It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's ... What?

Since things have been a little slow at IBRRC, lately, four of us got to go release one cattle egret. This egret was a youngster when he arrived August 16, but today he passed his tests - mainly, good bloodwork, and the ability to fly well.

Monique, a fellow volunteer, is on the left. Thomas is a new intern from the South Bay area, and Dana is an intern from New Zealand. Interns live at IBRRC in rooms about half the size of a prison cell. Here, we anticipate the moment we have all been waiting for...
Drumroll....

The egret was so fast shooting out of the box, that no one actually got a picture of it. I guess that is a good sign. Oh, well.

So, it was back to IBRRC and time to do the afternoon feeding. This handsome, strong, Brandt's Cormorant wasted no time going for his fish.

We still have a few gulls on the mend.

Kramer was particularly pesky, today, almost grabbing fish out of my hand that I was trying to toss ("biff") to a loon. He looks very much like the cattle egret we released.

Donna and I were in charge of this sweet, but extremely thin, little Aleutian Goose. She only weighs 905 grams. We think she made good progress today. She has not been eating, and has to be tube fed 3 times a day. This morning, we took her out to a spa with several ducks. Ducks and geese are very social, and often just having company changes their will to live and eat. This seemd to be the case today, because this afternoon, she was dabbling in the water, and it looked like she was eating sprouts from Marie's sandwich. When we brought her in at the end of the day, she seemed to have a new perkiness. We hope for the best. Since she had to leave her duck friends behind, Donna thoughtfully provided a mirror so she would have a companion.

Pleasant Afternoon in the Marshland

I took a break from house projects and went out to the Napa Marsh this afternoon. It was so pleasant and relaxing to hike, sit, and watch the bird life. Light breezes and T-shirt weather didn't hurt, either.

Snowy Egrets feeding in the muck.

A group of American White Pelicans flying out to a sandbar.

Pelican flight formation - like they're on an invisible rope.

A brief feeding dispute...

resolved.

Egrets are quite comical to watch.

Egret Island. A place to rest on the leeward side of the pickleweed.

Pelican Island

American White Pelicans feed cooperatively by herding small fish into a ball and then encircling them - or something like that. They do not plunge dive, and prefer to stick to sheltered waters.

Looking back at "Pelican Island" from the other side. Behind them is a tight flock of possibly Avocets.

Pelicans in Wine Country - life is good!

Evolved from a lizzard - what perfection!

This is a big bird! American Wite Pelicans have a wingspan of 108 inches - only one inch shorter than a California Condor, which is sometimes mistaken for a small plane.

Looking back at the building from my night photo shoots of last winter.

A Northern Harrier perching briefly.

And then back to making its low, swoopy flights as it hunts for dinner. Then it was time to think about my dinner - hmmm, kind of late... phoned in an order for a vegetarian burrito from Villa Corona.

Sierra Trip to Honor Steve

Friday, Nick and I drove to Plumas-Eureka State Park where we would meet my sister-in-law Lorie, and her two sons Logan and Aaron. This park is in the Northern Sierras, about 60 miles north of Truckee. Although it is not as grand as the High Sierras to the south, it is less traveled and beautiful in its own right.

Nick doing a nice "Reverse Bird". Since we arrived early, Nick and I hiked up the canyon about four miles to Rock Lake for a swim.

We passed pretty Grass Lake on the way.

Nick at Rock Lake, seeing how far he can run across the water.

My turn to contemplate how shocking the snow-melt will be.

What form!

Rock Lake is a little gem of clear water.

As we came back down to the camp site, we were jazzed to see our Oregon kin. Lorie had already started preparing buffalo burgers - much better than beef, I must say.

Saturday, we drove a few miles to begin our hike up Mt. Elwell. Logan is scoping out Long Lake, a mile or two from the trailhead.

Nick and Logan.

You can faintly see the trail on the far right middle of the picture. It was a steep hike gaining about 1,700 feet in little over a mile.

Group shot!

Shadow, looking like a bear after salmon.

Crossing a little dam.

What a pretty spot, just four hours from Napa.

Logan on the false summit.

Nick photographing something. Those are the Sierra Buttes in the background.

From the actual summit, we could look down the other side and see Rock Lake, where Nick and I had hiked to the day before.

Group shot on the summit.

After eating lunch, we started looking for the right spot to honor Steve. Nick found this little area, near the summit, but well off the trail, that looked down on the Lakes Basin.

We all felt this was perfect, like a window looking over the lakes below, and the distant snow dappled buttes. This mountain is one of the most northern Sierra peaks, and therefore closest to Oregon. To the left of Long Lake a couple miles is Gray Eagle Lodge, where Mom used to come as a kid with her family.

Remembering Steve.

The view below.

The view of Long Lake, as we made our way back down. We took a refreshing swim on our way out.

Looking back up towards the top of Mt. Elwell, and the place we honored Steve.

Steven Clark Williams

October 3, 1962 - September 16, 2009

A New Bum at IBRRC

This is Jerry, a Black-crowned Night Heron, who is now hanging out at IBRRC waiting for a chance to steal fish from the food cart. You have seen pictures of Kramer, the Snowy Egret, who has been doing the same thing for several years. Sometimes, the two wait side be side observing the staff for inattentiveness. You can see by Jerry's band that he was a former patient that found his way back.

Jerry should normally be hunting for fish at dusk or during the night, so he is not a normal bird. BCNH's are the world's most widespread heron.


It was great to volunteer, yesterday, as I had missed two weeks due to house renovating. Right now, we have dozens of sick and and injured herons and egrets. Probably two dozen have broken bones that are splinted or wrapped.