• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Valley Citizen

Pursuing truth toward justice

The Valley Citizen

Pursuing truth toward justice
  • Arts
  • Education
  • Environment
  • History
  • Nature
  • Politics
  • Wit
  • About

Chasing the Wild Blues Out on the Refuge

March 17, 2012 By Eric Caine 1 Comment

Blue Grosbeak

Few things develop one’s appreciation for a region as much as the native flora and fauna. Thus, the California coast, Sierra Nevada, and great southern deserts are special attractions for residents and tourists alike, each region’s allure derived from a special combination of location and unique natural features.

For decades the great Central Valley was among the least appreciated regions in the west, in part because many of its natural features had been radically altered by man. It is one of the most engineered and managed regions in the west. As people began to realize the importance of the Valley’s grasslands, rivers, wetlands and riparian forests, a movement was begun to restore some of these lost natural treasures.

One such restoration effort is the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge near the confluence of the Tuolumne, San Joaquin and Stanislaus Rivers, west of Modesto. The Refuge features the beginnings of what may well become the largest riparian forest in the west, as well as some superb wetlands and grasslands.

The most obvious beneficiary of the Refuge thus far is the formerly endangered Aleutian Canada Goose, which fifty years ago numbered fewer than six-hundred birds. The Aleutian Goose population is now in the neighborhood of one-hundred thousand birds. But the Aleutian Goose is only part of the story, as many other birds and animals have benefitted from the restoration of their natural habitats, including River Otters, Long-tailed Weasels, Coyotes, Raccoons, and myriad other species of waterfowl.

Among the more exotic birds to have gained a stronger presence in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, the Blue Grosbeak is one of the most fascinating. Despite the males’ vibrantly blue plumage, Blue Grosbeaks were seldom seen until recent years, mostly because what was left of their favored habitat was on private property.

Now that the Grosbeaks have more habitat and now that the public has more access, Blue Grosbeaks can be seen on most trips to the proper location at the proper time of the year. In fact, Blue Grosbeaks should be returning to the Refuge any time now, following their winter vacations in Northern Mexico south to Panama. They usually arrive around the first of April, but many species have been arriving early this year, probably because of the mild winter.

With their swollen bills and brilliant blue plumage, male Blue Grosbeaks are unmistakable. Females have the same swollen bill, but are a soft cinnamon brown color, sometimes with a pale blue wash on the rump and tail.

Nature lovers with a yen to see this beautiful blue Northern San Joaquin Valley endemic species can look along both sides of Beckwith Road, especially near the U.S. Fish and Wildlife platform, or, better yet, walk the Pelican Trail at the new Refuge expansion, just east of River Road. From Highway 132, drive south on River Road to Dairy Road and turn left. The Refuge entrance is at the end of Dairy Road. Walk the Pelican Trail as you search for the Blue Grosbeaks, which are often feeding in the plants and shrubs along the trail, and enjoy the natural wonders along the way.

Filed Under: Nature

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. The Valley Citizen - Nature Environment Politics History Editorials says:
    June 6, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    […] of what to look for, but where and when to find it. Thus, those who wished to see the spectacular Blue Grosbeak, our most recently featured, “Target Bird,” were limited to a few locations where the bird […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Note: Some comments may be held for moderation.

Primary Sidebar

Off The Wire

California faces catastrophic flood dangers ? and a need to invest billions in protection
California faces catastrophic flood dangers and a need to invest billions in protection
A new state plan for the Central Valley calls for spending as much as $30 billion over 30 years to prepare for the dangers.
www.latimes.com
Oakland will get millions for the ?inhumane? crisis at one huge homeless encampment. Officials say it?s not enough
Oakland will get millions for the “inhumane” crisis at one huge homeless encampment. Officials say it’s not enough
Gavin Newsom’s administration has awarded Oakland a $4.7 million grant to come up with…
www.sfchronicle.com
Alaska?s Fisheries Are Collapsing. This Congresswoman Is Taking on the Industry She Says Is to Blame.
Alaska’s Fisheries Are Collapsing. This Congresswoman Is Taking on the Industry She Says Is to Blame.
Mary Peltola won her election by campaigning on a platform to save the state’s prized fisheries. A powerful fishing lobby is standing in her way.
www.politico.com
Jimmy Carter's final foe: A parasitic worm that preyed on millions in Africa and Asia
Jimmy Carter’s final foe: A parasitic worm that preyed on millions in Africa and Asia
One of former President Carter’s biggest hopes is wiping out an infectious parasitic disease that’s plagued humans for millennia. How close is he?
www.latimes.com
Climate Extremes Threaten California?s Central Valley Songbirds - Eos
Climate Extremes Threaten California’s Central Valley Songbirds – Eos
A “nestbox highway” in California’s Central Valley is guiding songbirds to safe nesting sites and giving scientists a peek at fledgling success in a changing climate.
eos.org
Alaska Republican touts benefits of children being abused to death
Alaska Republican touts benefits of children being abused to death
Republican David Eastman suggested the death of child abuse victims could be a “cost savings” to wider society.
www.newsweek.com
Editorial: Newsom's drought order amid wet winter threatens iconic California species
Editorial: Newsom’s drought order amid wet winter threatens iconic California species
Gov. Gavin Newsom has effectively ended environmental regulations protecting California rivers and migratory fish by extending drought-year waivers.
www.latimes.com
Two-thirds of McPherson Square homeless remain on street, D.C. says
Two-thirds of McPherson Square homeless remain on street, D.C. says
As of Thursday, just two of the more than 70 residents of McPherson Square had been placed in permanent D.C. housing.
www.washingtonpost.com
More Building Won?t Make Housing Affordable
More Building Won’t Make Housing Affordable
America’s housing crisis has reached unfathomable proportions. But new construction isn’t enough to solve it.
newrepublic.com
Why YIMBYs are about to sue the daylights out of cities across the Bay Area
Why YIMBYs are about to sue the daylights out of cities across the Bay Area
Housing advocates are about to deliver a message to the Bay Area: Comply with state…
www.sfchronicle.com
At the heart of Colorado River crisis, the mighty 'Law of the River' holds sway
At the heart of Colorado River crisis, the mighty ‘Law of the River’ holds sway
At the heart of tensions over water allotments from the Colorado River is a complex set of agreements and decrees known as the ‘Law of the River.’
www.latimes.com
Biden restores roadless protection to the Tongass, North America's largest rainforest
Biden restores roadless protection to the Tongass, North America’s largest rainforest
The Tongass National Forest in Alaska, a focus of political battles over old-growth logging and road-building in forests for decades, has received new protection from the Biden administration.
theconversation.com

Find us on Facebook

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Footer

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Subscribe for Free

* indicates required

Search

• Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 The Valley Citizen

Dedicated to the memory of John Michael Flint. Contact us at thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Editor and publisher: Eric Caine

Website customization and maintenance by Susan Henley Design