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Daily Bucket - On the Fly at Cosumnes River Preserve [1]

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Date: 2024-06-18  

Sunday was a gorgeous day to get out for a little bit. I didn’t have a lot of time so I headed over to the Cosumnes River Preserve.

Knowing the ponds and rice fields would be dry and devoid of birds, I hoped to see ground birds such as pheasants, meadowlarks and quail. I saw very few birds but I was able to capture several of them on the wing.

The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.

We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.

Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the phenological patterns that are quietly unwinding around us. To have the Daily Bucket in your Activity Stream, visit Backyard Science’s profile page and click on Follow.

First I noticed the Great Egret awkwardly flapping above the trees which surrounded a small pond. There were 2 small ponds that remain filled year-round as part of the irrigation system.

Then a little Black Phoebe perched above an information sign making sure I knew the rules.

This bird would greatly appreciate visitors following the rules.

As I walked on the pond boardwalk, I didn’t see the ground birds I had hoped for. There were the usual red-winged blackbirds that are everywhere in any wetlands, but I didn’t see much of anything else. All the birds are flying around.

Killdeer on the wing.

A Hawk flies over the dry ponds seeking prey

A Red-Winged Blackbird sat in a tree along the boardwalk and sang his song allowing me to get his photo.

I headed back along the boardwalk and met this cute little guy.

Marsh bunny stood up to check me out, then hopped away into the bullrushes.

The tree swallows were out in full force. Approximately a dozen were in the air. I was finally able to get a picture of one in the air chasing dragonflies and other insects.

Swallow seeking dinner.

I also saw a couple of scrub jays and a sparrow who flitted quickly pass me.

Finally, here is that Great Egret who landed safely into the pond.

Walking gracefully in the shallows

After a pleasant weekend, the temperatures are expected to heat back up to triple digits by Saturday.

It is definitely fire season. More than a dozen wildfires have broken out throughout the state threatening homes, closing highways, and scorching thousands of acres. Most have been contained to less than 10,000 acres but there is a big fire in LA County where windy weather poses a real threat of a major outbreak.

What’s up in your neck of the woods?

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