14 replies to this topic

[Lighthawk]

Springtime is one of our favorite times to visit nearby Sierra Valley.  The valley contains the largest freshwater marsh in the Sierra and is habitat for many migrating avian species.  We visit the area frequently, for it's natural beauty and birding opportunities.  I've been photographing

the wildlife and landscapes there for the last dozen years or so. I have a relationship as a contributing photographer with 

the Feather River Land Trust.  They and other partners including the Tahoe Truckee Land Trust and the Nature Conservancy of California 

have formed the Northern Sierra Partnership and have worked in concert to conserve thousands of acres of habitat, working with local ranchers.

 

I was invited to participate with the NSP in their annual of tour of Sierra Valley.   

We planned to join the group on Sunday at the Noble Ranch, where we would launch a

canoe tour of the wetlands, and walk the grounds for a botany tour.  We've visited the abandoned

1870's ranch house before and were excited to return.

 

We arrived Saturday morning and spent the day touring some of our favorite birding locations.  

We checked out Antelope Valley, west of Loyalton.  A meadowlark sang it's song to the world.

 

 

We were looking for camas lily but they were already past floral stage there.  

 

I spotted a large flock of American Pelican, circling over a nearby ridgeline.  They came right overhead.  I hoped to photograph them again, but we never saw any others.  

 

Herriot/Harriet Lane has a series of single lane bridges, but can have excellent birdlife.  We found avocets and a few ducks.

 

 

 

We drove past a well kept ranch house, when I spotted a pair of bald eagles in the distance sitting on a telephone pole.  

 

Then less than 200 yds  up the road, we spotted a female pronghorn browsing a farmer's field.

 

Susan thought she looked like she might be pregnant.

 

We went to the old steel bridge, a popular overlook and I tried out my new 16-35mm WA lens. I've taken this shot many years, and have

published the shot.  It was blustery conditions and midday, but I like the sharp corners and wide perspective.

 

 

 

There were also the tri-colored blackbirds.

 

 

Dramatic skies over the Sierra crest brought snow squalls to the west of us.  

 

 

This year the buttercup is rampant, and local botanists theorize the cattle overgrazing has diminished their competitors, since buttercup is a less preferred feed for cattle.

 

 

Springtime brings the yellow headed blackbird with their gregarious ways and vociferous vocals.

 

One of the most exciting birds in SV is the sandhill crane.  We had heard them calling in the fields, but had trouble finding any that were very close to the vehicle.

 

 

It had been an excellent day touring the valley.  We had a big day in front of us on Sunday, so we took the afternoon and went to Campbell

Hot Springs and decompressed and got showers.  On the way there we scouted Lemon Canyon Ranch and the old Noble Ranch,

where we would meet with our group in the morning.

 

We settled into the backside of a secluded meadow and took a walk, enjoying the late spring sunshine.

I noted several large bear scat in the nearby woods.  The meadow flowers were in great form and we found our

camas lily.  The deep mud ruts of the last few weeks had dried up.  It was a perfect time to visit.

 

 

 

Stay tuned for Part II

 

 

 

 

[Happyjax]

Wonderful pictures Andy! That place goes on the list! Isn't Nevada City the place they shot the movie The Christmas Card? 

I love that movie and all the scenery around it (yep it's a chick flick..lol)

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Andy, the valley looks like a wonderful place for wildlife and just poking around. Thanks for sharing!

Love the last shot with the camas!!

[Espresso]

I fell in love with the Sierra Valley in the early 80's when I worked as a counselor at a local summer camp.  Spent many an evening stargazing at the end of a long dirt road.  

[ski3pin]

Wonderful Saturday, Lighthawk! We can't wait for part two. Camas Lily is the Lady's favorite flower. You made her evening.

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Great bird shots Andy.Might stop through there on our way back from Lassen before fathers day weekend.

Thanks.
Frank

[Lighthawk]

Sierra Valley, May 2012 Part II

 

The day dawned fine with a light crisp in the meadow.  I had just a moment to capture the beautiful scene before we packed it up and jumped into the truck with mugs of coffee in our hands.  

 

We spotted a lone sandhill crane hunting the meadow on the way out.  Callie was given an opportunity to run along the dirt road, which she enjoys.  We wanted to exercise her, since she wouldn't be paddling with us later.

 

We arrived at the Noble Ranch at 730am, a short drive from our dispersed campsite in Ross Ranch Meadows .  The gate was unlocked and we drove in a short ways and parked next to the old cattle chute. 

We've been here before and were familiar with the lay of the land.  We ran Callie around and popped the top of the camper.  I got two emails letting me know the event was delayed until 9am.

 

The old 1870's homestead is a study in structural decay.  There is a nesting pair of american kestrels occupying the structure.  I was too busy covering the event and didn't get a photo.  

We met a biologist working the house later, where they have a game camera and a perch set up.  They were hoping to record weasel and were wiring some chicken meat lower down on the perch.  

 

The Feather River Land Trust recently acquired the Smith Ranch, which abuts the Maddelena Ranch, with nature trail/birding platform, and the Smith Ranch.  The three ranches total 2600 acres of preserved habitat in the Sierra Valley water channels, the headwaters of the Feather river.  The wetlands resisted roadbuilding and ranching for 150 years and now are being preserved as habitat for dozens of migratory bird species.  

 

We've actually kayaked from the bottom right corner (Maddelena Ranch) to the top left corner of this Google Earth view.  GPS was our friend that day as we navigated the tules in the shallow waters.

 

Previous explorations of this property have revealed the remains of a vehicle with jutting steering wheel a hundred yards towards the wetlands.  There are several hay wagons are slowly decomposing towards the south.  Google earth shows a collapsed structure to the north.  Other than cattle , no other residents other than native fauna have occupied this land for the last century.  

 

There was a breakfast and a presentation by the Northern Sierra Partnership.

A cooperative of the Feather River Land Trust, the Tahoe Truckee Land Trust and the Nature Conservancy; the Northern Sierra Partnership has brought together a team to conserve the old ranches in Sierra Valley, which is roughly the size of Lake Tahoe.

 

This a wonderful group of knowledgeable, salt of the earth, people who are committed to saving the land for future generations and ours too.

 

 

 

We had a group of nearly forty people on this tour.  SR was there too, but stepped out of the frame.

 

The plan was to split into two groups who would rotate between canoe tours of the wetlands and botanical tours of the valley floor.  We're kayakers and were eager to join the canoe tour.  

 

 

A good time was had by all.

 

A unique scenic experience of paddling the flat valley is the feeling of being in a bowl, surrounded by high country on all sides.

 

 

 

We were amazed to learn there are over a thousand different plant species in SV.   

 

 

 

We had the afternoon free and did a quick drive around towards Chilcoot where we had heard there wer antelope near Green Gulch.   There were a trio of antelope east of Beckworth and an apparent round up with several cowboys mounted.  It was all a bit distant for any photo ops.

 

We did one last swing south through the valley to visit Lemon Canyon Ranch, another conservation easement property, dating back to the 1850's.

 

The volcanic soils are notorious for being slick and the ruts from a few weeks earlier were still evident.

 

The Lemon Canyon Ranch was in the full spring of lush growth, with a running creek through the property.  There are two large barns being restored.

 

We have plans to revisit Sierra Valley very soon while the spring waters are high and the birds are active.  We've been given permission to access several ranches along the Sierra Valley Channels and use of the FRLT canoes.  Another trip is on the way!

Edited by Lighthawk, 03 June 2016 - 01:30 AM.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

What a beautiful place! Over a 1000 species, that's diverse!

[Lighthawk]

Wonderful pictures Andy! That place goes on the list! Isn't Nevada City the place they shot the movie The Christmas Card? 

I love that movie and all the scenery around it (yep it's a chick flick..lol)

 

Correct, Happyjax.  They did shoot the movie here.  Nevada City did a good job preserving their heritage with a hysterical society some decades ago and it's a nice mix of local and tourists most weekends.

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks Andy.I remember the other report you did there when you kayaked it.

I have an Old Town like the one i your photos.

Maybe if the conditions are good might stop and put the canoe in on our way home from Lassen.

Frank