After seeing so many eagles and that amazing bobcat experience down the road at Lower Klamath, I wasn't sure if the sister refuge at Tule Lake would live up to the hype. But almost immediately, I was transported back into the magical world of discovering nature and critters that I never thought I would see.
I saw a little boat launch with a lot of birds around it, so I pulled in to see if I could get any decent shots. I couldn't. But just as I parked my car beside the water and opened my door, I heard a loud SPLASH and saw this little critter swimming away from where I had disturbed it's sunbathing on the bank.
I think it's a muskrat because of the way the tail looks in the water and because he was smaller than the only beavers I've seen.
I tried to remain as still as a statue hoping he would swim back towards me, but he didn't. So I, too moved along. I turned onto the auto tour road and immediately saw some cool birds floating on the brilliant, blue lake.
A Western Grebe
And a beautifully weird looking female Common Merganser.
I was told by the rangers at the visitor center and also by some other travelers I had been speaking with that there was a large flock of Snow Geese. Now, I was blessed to see a huge flock of Snow and Ross Geese at the very first National Wildlife Refuge I ever happened upon in Merced. It's one of the things that got me hooked on bird watching. So I was very happy to hear that I would be seeing some at Tule Lake and this flock did not disappoint.
Clark's Grebe - notice that the black cap does not come down over the eyes like it does on the Western Grebe photo above.
Oh! I've always tried to get a good shot of a beautiful Ruddy Duck with their distinctive blue bills but the blue has never really stood out in any of my other photos. But this guy's bill was so vibrant that even I couldn't mess it up! And it looks like he has blue guyliner on too. How emo.
I was told by the Rangers that the Grebes were beginning to partner up and that I might be fortunate enough to see a mating dance. They said it was a little early for it, but that someone had reported seeing one a couple days before.
So imagine my delight when I spotted a couple doing the preliminary preening moves of the mating dance.
I waited for quite a while, but they never did the running along the water bit. They were taking it slow and I guess that's a good thing for true love. haha Since I didn't see it, here's a gif of a BBC production so you know what I'm talking about.
On to the next treat!! I turned my attention skyward when I saw the splendor of a large Bald Eagle sitting on a telephone pole surveying his kingdom (and probably looking for his next snack).
As I usually do, I snapped photos every few feet or so as I inched my car forward while praying that he wouldn't fly away.
Closer!!
I really think he's trying to decide if he should eat me. I'm very heavy Mister Eagle!
As I inched underneath and past him, he hopped from the middle to the ends and back to the middle again. Of course I didn't get any photos of that. haha
And now he's in the middle!
I pulled a little way passed him and then leaned out the window to get a few last shots, just in time to see him spread his wings and hop to the end again! And of course I didn't get the camera up in time.
I love this shot. Wish it was a little clearer but it looks like the perfect American Bald Eagle you see on posters with Uncle Sam.
Here is a completely zoomed out shot so you can see what he looked like to the naked eye! Pretty impressive specimen!
Just after that, another very large white and black bird few over me!
I followed him to his pod of fellow pelicans and watched them for a bit as they fished in the American White Pelican's coordinated fishing dance.
I saw a couple of Canvasbacks - the first I've ever seen I think.
And a purple-headed Northern Shoveler!
And then the auto-tour suddenly spit me out into the high desert on the far side of the lake! But it wasn't over...not yet.
There were lots of cool landscape shots to be had. Including this one with a meadowlark and a prairie dog sitting on rocks!
And this landscape of two prairie dogs with Mt. Shasta in the background.
And this landscape with a Northern Harrier flying through.
There were still birds to be seen, for sure.
But the beautiful landscape was just as much the star of the show now.
After figuring out where the hell I was, I headed for Lava Beds National Monument to explore some history.
xoxo
