Tehama - The Magazine - Red Bluff Daily News
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/66310
Here's looking at you Birding on the Sacramento River I've received the same admonish- ment from doctors as many: get out and get some exercise. It's usually followed by encouragement to go walking, since walking is free and I already know how to do it. I've often found, however, that I typically need a bigger reason than better health to motivate me to movement. After learning of free guided bird walks offered in Red Bluff, I wondered if the prospect of learning while I exer- cised would get me moving. My first foray into bird watching started at the Sacramento River Discovery Center, a gem of a nature center with flat, mostly paved trails showcasing riparian habitat. Dr. David Dahnke, a specialist in internal medicine and a birder by hobby for the last 30 years, guided my group, as he has on the first Saturday of the month for the last three or four years. As it turned out, there was much to like about a bird walk. Great Horned Owls By Melissa Mendonca About midway through our walk, our group turned a corner and some- one exclaimed – quietly – that he saw an owl. We gathered around, and he pointed until we all identified a lump in the tree that was actually a great horned owl. Even better, it was one of the two downy babies that were known to be in the area. A couple with a scope on a tripod set it up, pointed at the owl, focused, and stepped back for us all to have a look. As I stepped up for my turn, two of the biggest, most magnificent baby owl eyes stared into my soul and gave a wink. First with one eye and then with both. I let out a gasp of amazement and was hooked on bird watching. Lesser, but Still Remarkable Birds There's nothing like a great horned owl, except for maybe a bald eagle, which is a rather common sight along the Sacramento River at the Discovery Center. Yet, still, a more common and less celebrated bird can be remarkable when stud- ied with intention. Other birds noted on my walk included Ash Throated Fly Catcher, Tree Swallow, Mourning Dove, Killdeer, House Finch, Starling, Magpie, Scrub Jay and California Quail. I saw more, but honestly stopped recording them once I met the owl. Great Horned Owls High Tech/Low Tech/No Tech: No Problem It's your choice how to experience a bird walk. Only two in our crowd of nine or so brought bird books. They were the low tech crew, occasionally referencing well thumbed pages to confirm identities of a particular specimen. They were happy to share their information. Everyone else seemed happy to not have the burden of carrying a book, prob- 12 Tehama - the Magazine, May, 2012 Photos courtesy of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service