Ash Creek Wildlife Area

Last weekend Mary and I visited my brother and sister-in-law in Fall River Valley. Saturday morning we got up at 4am and left the house at 5am. I wanted to check out the Ash Creek Wildlife Area in Big Valley. In the past I have gotten some very good shots of birds and other wildlife.

It is about one hour and forty-five minutes to the area. We arrived about fifteen minutes before sunrise. Perfect. The air temperature was 18 degrees and Mary was not too happy about driving around with the windows down so I might get a shot. But, we bundled up, turned the heater up and made the best of it. Actually we were quite comfortable and soon were shedding clothing. I only put one window down at a time.

Unfortunately it was cold. The water was mostly frozen and there were only a few birds. Hawks, geese and swans mostly. None of which would come near enough for a portrait. I did get a not too close shot of a Red-tailed hawk on a barn. It also did not help that the Department of Fish and Game had not opened the gate to the drive through area either. We visited several areas I had not been before. Still not much in the way of bird photography. Oh well.

I did much better photographing birds at my brothers house . There were junco's, nuthatch's, titmice, and a robin that liked to get drunk eating Juniper berries.

We had a nice visit, ate well and came home on Super Bowl Sunday.