Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge

When I was almost 16 we moved to Northern California from the San Diego area. My dad grew up in Tennessee so getting out in nature was an important part of life for him. Having been a beach baby growing up I was really missing the playing in the outdoors way of life after the move. So up to the Wildlife Refuges we went. Not only could we take short hikes out in the beautiful wild but we got to see all sorts of birds and wildlife...FOR FREE. 

My dad passed away in 2003 and I have to admit I have not been back to a NWR till we went to Colusa a few weeks ago. I had forgotten how much I love them. Our trip to Colusa NWR was quite the short one. We had limited time and that refuge has only a 3 mile auto tour so it seemed like a perfect idea. And it was...except it was too short. We both wanted more. Faced with "What to do for Valentine's Day", with the usual choices of dinner/movie/dancing, we decided that a day back up at the refuges was what we really wanted to do. So the teenage boy went to Gramma's house and we headed up to the larger Sacramento NWR.

Don't live in California? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has sites all over the United States. Find one in your own area HERE!

If you follow this blog at all then you know I'm always trying to find new places to eat. This time was no different. So with the recommendation of a friend, and the help of YELP, we were able to find La Fortuna Bakery.

 Located on a side street right off of the freeway in Williams, you would never find this place on your own. But once you do you will be coming back every time you are in the area! You will see the sign first but if you look to the left you will see, placed lower on the building, the word Taqueria. This is the place. No, seriously. This is THE place. 

You order at the little counter and then you can walk through the bodega type store to the dining room area of the building. Pinatas hang from the ceiling, soccer trophies are perched everywhere proclaiming how amazing their local teams play the game and the feel is definitely Mexico.

 If you are a fan of food from Mexico, as I am, you will find many of your favorites here in the market! I often see Jarritos soda in Mexican food restaurants but the Grapefruit flavor is harder to find so imagine how happy I was to find it here!

I ordered the Chile Verde Burrito and my husband ordered the Steak Burrito. Two "loafs" arrived stuffed full of some of the most amazing food we'd ever eaten! The Chile Verde had huge chunks of tender pork, wasn't over seasoned and, even now, makes my mouth water. The Steak Burrito was even more amazing. The grilled steak was seasoned so perfectly we were picking out the strips just to get an even better taste! These are HUGE. Definitely enough to share if you'd like but at only about $6.50 per burrito, they are affordable enough to get two and share the different tastes...then take home the leftovers!

A storm the day before helped to green up the rolling hills. I have no idea what the yellow crop is but it certainly added a beautiful strip of color to our view.

 The storm had created an usual situation for us. Since the rain flooded the nearby fields off of the refuge lands many of the large groups of birds had flown off of the refuge to these new feeding grounds. So while the higher waters made scenes like the one above even more beautiful it meant that we didn't have much hope of seeing as many birds as we'd hoped.

 Let me clarify that. We didn't have much hope of seeing as many waterfowl as we'd hoped. Today wasn't about waterfowl...it was about raptors and other birds that are fun to see. A flock of Turkey Vultures were flying over the Visitors Center when we arrived. These are just giant birds and, while not graceful flyers, they are fascinating to watch.

 Marsh plants are plentiful as well like this thistle. I love all the lines and texture of these plants.

 Typha, known as Cattails to many, are plentiful. For some reason I've always loved these. What I didn't know is that there are many parts of this plant that are edible! But the main purpose in the marsh is for birds to use for nesting material and some of the small rodents to use for food.

 If you practice walking slowly and quietly you get to see some special moments like this teeny tiny Sparrow hopping from reed to reed.

 The auto tour here at this refuge is 6 miles long. You will pass many fields and ponds on your way around the route. Your car is your "bird blind". They are fairly use to the cars coming around the route so you will get to see many types of birds and other wildlife along the way. If you want to stop and photograph them you will have to practice slowing down and creeping up on them so your stopping doesn't scare them away.

 Camouflage really works for the ducks. I know I focus on the "rare" sightings of birds but even your common Mallard Duck, found at most city parks, is a beautiful bird and deserves his spotlight.

But, of course, there are some of the more rare varieties. The White Faced Ibis winters here in the Sacramento refuge system. The pink fluorescent stripe of feathers caught my eye. For being such a "drab" looking bird they are actually stunningly beautiful...just in a more subtle way.

 

A quick word about the birds. If you stop your car too short you can actually frighten the birds and they will fly away. This is a great stress to them so, just like walking through the refuge, you will want to drive slowly and quietly as possible. If you want to see the birds in flight then just come to a gentle stop along the route and wait patiently...you are bound to get lucky, as I did when this duck flew into the area I was watching.

 And, most of the time, luck is exactly what you need to see the wildlife sights that will take your breath away. We had come to a stop to look at a large raptor up in a tree when this Red Tailed Hawk flew right over the car.

He landed on a small spit of land not too far from our car and we were just stunned by his beauty! He pranced around on the spit for a few seconds and then flew off again. So wonderful!

 Part way through the route you will see a fenced off area with a viewing deck. I can imagine, on a normal February day, you would see these ponds stuffed full of ducks. Instead we got the treat of the beautiful wide open spaces with a few ducks. Still wonderful. This is a great place to stop, stretch your legs and enjoy the fresh air. There are a few of these stops along the route.

 This Rough Legged Hawk was just one of the many raptor sightings we had that day. (Remember to click on the small images to see the larger views!)

 Always remember to turn around when you are photographing an outdoor location. What looks wide open and blue in front of you may look dark and silvery behind you!

 We did take the walk up to the top of the deck. There is a pair of spotting scopes available so you can get a better look at the wetlands it overlooks. The deck is totally wheelchair accessible and one of the scopes is also set at that level so everyone gets a chance to enjoy the beauty!

 I got off one very quick shot of this Belted Kingfisher before he flew away! Such a cool bird! We actually saw two that day (same one maybe) but the second sighting was even shorter that the first. 

There are some more common perching birds here as well. The little Black Phoebe's dart from branch to branch, never lighting for long, so they look like little flashes of light in the trees.

 I won't say that we didn't see any geese on the refuge grounds. We did see the V's flying overhead and several on the fields. We had to go off refuge grounds to find the huge flocks...more on that later.

For some reason these geese crack me up. It seems like every time I would spot them they would be standing in a line and looking all the same direction! Called White Fronted Geese (for the white stripe at their beak) they are almost as common as the Snow Geese this time of year.

Egrets were also very common sights on the route that day. This Snowy Egret, a smaller and more colorful version of the Great Egret, was very patient with me. I was able to get a whole series of photos and didn't manage to scare him off. Unlike the Great Egret, the Snowy Egret has the yellow stripe on the legs as well as yellow feet. They are smaller than the Great Egret as well but it is really the legs that give them away.

 Amazing sightings are so readily available that it is what makes a trip to the refuge a wonderful family activity. Even if your little one can just barely see out of their windows they have these beautiful views available to them. Start kids out young and they will love it the rest of their lives. We were already stopped when these two White Faced Ibis flew into the little ravine filled with water next to our car.

This gives me the chance to show you how iridescent their feathers are and how beautiful this type of bird is when the sunlight acts like a spotlight.

 After we left the Sacramento NWR we decided we were going to hit one of the "cut through" roads and go back to Colusa NWR (more on that next week) and that is when we found the flocks of Snow Geese!

Thousands of Snow Geese live in this area each November to March so it's fairly common to see hundreds of birds in the air flying into or out of a pond. Truly beautiful. At times you will see equally large flocks of Tundra Swans in this area as well. Even more reason to come to this area at least once during the winter.

As I mentioned above...we went from one refuge to the other. I'll take you back there next week with the blog so you can see the vast difference between the visit I documented last week and a visit that happened just two weeks later! 

We already have plans of visiting another refuge, the San Luis NWR, while we are down in that area for a family event at the end of the month. That refuge not only has waterfowl and raptors but Tule Elk too! This time the teenager is going with us...I'll let you know how that goes! LOL!

Remember you can see more photos (since I can't possibly share ALL of them here) on Instagram or over at Facebook every day.

See you next week!

Cat

Recently we went to Palo Alto to see a friend and her newborn who were, unfortunately and fortunately, at Stanford Hospital. Having spent a lot of time there as a young woman I had absolutely no desire to explore the area around the hospital, just escape it as quickly as possible back then. But whenever the discussion of Stanford University would come up with my photographer friends they would always be shocked and dismayed that I had never photographed this Ivy League College. So when the opportunity presented itself we decided to make a quick stop off at the college to see what the hullabaloo was all about. After our brief tour, trying to beat the setting sun, we now know we need to return and explore even more! Here is a tour of the bit we were able to see!

First off, I'd really hoped to be able to share with you Palo Alto and one of the great eateries we had found online. Especially a Cuban food place since we adore Cuban food. Not to be. We found out the hard way that most of Palo Alto, the downtown part, doesn't open up on Sundays till Noon. 

So while you can see really beautiful architectural details, like the ones on this building in downtown Palo Alto, you just can't have a bite to eat at that great place next door...cause it's closed. I'm positive this isn't the case during the week but the whole idea of going to Stanford on a weekend was to catch it with a low volume of people.  With our hospital visit ahead of us and the hopes of having enough time to see the University as well, we didn't have the time to wait for the good food to open up and had to be happy with fast food and the pretty details we could see on the outside of the buildings.

 While disappointed with our food choices we were anything but disappointed in the University. Suddenly I knew what the fuss was about and why other artists come here to explore this beauty. 

 

 With over 8 thousand acres and 700 major buildings we knew we'd only have time for a small slice before the sun set on us and we ran out of light. But the details took my breath away. Built in 1885 and opened in 1891, this place is just so architecturally beautiful that you can easily get lost in the details like the sandstone urns.

 I have a thing for lamps, lampposts, lights, lighting fixtures...and the more ornate the better. Here at Stanford there are so many different styles of illumination that I would have been happy just photographing them!

 Stanford is famous for it's columned walkways. On a Sunday afternoon when the area is nearly deserted, it's easy to get swept away by the romance of them.

 These are a staple of the University adding style and grace to the main buildings of the seven schools of the college. When you enter from the front of the school the hallways make a large H configuration with two middle braces. It was this "cube" style that we toured while there.

 One of our favorite details were the hearts, of different styles, that were carved into the columns. Serious romance.

 But the beautiful details didn't stop at the arched hallways. The main entrances were ornate in their own right.

 Looking back towards the entry way from the Church courtyard you can see The Burghers of Calais sculpture installment. This is not the only art you will see on campus. Besides pieces like this all over campus there is also an actual art center. The Cantor Arts Center features a Rodin Sculpture Garden.

 You also get a very pretty view of the Hoover Tower from the church courtyard. You can go up into the tower for a small fee and have a stunning view of the area from there.

Stanford Memorial Church was our main goal of the day. We just wanted to be able to see inside of it before it closed for the day at 3:30pm. We made it just in time.

 Opened in 1903, Stanford Memorial Church was built by Jane Stanford as a memorial to her husband Leland. If you want to have a very interesting read, go do a little research on Leland Stanford. Once our Governor as well as a Senator, he had history with the railroads as well as being part of the "Big Four" who helped shaped this part of the US.

 As you can see, the stained glass is truly lovely. Having toured European churches, chapels and cathedrals, I have often been disappointed in Californian churches. They tend to lack the ornate details of their European counterparts.

 Perhaps because of who designed it, or that it is over a hundred years old, but Stanford Memorial has all the details and more of those in Europe. 

 With massive front door and deeply carved archways, the romance of the University is turned up about 40 notches. 

 I'm tempted to make a trip back and stay till sundown just so I can see how this gorgeous lamp, which hangs in front of the main entrance to the church, looks like when it's all lit up! 

 The side doors, we entered by the left hand set while the right hand set stayed closed, were as ornate as the rest of the church. This is the only way I'd have glass front doors...if they were completely covered in gorgeous filigree ironwork!

 I love the shiny nose on this little cherub. Like hundreds of hands have pressed there to enter, or maybe just rubbed it shiny trying to get a bit of luck or spiritual peace.

 Entering the chapel brings you to another style of lamp. For some reason these remind me of Morocco. Maybe it's the shape or the gold and blue color of them but I find them irresistable.

 Stained glass is the other beautiful view you have the moment you enter the church. Several panes of leaded glass can be found lining the walls of this chapel.

 At mid day this dome light can illuminate the entire church. At the end of the day the effect was more of a soft golden glow.

 There was a string quartet playing when we visited but only a small handful of people while we were there. Since it was very close to closing time I can't tell you if this is a normal state or due to our circumstances. 

 I always prefer to photograph an empty, or nearly empty, church for two reasons. The first is that people find it odd that you'd photograph them and the second is that I feel like I'm intruding in their time of faith worship. When the area is clear of people then I feel much less like an intruder.

 Little reminders of where you are at are everywhere to be found. You just have to look for them. What struck me first about this wall decoration was not the "S" in the middle but the mosaic trim. Such a beautiful color detail.

 You can be married here if you have some affiliation with the University. The rates for such a grand venue are amazingly affordable. You can even renew your vows here, for an even more affordable rate, if you have been married for more than 20 years. You do not need to be Catholic but that is an option as well. I can just imagine a wedding here. It would be breathtaking.

As you turn to leave the church, make sure to look up. I've found that people often forget to look up when they visit some place, even in their daily life, and they miss quite a bit. In this case, if you didn't look up, you'd miss the amazing pipe organ located above the front entrance of the church. So beautiful!

 While you are looking up, take a look at the lamps in the area between the front door and the inner church doors. The gold and blue color palette continues but in a new form. 

 Looking down is important too! On the way into the church I didn't notice these tiles because I was looking up at the lamps. But on the way out I saw them and asked a student what the numbers meant. She told me that each graduating class places a time capsule down into the walkway. At 100 years they dig up the time capsule and see what is inside. So, since 1992 each graduating class has both dug up and burried a time capsule. Seriously cool!

 From the church we decided to go right. There are arches on each side of the square courtyard but this direction seemed to be more interesting to us.

 Even those arches that appeared to be "plain" were not. We love the "checkerboard" look to the trim of this entryway.

 We walked down to the Lasuen Mall in front of the Bing Wing where the Cecil H Green Library is housed. There is a fountain in front, dry due our drought perhaps, that honors those who supported the University the first 100 years. Another beautiful view.

 One of the things I love about this place is how many open areas they have for just sitting and enjoying the area. Not only are there lots of steps, courtyards, fountain edges but there is also plenty of benches located around campus so if you want to study, do homework, have a bite to eat or just enjoy the scenery you can do so in comfort. Since most of the undergraduates that attend Stanford also live on campus this is a serious perk!

 Unfortunately we were on campus at a time when the Art Gallery was getting ready for a new installation. Otherwise you can go see local art for free! It's a must stop the next time we visit.

 So I had to be happy with the outside of the building...and look at all of this detail! The craftsmanship that went into this architecture is impressive!

 Each "school" has it's own building and label. And quite the ornate label it is.  History Corner is part of the Wallenburg Hall.

The two statues on the front of the building are of Johann Gutenburg and Benjamin Franklin. These are finely crafted replicas that were recently placed in 2013. The original marble statues disappeared from campus several decades ago when Stanford Law School was being renovated (they occupied this Hall at that time) and it was suspected that the original statues were damaged in the construction. In 2007 the school contracted sculptor Oleg Lobykin, who had already done work for the University replacing the sandstone urns, to create the replicas. All restoration was done in the original fashion so Lobykin had to carve these marble statues just like they were carved originally by Antonio Frilli.

As you can see, the light was getting quite dim by this part of the day calling a regretful end to our explorations. As we walked back to our car we admired the groves of trees, that are in wonderful pockets all over campus, and made our plans to return again with more time to discover more of this amazing place.

So if you get the chance when you find yourself in the area make some time to see Stanford University...even if it's just the Main Quad like we did. You won't regret it!

Remember to click on the small photo so you can see the larger version and the wonderful details! Also, stop by and see more of my work on Facebook, Flickr or Instagram! While you are there show me some love by leaving a comment or "liking" my page or work. I love visitors!

Cat