Check out the video on the San Francisco Bay NWR Complex in the sidebar while this series is featured ———>

San Francisco Bay is the largest estuary on the west coast of the United States. Its 30,000 acres of wetlands, open water, and upland habitats are home to at least 800,000 birds at any given time and to millions during peak migration¹.

Don Edwards San Francisco National Wildlife Refuge was the first urban National Wildlife Refuge established in the United States and is dedicated to preserving and enhancing wildlife habitat, protecting migratory birds, protecting threatened and endangered species, and providing opportunities for wildlife-oriented recreation and nature study for the surrounding communities.

The refuge provides habitat for nine species of Federally-listed threatened or endangered species and is home to 227 species of birds, including 8 percent of the world population of the Western Snowy Plover. It protects 60 percent of the world’s population of California Clapper Rail, as well as a substantial number of Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse, both found only in the remaining tidal marshes of San Francisco Bay².

This is a huge refuge comprising 30,000 acres of the 43,000 acres authorized by Congress already acquired. With over 30 miles of hiking trails and diverse habitats including open bay, salt ponds, salt marsh, mudflats, upland and vernal pools, stopping at the visitor center or planning your visit ahead of time is crucial to maximize your Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge experience.

The Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and is closed on all national holidays. Located at 2 Marshlands Road in Fremont, the center overlooks La Riviere Marsh, a restored salt marsh which is home to two endangered species, the California Clapper Rail and Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse.  As a matter of fact, the trail through La Riviere Marsh begins just beyond the visitor center.

Heading down the wooden stairway you are able to witness the expanse of this salt marsh habitat that was once a crystallizer pond in the old salt making days. Click on photos for full sized images.

This boardwalk leads across the marsh to a levee. As I began walking across the marsh, I was entertained by a pair of Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) that appeared to be exhibiting pairing behavior. Chasing one another, vocalizing and getting plenty of exercise which went on for quite some time.

According to the trail information sheet, when you reach the levee, turn right and look for the endangered Clapper Rail in the channel to your right. Of course, that was one of my main target species but I dipped on the elusive rail. Apparently, it may be seen in the muddy slough channels in this area during low tide. An excellent reason to plan your trip and check the tide tables for the optimum time to see certain species.

A Great Egret (Ardea alba) put on a show of fishing prowess and also looked rather dapper amongst the California Poppies.

I followed the levee back toward the other end of the trail at Marshlands Road and spotted an Alameda Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia pusillula) on the way, which is a species of special concern in California. They are permanent residents of the salt marshes bordering the south arm of the San Francisco Bay. A subspecies I didn’t even know about until writing this report

There was also a pair of American Wigeon (Anas americana) in the channel, the drake showing off for his mate.

This is the view from the other end of the La Riviere Marsh Trail, looking back toward the visitor center.

I decided to head back toward the highway entrance to the park on Marshland Road as I spotted some other shorebirds of interest when I drove in. This was taken looking back at the visitor center from a spot along a levee closer to Thornton Road. You can see a map of the trails around the visitor center here.

There were good looks at Willets (Tringa semipalmata) in the small ponds along the roadside and a California Ground Squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi) atop the levee.

There were also plenty of good views of  Greater Yellowlegs…

and a young (note greenish legs) Snowy Egret (Ardea alba) foraging…

while an adult takes flight from the muddy channel.

There is so much to see at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I had to split this report into three separate posts. Next time we will head out the Tidelands Trail and Newark Slough.

Be sure to watch the informative video of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Complex at the top of the sidebar giving you an overview of the seven National Wildlife Refuges that make up this incredible treasure of wildlife habitat in California.

If you haven’t already done so, please click on the Facebook widget in the side bar and “Like Us” on Facebook, and if you are interested in showing support for our project, check out the “About Us” page, send us your information and we’ll add you to the page! Also tell your friends about the Wildlife Conservation Stamp project and help us spread the word!

References: ¹Don Edwards San Francisco National Wildlife Bird List, ²U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Male Short-eared Owl ©Mia McPherson

Mia McPherson of On the Wing Photography is one of Wildlife Conservation Stamp’s ardent supporters. Not only does she support our cause, she is also a proud sponsor of the Peregrine Fund’s American Kestrel Partnership. If you want to know what Mia is really like, all you have to do is read her about page.

I’m going to give you fair warning though, once you visit Mia’s website and view her incredible images, you won’t be able to stay away.

Mia loves owls and the owl pictured above is from her post on the Short-eared Owls of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana. This is only one of the Short-eared Owl photographs from her post. I suggest you head on over to her blog right now for a real treat. Mia’s images of these beautiful raptors will have you begging for more.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Read the full post here …

The focus of this years International Migratory Bird Day is life cycles of migratory birds, conservation across the Americas.

What is International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD)? According to Environment for the Americas, IMBD celebrates and brings attention to one of the most important and spectacular events in the Americas – bird migration.  Bird Day is celebrated in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean¹. Environment for the Americas (EFTA) is a 501(c)(3) organization that was created to be a permanent home for International Bird Day due to the success of  the program. Today they work with partners and programs throughout the Americas. One of those partners is the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS).

I counted thirty International Bird Day events on the FWS special events page or you can look up events by category, state or geographic region here.

There is also a World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) because birds and bird migration are global events and should also be viewed in a global context.

The theme of the WMBD is “networking for migratory birds,” highlighting the importance of networks of sites for migratory birds along their migration routes.

Once again Mia McPherson shows us her photographic prowess with a post on the Midges of Bear River National Wildlife Refuge in Utah. From this photo of a single midge, to photographs of groups of midges, to an astonishing image of columns of hundreds of thousands of midges, Mia explains how important these insects are to the birds of Bear River NWR.

Midge at Bear River NWR ©Mia McPherson

The Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), located south of Sacramento, California, lies within the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta, the destination of thousands of migrating waterfowl, shorebirds, and other water birds. The refuge was established in 1994 and is one of the few urban refuges that have the potential to attract and educate thousands of visitors in a region that is becoming the new Silicon Valley of California¹.

With acquisition of its first land in 1994 Stone Lakes NWR was officially designated the 505th unit in the National Wildlife Refuge System. It joined the ranks of other local land management projects, including the Cosumnes River Preserve to the south and the Vic Fazio Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area to the west, which have similar goals of protecting and enhancing imperiled Central Valley fish and wildlife habitats.

The approved refuge boundary for Stone Lakes NWR — the area within which the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) is authorized (depending on willing landowners) to acquire, protect, and manage land — is 17,640 acres. Within the approved boundary, the FWS owns or manages 6,550 acres. Another 5,000 acres are already owned by Sacramento County and several state agencies².

What these maps don’t show is the lurking problem of a wildlife refuge located in a fast growing urban area. Located in the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta and the 100-year floodplain, the Stone Lakes NWR provides vital feeding and resting grounds for migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway and protects habitats that are rapidly disappearing in California’s Central Valley: grasslands, wetlands, riparian, oak forest, and agricultural lands.

In the 10 years since the refuge was established, nearby Sacramento and its surrounding counties have grown at staggering rates—up to 20 percent annually. As what was once open country around the refuge lands fills with tract houses and strip malls, Stone Lakes NWR is struggling to connect its isolated parcels and acquire that planned total acreage of 17,640 acres³.

Note that large area of conservation easement located on the northeast boundary of the refuge in the above map. What looks like about a third of that section inside the refuge boundary is under private ownership. In 1999, a 460 acre subdivision was built on that property consuming a large portion of valuable wildlife habitat. You will also note that the City of Elk Grove directly abuts the eastern refuge border.

To counter this threat of urban sprawl, Stone Lakes NWR has built partnerships with other agencies, conservation groups and many of its farming neighbors.  One of the most important aspects of this urban refuge is educating the public about wildlife, plants, habitat and ecology. Blue Heron Trails, located at the refuge headquarters, provides accessible year-round trails for visitors and school groups along restored wetlands and upland habitat just minutes outside the city.

The refuge offers environmental education to school classes of all ages for hands on learning. Along Blue Heron Trails are eight environmental education panels on four kiosks (two panels on each kiosk), each with a different theme.  The panels are aligned with the State of California Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) for grades K-6, and incorporated into the “Bee” the Biologist’ program and field journal activities.

They also have a brand new amphitheater which stands ready for special events and educational activities.

On the day I visited the refuge there was a brisk wind blowing across the open grassland at Blue Heron Trails but I was able to spot some of their more obvious wildlife visitors like the Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) that were conspicuous in the bulrush around the ponds.

There was a closed section adjacent to one of the walking paths as one of the very helpful volunteers at the visitor center explained to me that there was a nesting Cinnamon Teal in that area.

If you visit National Wildlife Refuges you will likely have seen the “area closed sign” before but this is the first time I have seen the “Birds Only” sign and it put a big smile on my face

Nearly invisible along the shore of one of the waterways I spotted a Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata)

Although there is plenty to see and do at the Blue Heron Trails headquarters of Stone Lakes NWR, the vast majority of the refuge can only be seen by docent led weekend excursions. In the fall and through the spring, several free special docent or staff led walks are offered on the weekends along seasonal wetlands in normally restricted areas.  This is a great opportunity to enjoy the migratory birds, learn about your wild neighbors, and get the family outdoors. You can find out more about these “special events” on their Events Calendar page. At the time of this posting, there were two docent guided walks, an outdoor festival and a paddle tour!

For more information on Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge you can visit their home page. They have an excellent website with information about all their upcoming activities. You can also download their general brochure or the Stone Lakes NWR bird list.

References: ¹U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, ²Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, ³National Wildlife Refuge Association,

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Bobcat  © Wallace Jones

Wally Jones is not only an excellent photographer, he enjoys the National Wildlife Refuges in Florida, where you can not only see hundreds of species of birds, but Bobcats and alligators as well! Go read Wally’s exposé on Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and drool over all the beautiful wildlife photos as you tour this wonderful refuge with him on his blog “Our Florida Journal.”

I think you will also enjoy the video at the top of the right sidebar which always features information on our National Wildlife Refuges. This week we feature the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge thanks to the inspiration given us by Wally Jones.

White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) (click on photos for full sized images)

Sutter National Wildlife Refuge, the southern-most refuge in the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex, is located in the Sacramento Valley of California, about 50 miles north of the metropolitan area of Sacramento (map). The refuge consists of about 2,600 acres, primarily of wetland impoundments with some riparian and grassland habitat¹. It is known to have the largest colonies of White-faced Ibis in the California Central Valley.

You will begin your exploration near the southern boundary of this refuge where recently opened walking trails leave a parking area with an informational kiosk. This is the view from the bridge over the waterway bordering the eastern side of the refuge.

This refuge is undoubtedly the least known of the Sacramento NWR Complex and is a real treasure if you enjoy hiking or walking. Over six miles of newly accessible trails are open from February 15th through June 30th offering a diversity of ducks and water birds in early spring, then as water is drawn down, migrating shorebirds are attracted to the mud flats to feed.

Cliff Swallows were all around the bridge and Tree Swallows were seen in great numbers searching for nest cavities along the tree lined waterway. The next most obvious inhabitants were large numbers of Double-crested Cormorants perched in several snags along the slough.

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) Adults in Breeding Plumage and Juvenile (right)

As I made my way along the riparian trail I heard a Nuttall’s Woodpecker which I observed foraging in the oaks. I also found a few songbirds among the trees and bushes including Yellow-rumped Warblers, White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows and Savannah Sparrows as well.

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)

As I was photographing the sparrow an American White Pelican unexpectedly flew overhead. Fortunately the pelican (in breeding plumage) made another pass.

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) in Breeding Plumage

This year the songbird migration seems to be coming late, however, I did seem to be surrounded by the loquacious House Wren, calling for a mate I imagine, to begin the nesting process.

House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) Singing

The mixed riparian forest habitat on the refuge is important for breeding and migrating passerine birds, and supports a large heron and egret rookery. Consequently I observed several Snowy Egrets and a few Great Egrets along the waterway.

Great Egret (Ardea alba) on the right with Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula) left in Breeding Plumage

There were also Great Blue Herons fishing the slough. This one thought it was hiding from me after perching in a tree.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

There were plenty of Turkey Vultures overhead riding the thermals and I saw an occasional Red-tailed Hawk circling above. I unexpectedly flushed this juvenile which flew to the other side of the slough.

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) Juvenile

This is the view of the wetland impoundments from the levee road with the slough in the foreground…

and looking North from the other side of the slough to the Sutter Buttes looming above the wetlands.

A flock of White-faced Ibis join others already foraging one of the ponds…

and a mixed flock of Snow Geese and Greater White-fronted Geese take off from an adjacent impoundment.

This is what the mowed trails look like around the impoundments. Wide enough for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service vehicles to drive through.

On the way back to the bridge I spotted a group of American White Pelicans lounging in the sun on one of the islands.

Sutter National Wildlife Refuge typically supports wintering populations of more than 175,000 ducks and 50,000 geese¹. Here a large mixed flock of geese are roused into flight from one of the ponds.

Probably the coolest thing I observed was a colony of Black-crowned Night-Heron that were hidden in a swampy, tree lined area between the ponds and the mowed trail. As I walked the trail I was looking for Wood Ducks in this area because it looked like a perfect habitat for them. Then I noticed movement in the trees.

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

Even though I was standing still and some of the birds were observing me, they would take off from their perches and circle the swamp, only to perch in another tree nearby.

Black-crowned Night-Heron in Flight

It was a perfect way to end a beautiful walk in an undisturbed habitat. If you visit the Sacramento area between February 15th and June 30th, and you’re looking for an out of the way hike, I recommend Sutter National Wildlife Refuge.

Do you have a favorite National Wildlife Refuge in your area that you would like to share? We would love to hear about it! You know today, there are more than 550 national wildlife refuges across the country, with at least one in every U.S. state and territory. We would like to hear, first hand, about every single one of these magnificent refuges on our way to creating a Federal Wildlife Conservation Stamp.

References: ¹U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Sunrise at Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. Click on photos for full sized images.

Adjacent to Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is Lower Klamath NWR (see map), both are part of the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Lower Klamath Refuge is our nation’s first waterfowl refuge, established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908.

This 46,900 acre refuge is a varied mix of shallow freshwater marshes, open water, grassy uplands, and croplands that are intensively managed to provide feeding, resting, nesting, and brood rearing habitat for waterfowl and other water birds¹.

Bufflehead Drake (Bucephala albeola)

When visiting this refuge you will want to stop at the visitor center located between it and the Tule Lake NWR before you head out. As I mentioned in my previous post, the visitor center distributes maps of current bird sightings on the refuge complex and surrounding areas, and their staff are very helpful and well versed in where and when to see particular species.

Ruddy Duck Drake (Oxyura jamaaicensis)

The Lower Klamath NWR has a 10.2 mile auto loop route located 12 miles from the refuge visitor center. It is accessed from Stateline Highway 161. This route provides excellent and diverse wildlife viewing opportunities year round.

I visited the refuge in late February. The winter months are the best time to see Tundra Swans and Bald Eagles as well as other raptors and some waterfowl. As you may notice from some of these photographs, there are large areas of water that are still frozen over. Nevertheless, several duck species were seen including Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Common Merganser, and Common Goldeneye.

Common Goldeneye Drakes (Bucephala clangula)

Many of the ducks were taking advantage of the system of open waterways and canals that distribute water throughout the refuge. Most of the canals offer close up views of these ducks as you first enter the auto tour route.

Common Merganser Females (Mergus merganser)

Being February, Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus) were ever present on any of the large bodies of water on the refuge.

This photo of a pair of Swans with Mount McGloughlin in the background shows just how large these birds are, with the Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) drake looking as if it is going to swim right between the swan’s legs!

As you make your way around to the western side of the refuge (between units two and three on the map), heading back toward Highway 161, you will approach a row of trees that are usually occupied by several Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). As a matter of fact, the best eagle viewing at the refuge complex occurs during January and February when numbers may peak at over 500 birds. From December through February, the Klamath Basin hosts the largest concentration of Bald Eagles in the contiguous United States¹!

With this many Bald Eagles in the area, it was easy to find this second year bird among the numerous eagles draped from the trees like so many Christmas ornaments. Not so coincidentally, this is the area where two of the six photography blinds on the refuge are located. More information on the photography blinds can be found here.

As for the number of species that you can expect to see at this refuge, the Winter Wings Festival has been held here every winter for the past 34 years and this year the participants recorded 132 bird species! Among them were the Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)…

and the Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus), both of which I spotted on the Oregon Straits Unit of the refuge, exactly where they were marked on the map supplied to me by the kind folks at the visitor center

The Oregon Straits Unit also gave me my best looks at the Tundra Swans.

These beauties were just off the Klamath Straits Drain East Embankment Road on the Oregon side of the refuge.

This is a short video I filmed to give you a better feel of what the experience brought to me.

Needless to say, the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a national treasure to be enjoyed by all. I leave you with this USFWS video which will not only inform you but inspire you as well.

I urge you to spread the word about our National Wildlife Refuge System and support our effort to help fund this incredible national resource.

If you, or anyone you know, has written posts about your experiences on our National Wildlife Refuges, please let us know. We would love to hear more about the numerous National Wildlife Refuges around this great country first hand. We would love to feature your National Wildlife refuge post on our blog with a photo and link to your article. You can email us with a link to your article or post along with any personal information you would like us to include in the post, as well as a photo, preferably 800 pixels wide.

References: ¹U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Thank you to wildlife photographer Mia McPherson for promoting the Wildlife Conservation Stamp project. Please click through for her beautifully illustrated post on the topic, and for a discussion of why she is lending her support to this effort.

Isn’t it time for the National Wildlife Refuge System to Create a Wildlife Conservation Stamp?

Excerpt: “The future of our Wildlife Refuges depend on all of us whether we are hunters, anglers, wildlife watchers, birders, nature photographers or nature lovers. A Wildlife Conservation Stamp and the additional revenues could help to save them.”

Read the full post here …

The Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), established in 1928, is part of the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex which straddles the California Oregon border. Click on photos for full sized images.

The complex consists of Bear Valley, Klamath Marsh and Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in southern Oregon and Lower Klamath, Tule Lake, and Clear Lake NWR in northern California.

Historically, the Klamath Basin was dominated by approximately 185,000 acres of shallow lakes and freshwater marshes. These extensive wetlands attracted peak fall concentrations of over 6 million waterfowl and supported abundant populations of other water birds including American White Pelican, Double Crested Cormorant, and several Heron species.

In 1905, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation initiated the Klamath Reclamation Project to convert the lakes and marshes of the Lower Klamath Lake and Tule Lake areas to agricultural lands. As these wetlands receded, the reclaimed lands were opened to agricultural development and settlement. Today, less than 25% of the historic wetlands remain. To conserve much of the Basin’s remaining wetland habitat, these six National Wildlife Refuges were established¹.

Tule Lake NWR encompasses 39,116 acres of mostly open water and croplands. Approximately 17,000 acres are leased by farmers under a program administered by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Refuge permit holders farm another 1,900 acres of cereal grain and alfalfa. These crops, together with the waste grain and potatoes from the lease program are a major food source for migrating and wintering waterfowl².

Upon arrival at the complex a stop at the visitor center is a must, not only to see the incredible wildlife displays inside, but the birds at the feeding station behind the center and possibly a Great Horned Owl nesting on the nearby bluffs.

The visitor center also hands out maps of current bird sightings on the refuge complex and surrounding areas, and their staff are very helpful and well versed in where and when to see particular species.

Four miles South from the visitor center a ten mile auto tour route begins, which allows for wildlife observation throughout the year. The first stop on the self-guided auto tour is an enclosed observation platform overlooking the expansive wetlands.

This is the view of the wetlands and surrounding mountains from the platform…

which was surrounded by Gulls and sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), all singing of course.

This is also the location of the first of six photography blinds available by advanced reservation on the Lower Klamath and Tule Lake Refuges. Their photo blind brochure may be downloaded here.

In the winter months, with the wetlands partially frozen, waterfowl are concentrated into areas of open water. Here you can see Northern Shovelers (Anas clypeata), American Wigeon (Anas americana), Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaiciensis) and Canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) all resting together in the open water.

Perching poles are located along the auto tour and you can’t help but see several Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in different phases of maturity, flying to and from the ice covered waters. As a matter of fact, the Klamath National Wildlife Refuges host the largest number of wintering Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states!

Of course, there are also lots of Common Ravens (Corvus corax) hanging around to get the eagle’s leftovers. I caught this one as it was landing on one of the icy islands.

Once you reach what they affectionately call the “English Channel,” a connecting channel between the two large wetlands at Tule Lake NWR, you will journey along the south shore of the southern sump and upland area. This is where another wildlife viewing kiosk is located, as well as photography blind #2.

There were several hundred Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus) in this area of the wetlands and as I peered out over this beautiful landscape, a small family group flew across, right in front of me.

At this point, it was time to head over to Lower Klamath NWR where there were more treats in store. But that’s for another upcoming post.

Do you have a favorite National Wildlife Refuge in your area that you would like to share? We would love to hear about it! You know today, there are more than 550 national wildlife refuges across the country, with at least one in every U.S. state and territory. We would like to hear, first hand, about every single one of these magnificent refuges on our way to creating a Federal Wildlife Conservation Stamp.

References: ¹Wikipedia,²U.S. Fish & WIldlife Service