This is where I decided to become a birder.
I mean, really go for it. I had been dabbling and interested since last winter, but this really sealed the deal. This refuge is only a little over an hour from Oakland, but it feels like it is a world away. The San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge is a 7,000 acre refuge that is part of the Pacific Flyway, where many migrating birds and even an endangered species of rabbit make their home.
I drove through the agricultural flatlands of the edge of the central valley, finally turning off the road into a completely empty parking lot. I had the place to myself. I had a snack and then SPFed up, put my big hat and brand new fanny pack on, and headed toward the marsh. Before I even left the parking lot, I looked up, and I was delighted to see three Red-tailed Hawks flying right above me. I have a thing for hawks. What a welcome! And right after that, I saw a Great Blue Heron and a Great Egret, hanging out at the water. I saw species after species on my walk… lots of water birds, and little ones that grazed me as I walked through their neighborhood… So. Many. Birds!
It was pretty hot, with little shade, but I was fine with that, as I do enjoy the heat. However, what I didn’t enjoy was being eaten by bugs for pretty much my entire walk. In fact, I cut my excursion short because I was tired of swatting them away and being super irritating. I had no bug spray, and it didn’t even occur to me to have any, because we don’t have bugs in the Bay Area. What I did have was a lightweight shirt that I just happened to pack, so I threw that on, and it helped tremendously.
After my afternoon excursion, I was bid adieu by a beautiful black-tailed jackrabbit. I said to myself, I’m going to find myself a pair of good birding binoculars.
