacramento North America 106

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 21, 2011

Waterfowl numbers at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex may exceed two million by December, after the wetland areas of the Klamath Basin and other areas to the north become frozen. Map courtesy of Terry Sohl at South Dakota Birds and Birding. Snow and Ross’s Geese winter there in the tens of thousands.

Geese 152

Geese South Dakota Sacramento Arkansas 152

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2012

Tom Dunkerton tipped me off to an area on the Black Merritt National Wildlife Refuge where some of my target birds can be seen. The Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival occurs every year at the end of January in Titusville. Their population is currently stable among the arctic regions where they breed. … a.

Florida 167

Florida South Dakota Sparrows Wildlife 167

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2011

I was looking out a car window the other day and noticed that of all the wildlife most of it was bird. But if you look at a bit of prairie in South Dakota during the dead of winter, you may see very few birds and a lot of bison. A squirrel skittered by … a squirrel is not a bird.

Mammals 173

Mammals Rodents Birds Reptiles 173