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| Trude | profile | all galleries >> san_joaquin_wildlife_sanctuary >> what_to_see_in_winter_at_sjws | tree view | thumbnails | slideshow |
 Winter days and nights are cool but mild |
 Rain provides plenty of water for plants and animals |
 San Diego creek may fill with runoff but water level goes down quickly |
 Yellow trash boom across the creek catches trash before it flows to the ocean |
 Trails may be wet in some areas but they are still passable and dry quickly |
 Ponds D and E may be drained for vegetation removal to keep ponds open |
 Waterfowl diversity is high: Mallard, Northern Shoveler, 3 species of teal, Gadwall, Bufflehead, and Ruddy Duck |
 Northern Shovelers feed by circling in small flocks to stir up prey |
 The Northern Shoveler beak has a serrated “comb” to help strain prey from the water |
 Ruddy Duck’s bill starts turning blue for the upcoming breeding season |
 In early morning, Canada Geese honk as they leave the marsh to graze at nearby golf courses and parks |
 American White Pelicans winter at the marsh in large flocks (up to 200-300) and feed on fish in the creek and deeper ponds |
 Western and Clark’s Grebes courtship display includes “rushing” across the water’s surface |
 American Avocet head is grayish-white in winter but orange in breeding season |
 The Osprey pair begin bringing sticks to reinforce their nest platform in pond 4 |
 White-crowned Sparrows feed on plant seeds on the ground (present only in fall and winter) |
 Vermillion Flycatcher hunts insects by flying out from its perch on tall bare tree branches (present only in fall and winter) |
 Yellow-rumped Warblers hunt insects in trees, shrubs, and on grass (present only in fall and winter) |
 Cedar Waxwings feed in flocks on toyon berries (which attracts wildlife photographers!) |
 Spotted Towhee hides and feeds under bushes but begins singing from tree tops in late winter |
 At sunset, American Crows flock to the marsh by the thousands to rest for the night |
 Few reptiles are seen due to hibernation but non-native spiny softshell turtle and red-eared slider may be out on a sunny day |
 After a rain, Pacific tree frogs are heard but not seen as they call “cree-ick” from vegetation to attract a mate |
 A few insects are seen on sunny days such as red admiral butterfly whose host plant is stinging nettle |
 Look for hand-like tracks of raccoon on the trail between Ponds A and B. |
 Deciduous trees flower first and then grow leaves (Western sycamore, Fremont cottonwood and arroyo willow) |
 Mistletoe is a hemiparasite easily seen hanging on Western sycamore’s bare branches next to Audubon House |
 Many plants grow leaves like California sagebrush which has long soft leaves in winter but short stiff gray leaves in summer |
 Bladderpod is in flower almost year-round and attracts pollinators |
 Toyon berries are bright red by December to attract Cedar Waxwings, House Finches, and Northern Mockingbirds. |
 Avoid contacting dwarf stinging nettle which grows along the banks of the rectangular ponds (it looks like mint) |
 California bush sunflower grows new leaves after being drought-deciduous for summer and then flowers spectacularly |
 Winter is a good time to visit the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary! |
 Remember speed limit is 20 mph to protect the wildlife plus daylight hours only, no pets, and no dogs. Enjoy your visit! |
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| Trude | 28-Mar-2020 01:07 | |