SWANS AND GEESE AND VULTURES, OH MY!

Sunday we went to a couple of the usual spots to view the migration of swans and geese on the Pacific Flyway.  There are usually great photo opportunities and the sound is really something.  There are usually swans and snow geese in Marysville, CA. in the flooded rice fields.  NO ONE WAS HOME!!!  A few ducks only.  So headed over to Graylodge Wildlife Area where there is usually geese, again almost no one home.  Lots of vultures, hawks and ducks.  Even spotted a buck.  We met a ranger and got to find out why the birds aren’t there.  There has been a lot of rain the last couple of weeks, so a lot of water everywhere along the flyway so they don’t have to come to certain places.  Graylodge is a “lounging” spot, not a feeding spot, but with all the water everywhere they are more spread out and doing their lounging elsewhere.  Also she said they come more in nicer weather, it was overcast and the sun came out late in the day.  I thought they would come more in the rain, but apparently I’m wrong.  Ended up taking more pictures of buildings, everything is green this year and on the way home got some nice pastoral type pictures.

Duck, duck, goose.

This one is altered with a layer of Kim Klassen texture called paper stained.  Nice and dark and spooky.

Usually these are filled with birds.

I think this one is my favorite.

The vultures were displaying a lot.  I should have asked the ranger why, were they showing off for the camera or trying to look big to scare me away.

Awwww, they love each other.

Waiving bye bye.