Blog

Sporadic dispatches from the hinterlands.

Carrizo Plain

Last weekend we made a quick camping trip to Carrizo Plain. Wildflower season is just heating up, after a long, wet and cold winter and early spring.

Carrizo Plain is no longer as secluded as it was when we first visited, but we were able to find some nice uncrowded campsites along some of the dirt side roads. Even though there were a lot of visitors near Soda Lake, we had plenty of space to ourselves.

We’ve posted about visits to Carrizo Plain a couple of times before: Spring Transect (2016) and Carrizo Plain (2017).

March 31-April 3, 2023

Chico area birding

After spending Christmas with Marvin in Wilton, we took a birding trip to the northern Sacramento Valley; we love the wildlife refuges up there. It rained off and on throughout our trip, but we enjoyed the days, had some good hikes, and saw a lot of birds.

We did a similar trip a year ago; here’s a link to that post.

Our itinerary: Dec. 25, 2022: Christmas in Wilton

Dec. 26: Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, dinner at Sierra Nevada Brewing in Chico, stayed at Oxford Suites in Chico (3 nights).

Dec. 27: Llano Seco Unit & Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge.

Dec. 28: North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve near Oroville.

Dec. 29: Colusa National Wildlife Refuge; stayed in Susuin City.

Dec. 30: Rush Ranch Open Space Preserve near Susuin City; arrived home.

Shortly after we got home, the skies opened for real, unleashing a deluge that closed Highway 17 and eventually flooded Dad’s house.

Ano Nuevo Birding

I took a walk along the beach at Ano Nuevo State Park, and saw a few birds. It was a nice day and I didn’t feel like walking far, so I sat for a while and tried to identify some of the shorebirds and gulls.

Monterey Bay Pelagic Trip

I went out on a pelagic birdwatching boat trip recently. “Pelagic” means we went out into deep water, far from shore, in search of birds that aren’t likely to be seen near shore.

Joy passed this one up, either because it was a work day or because pelagic trips provide prime opportunities for seasickness. As it turned out, the day was calm, but I did start feeling a bit queasy when the skipper cut the engines and let us drift broadside to the swell as we investigated some terns. A good trip, but maybe next time I’ll try a seasickness med.

August 26, 2022