Sacramento River Bend

After a late sleep-in, we decided on taking the drive up to what is known as the Sacramento River Bend area. The area sits between Redding and Red Bluff.

On of the first raptors we saw is this Red Shouldered Hawk (a first for us). It was most accommodating and let us get several pictures.

Here is a picture of a Red Tail Hawk that didn't like us taking pictures so it flew away. I like this shot because is shows the detail of his wings and the sun reflects of the red tail feathers.

Here is a shot of a Ferruginous Hawk (another first sighting for us). It was flying with a Red Tail Hawk and some other raptor that didn't stick around long enough for us to get a picture
Here is a shot of a young Osprey just hanging out on a beautiful afternoon.

This is a picture of the Sacramento River in the foreground and Mt. Shasta in the background. John and I have commented that we remember the days when the air was so clear that in a picture like this, Mt. Shasta would be striking. How sad that our air, even on good days, is so hazy.

It was a good drive and we got to see a lot of different things. I'm sure in the springtime the drive would be a lot more attractive than it was now. Still, it offered us a lot of raptor viewings.

We returned to Red Bluff and took a drive over to see Red Bluff Lake and the diversion dam. We were told that when the salmon run, the Bald Eagles and Osprey are easily spotted as they help themselves to the fish buffet. Too bad we aren't going to be around then as we would really have enjoyed watching them. Below is a picture of the diversion dam.

After we stopped for dinner at Los Mariachi's (quite good and reasonably priced) in Red Bluff, I took this picture of the building in downtown Red Bluff that I find interesting. The clock tower chimes on the half-hour and plays music (now holiday).

It was a good day and we were ready to head it home and call it a day.