| Spectacular birding experience, will post photos from this trip in a couple of different blogs - The Refuge plays host to the largest wintering populations of lesser Sandhill cranes and Ross’ geese along the Pacific Flyway. Each autumn more than 20,000 cranes and 60,000 arctic-nesting geese terminate their annual migrations from Alaska and Canada to make the Refuge home for six months. Here they mingle with thousands of other visiting waterfowl, waterbirds, and shorebirds – making the Refuge a true winter phenomenon. |  |
Large flock of Snow and Ross Geese at the Merced Wildlife Refuge
Snow geese - their website mentions Ross geese, but by description these seem like snow geese
At one point the entire flock lifted into the air, and the sound was like an airplane taking off
The dark birds in the flock definitely indicate Snow Geese
These birds in flight seem to be Ross geese, which have a shorter bill and are generally a smaller bird
Smaller flock of Greater White-fronted geese were also present
| Many Meadow Larks, and their melodious calls were one of the constant bird song in the background |  |
Meadowlark in full song - (those spots are small bugs)
  Say's Phoebe, in lesser numbers |  Lots of Black Phoebe's, doing very well here with the abundance of small flying bugs  Small flock of bushtits, this is a female |
This Northern Flicker, checking out a nest hole, this is in a wooded area of the Merced wildlife refuge
Northern Flicker, Merced Wildlife Refuge
 Nuttall's woodpecker |  Male Nuttall's woodpecker near entrance to refuge |
 Large flock of Barn Swallows at the San Luis Refuge, my original destination |  Tree swallows at the Merced Refuge |
Tree swallows, obviously pairing up and looking for nesting sites in the wooded areas