Modoc National Wildlife Refuge

Henry and I have found that visiting national wildlife refuges along our journeys enhances our experiences.  I am actively searching for nearby refuges along our route.  US HWY 395 goes right by Modoc National Wildlife Refuge and our first looks were from the highway.  A friendly police officer told us about the refuge roads. The next couple of hours were spent driving, stopping, and photographing refuge inhabitants. 

The Modoc Refuge is 7021 acres with wetland, reservoir, riparian, sagebrush-steppe, and cropland habitats.  It is both a migration and staging area for wetland birds during migration and a nesting area for ducks, geese, sandhill cranes, and several species of marsh birds.

The land was owned by the Dorris family from 1870 acquired ruing the U.S. Homestead Act.  In the 1930's they created a reservoir to provide water storage for their ranch.  The family operated the land for 90 years when it was acquired by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission in 1959 and became a National Wildlife Refuge to manage, protect, and produce migratory waterfowl.  Originally 5,360 acres, more land was acquired over time to reach the current 7021 acres. 

Highlights were the Marsh Wren at its nest and the Virginia Rails. 

Much of my photography these days is documentary work - how many of the species I see can I document - even if they are far away.  I am currently using a Canon Powershot SX540 with its 1200mm optical zoom.  Eventually I hope to replace my Nikon P900.  

Western Pond Turtle

Virginia Rail, another life bird for me

Marsh wren with her nest

Canada goose and goslings

The Canada Goose Family

America Avocet

American Coot

Black-billed Magpie

Mr. & Mrs. Northern Shoveler

Mr. & Mrs. Mallard

Red-winged Blackbird

Mr. & Mrs. Gadwall

Cinnamon Teal

Ring-necked Duci

Pied-bill Grebe

Wilson's Phalaropes

Sandhill Crane

Lupines

Wild Teasel

The Animals at Mono Lake - June 8, 2021

There were not a lot of birds at Mono Lake - other times of year have many more nesting birds.  But I had never seen a Violet Green Swallow . . . I think that there were also two different kinds of Canada Geese - one may be a subspecies Lesser Canada Goose - shorter neck. 

Violet Green Swallow, A Life Bird for me!

 Brewer's Blackbird

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

Nesting Osprey

California Gull

Common Sagebrush Lizard

Mono Lake

Mono Lake has always called to me because of the interesting features that surround the lake.  I think I saw it briefly in passing in 2004 or so.  It was on my list if we were going to drive up HWY 395.  I was hoping for sunrise or sunset, but the drive did not work out for that.  In retrospect, I think sunrise would offer better photographic opportunities because the sun sets in the west behind mountains not allowing that golden, magical light.  

It was later in the afternoon, but not “magic light” time, when Henry and I headed down the walking trail to the lake’s edge.  In some ways I wish I had taken the Canon 5D MKII and tripod, but since the light was still harsh, I only carried my phone and my field camera.  The Tufa Towers are incredibly photogenic even when the lighting is not ideal. 

Mono Lake is known for its unusual formations: Tufa Towers. This formations grow underwater as freshwater springs with calcium react with the lake water that is rich in carbonates forming calcium carbonate which is limestone.  The calcium carbonate precipitates out and over centuries the tufa towers grow. 

Today the lake level at Mono Lake is much lower than in the past because Los Angeles drew water from the tributary streams beginning in 1941.  The water level got so low that the lake's salinity was too high for the life forms in it.  The dry lake bed had natural toxins that were stirred up by dust storms. California gulls needed higher water to be able to succesful nesting.  When we were there, the lake was not at its desired level, but it is higher now than it was when they made the decision to quit transferring water from the streams. 

Mono Lake has not natural outlet, so the water is salty, 2-3 times saltier than the ocean.   It has no fish, but it has brine shrimp and alkali flies which feed the migratory birds each year.  I did try to photograph the tiny shrimp and flies, but I don't see any in the photos.  The lake itself had interesting patterns with white foam on the waves. 

The birds at Mono Lake deserve their own post   But as we left, there were flowers that called to be documented:

Freemont's Phacelia

Bigelow's Monkeyflower

And here we are . . .