Colusa National Wildlife Preserve

Colusa Refuge is situated about 70 miles north of the metropolitan area of Sacramento and one mile southwest of the town of Colusa, population 5,500. The Refuge consists of 4,686 acres in Colusa County and is part of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Currently, peak numbers of waterfowl can exceed 200,000 ducks and over 75,000 geese. In addition, significant numbers of giant garter snakes (Federal-listed threatened species) and palmate-bracted bird's-beak occur on the Refuge, as does the second largest acreage of vernal pools on the Complex. The Refuge lies in the Colusa Basin and is bisected by the Colusa Basin Drain, which drains the Basin southeast to the Sacramento River. The low topography and presence of the Colusa Basin Drain makes Refuge lands subject to regular flooding.

Today we saw so many species, and many were new for me, among those we viewed were--- Blue Phase Snow Geese, White Geese, Snowy Egret, White fronted geese, Northern pintail ducks, Northern Shoveler, eagles, white-tailed kites, great White egrets, blue heron, night heron, Ruddy Ducks, Black-necked stilt, and numerous others. I think this has to be the very best day of birding for me so far in my life...I was overwhelmed with the diversity and sheer number of waterfowl. Although we only spent a couple hours viewing, it felt like weeks;))

I have posted my favorites on Flickr