Gray Lodge Wildlife Area

Gray Lodge Wildlife Area - 1/28/19

Last Monday, we made our annual drive down to the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area in California's Central Valley, near Gridley. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife states, "The property was designated as a wildlife area by the Fish and Game Commission in 1953. The principal land use currently practiced at Gray Lodge is the provision of seasonally flooded wetlands for migratory birds. The 600 acres of riparian woodlands that remain here include cottonwood, willow, blackberry, and wild grape. They provide food, shelter and shade for aquatic and terrestrial species like the garter snake, great blue heron, ringtail, and river otter."  

Currently Gray Lodge includes 9,100 acres of land acquired mainly through the cooperation of local ranchers and the California DFG. It is planted with crops to attract waterfowl, and to keep waterfowl out of privately owned rice/agricultural fields. Hunters are allowed to hunt on some sections of Gray Lodge, and their fees are used to maintain the wildlife area. Bird populations have dramatically increased, and illegal hunting has been curtailed since its establishment. Gray Lodge is a success story on many levels!

Snow Geese with Northern Pintails (foreground) and various waterfowl

Anser caerulescens - Anas actua 

Geese!

Snow Geese roost in Gray Lodge by the thousands!  Their constant loud calls permeate the wetland, and are as much a part of our experience as the physical presence of the birds.  They roost on water and forage in the local fields for grains and marsh plants.  Most feeding is done from early morning to late evening.  They will begin their 5,000 mile migration to the arctic in February, arriving in their breeding grounds in mid to late May.  If you haven't visited Gray Lodge yet this winter, now is the time to go!

Snow Geese with Ross's Geese (foreground)

Anser caerulescens - Anser rossii

We also saw the smaller Ross's Geese mingling with the Snow Geese.  They looked like miniature Snow Geese!  Apparently these two species of birds migrate together from the arctic and back!  Ross's Geese are also vegetarians, and feed on grains and aquatic vegetation.  

Great White-fronted Geese - Anser albifrons

Greater White-fronted Geese were also prevalent at Gray Lodge. They are similar in the migration and feeding habits of Snow and Ross's Geese.  They are about the same size as a Snow Goose.  Primarily diurnal feeders, they will occasionally feed in late Spring on a full-moon night!

Snow Geese with Northern Shovelers & Northern Pintails

Anser caerulescens - Anas clypeata - Anas actua 

Ducks & other Waterfowl

We also saw LOTS of other waterfowl species. Most of the males were in their mating colors. I wondered why many of the ducks were sleeping. It turns out that most of them roost on water during the day, feed on dry land in the morning and evening, and forage on wetlands and flooded fields at night! 

Northern Pintail (male) - Northern Shoveler (male)

Anas actua - Anas clypeata

The Northern Pintails and Northern Shovelers are dabbling ducks.  This group of ducks feed at the surface of a pond or marsh by "dabbling" (partially submerging and moving their bill) and upending to feed below the surface.  The ducks we saw probably live year-round in California, although these species are found across North America.  The Pintail's diet consists mainly of plants, insect larvae, invertebrates, fish, and frogs.  The Shoveler eats mainly invertebrates and seeds. We were amazed at their dramatic plumage!  Right now is their breeding season.

Blue-winged Teal (males & female) - Anas discors

The Blue-winged Teal is another dabbling duck.  Unlike the Pintail and Shoveler ducks, these ducks feed during the day on seeds, snails, aquatic insects and crustaceans, and roost on shallow water at night.  They will migrate soon to their breeding grounds in the mixed-grass prairie and parklands of north-central U.S. and the prairie provinces of Canada.

Black-necked Stilt - White-faced Ibis

Himantopus mexicanus - Plegadis chihi

Wading Birds

The Black-necked Stilt pictured above is probably a year-round resident at Gray Lodge. It eats small fish, tadpoles, brine flies, brine shrimp, water boatmen, crayfish, and beetles.  It has the second longest legs, in proportion to body size, in the bird world!  Only Flamingos have proportionately longer legs!  I love to watch their slow and delicate movement along the shore!

The White-faced Ibis use their long decurved bills to probe for aquatic insects, crustaceans, earthworms, and midge larvae.  During their breeding season (April to mid-May) a white rim of feathers is displayed around the bare skin of their face, hence their name!  They may stay and breed in California, or migrate to Idaho, Montana, N. & S. Dakota, or Iowa.  We saw several lone Ibis, as well as one large flock.  When they fly they look almost prehistoric to me, with their curved necks and bills.

Green Heron - Butorides virescens

Without a doubt, the most unusual bird we saw at Gray Lodge was a Green Heron.  These small herons are uncommonly seen along secluded marshes, lakes, ponds and slow-moving streams, that are shaded by riparian trees. They are small herons, only 18" in length, and have short legs. They eat small fish, crustaceans, insects, frogs, and rarely small mammals. They hunt for prey day and night! They wade into shallow water and wait patiently for prey to pass by. They will also dive for prey from a perch, head first, and become totally submerged!!! 

Green Heron - Butorides virescens

We were fascinated as we watched this hunched up heron suddenly stretch it's neck way out and fluff up its crest feathers!  It slowly and methodically walked across the pond weeds and then quickly darted forward and caught some invertebrate!  WOW!!!

We were so lucky to see this unusual, strikingly-colored Heron!

Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodius

In comparison the Great Blue Heron is 46" tall and has long legs.

Turkey Vultures - Cathartes aura

Perching Birds

We saw lots of birds in the trees surrounding the Gray Lodge wetlands.  At the end of the day, Turkey Vultures started roosting together in small groups. These are large birds, measuring 26" in length, with a wingspan of 67"!  Using these large wings, they can soar for hours while searching for carrion.  They have a keen sense of smell and can detect carrion for miles!  Their red heads are featherless, which helps keep the carrion from sticking to them.  They also have excellent immune systems and don't contract botulism, or salmonella from the carrion they eat.  I was amazed at how quiet they were, while watching us from their roost!

Red-winged Blackbird - Northern Mockingbird

Agelaius phoeniceus - Mimus polyglottos

Red-winged Blackbirds were also roosting in large groups at the end of the day.  Although you can't see the red epaulettes on this bird's shoulders, the black iris indicates that it is a red-wing and not a Brewer's Blackbird.  In winter these blackbirds mainly eat weed seeds, as well as grain and insects if available. 

This Northern Mockingbird is a new species for me, although they are commonly seen in the Central Valley and foothills. Their name means "many tongues" as they are proficient mimics!  During a lifetime, a Northern Mockingbird may learn up to 150 songs!  They will mimic other birds, as well as cats, dogs, crickets, squeaky gates, toad, and frogs!  In winter they mainly eat wild berries and fruit, such as rose hips.  The rest of the year, they mainly eat arthropods (insects, spiders, crustaceans).

Red-tailed Hawk juvenile(?) & adult

Buteo jamaicensis

There were lots of hawks surveying the wetlands for prey. It is often quite difficult to identify raptors, especially juveniles.  I'll have to post my photos on www.inaturalist.org, to see if I identified these hawks correctly.  Waterfowl are often the prey of red-tails. They like to perch in trees or posts on the edges of clearings, wetlands, or meadows, and watch for prey.  We enjoyed looking at them through a spotting scope that one of us had brought.  Their feather patterns were incredible!

Great Horned Owl - Bubo virginianus

Another incredible bird sighting happened at the very end of the day, when this Great Horned Owl was spotted!  It was hooting and lead us to its location!  I was so excited!  I haven't seen an owl in a LONG time!  Amazingly it posed for us for several minutes!  Such beauty!!!

Great Horned Owls are the top predator of North America!  They can be found throughout North America and as far south as Costa Rica.  Their body length is 22", with a wingspan of 44".  They eat hares, rabbits, rodents, voles, mice, coots, geese, snakes, gophers, porcupines and skunks!  They can carry prey that is 3x their weight, including cats and dogs!!! WOW!  They regurgitate pellets of undigested fur, hair, and bones.  They hunt at night, and have acute senses of sight and hearing.  They are one of the earliest nesters in the area, and can begin laying eggs in January!  They do not build their nests, but rather reuse the nest of another bird species. How lucky we were to watch this strikingly beautiful owl!!!

What kind of turtle is this?

The track I posted last week was a Mountain Lion track!

The willows have partially bloomed, but the alders still have closed catkins.

The red foreheads on the Sandhill Cranes is their skin, not their feathers!  In adults, Sandhill Cranes' unfeathered crown is covered with dull reddish to begonia-rose papillose skin, and  scattered dark, short, hair-like bristles!

I'll talk more about Common Goldeneyes, and local happenings next week!

Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more!

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