A Day on the Delta Part Two

After Nick and I left the little town of Locke, we drove east about 20 miles to the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve.  As Nick put it, it was a bird Lollapalooza! 

There were huge flocks of geese in the air and in the water.

There were also large groups of Sandhill Cranes which come here from as far away as the Arctic Circle.  They arrive in late September and leave in spring. 

The cranes occasionally did their beautiful courting dance where they would bounce and float up a few feet with wings and legs outstretched.

Those smaller birds are big ol' Canada Geese, which gives an idea of how big these Sandhill Cranes are.

Those big white birds in the background are Tundra Swans.

As the sun started to set, the cranes started flying in from surrounding fields, bugling in a low croaky honk.

A pair of cranes coming in to land - a beautiful sight!

Landing, part two.

Landing, part three.

The cranes kept pouring in from all directions.

Cranes in front, swans in back.

More cranes coming in!

Gatheing cranes in front, swans in the distance.

What a spectacle!  This was a great way to end a day of discoveries in the Sacramento / San Joaquin Delta.