This Sanctuary Is For The Birds

Three camera safaris over three days. “Clicky” and I have been busy! This afternoon I joined my cousins at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, just across from UC Irvine.

The sanctuary sits on 200 acres owned by the Irvine Ranch Water District. It serves wildlife and people.

The wetlands are a critical component of IRWD’s Natural Treatment System, as they naturally clean urban runoff from San Diego Creek and help to protect the environmentally sensitive Upper Newport Bay. After interacting with the bulrush and other plants for seven to ten days, up to 70 percent of the nitrogen is removed. The cleaner water is returned to the creek to continue its journey to Upper Newport Bay and the ocean. – IRWD website

In many ways this site is similar to Wakodahatchee Wetlands, near where my folks lived in Florida.

The first thing you notice when you step out of the car&#185 is the sound. There are thousands of birds in close proximity. They’re not quiet!

We arrived as afternoon ‘golden light’ was fading. Bird photography needs light. There was little. That limited what I could capture.

San Joaquin is less than 15 minutes from here. There’s no doubt I’ll be back to see more.

&#185 – The last thing I noticed was bird poop on my nice new car! I’ll let it pass this time. No repeats, please.