The Wildlife of Modoc - Part 7

The Sandhill Cranes at the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge were patient enough to let us get some wonderful photos!

The view from the auto tour was amazing...

This Horned Grebe was all by himself and actually swam alongside the car...

What a view!

Whiskeytown Lake

I saw in a birding group online that someone had spotted a red-necked grebe at Whiskeytown Lake, so I had to check it out for myself. I've never seen a red-necked grebe before and hubby and I are striving to break our Big Year record of 123 birds from last year.

It turned out to be a gorgeous day and we ended up seeing everything but a red-necked grebe! We saw several types of Mergansers and I couldn't be happier. (Tomorrow I'll post some more photos of the other birds we saw.)

Hooded Mergansers

Common Merganser

Horned Grebe

All of the surrounding mountains are capped with a dusting of snow because of all the storms we've been having... 

Across from the harbor, hubby spotted this heron up in the trees. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have even seen it!

Look at how camouflaged he is!

 There were a few flocks of Canada Geese flying overhead and hanging out on the lake...

 On the way into the harbor a pair of Hooded Mergansers were diving for food in this little cove...

 They are really something!

We saw seven new species today and that brings our Big Year 2017 total up to 82! And we're still in January! So excited for the year to come...