Walking and watching in Tracy

I'm staying with my friends in Tracy, California. It's a much different habitat than home. Tracy's climate is much different than home, I get almost 10 times the rain at my home. It was fun to explore such a different habitat. I don't know many of the birds and plants.

On Tuesday I went for a walk along the California Aquifer. I did recognize a pair of Northern Harriers. They were flying low over the edge of the aquifer across the water from me. I watched them for quite some time. It didn't surprise me they were there, because I saw many rabbit holes and 1 rabbit. I saw turkey vultures, swallows, warblers and ... other small birds. I also found a nice little marsh. It was just past gravel pit and I wonder if the two had some connection. I wish I could have gotten closer! As I headed back to the car and water (Coal and I were thirsty!), I kept disrupting a kildeer.



After walking I drive around looking for other birds. I drive along a river and many farms. I also drove by another factor. When ever I found water I could eventually see birds. Mostly I was seeing egrets. It was such fun to see a bird completely different then I typically see. I also saw a white faced ibis. Most of the birds I saw were off in the distance. I did find one raptor. I was actually trying to turn around and head home. I pulled off onto this tiny street that had become a dump site for people's gargage, saddened I almost missed the big guy in the tree! It took me a bit to identify him, the silly tree kept obscuring my view. It was a Rough-legged Hawk! It was amazingly cooperative with my picture taking attempts; it watched me but never seemed all that worried.