Cibola Wildlife Refuge - Arizona/California

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Cibola Wildlife Refuge - Arizona/California

Postby oregontocal » Mon Nov 30, 2009 5:00 pm

Early this morning, I took a drive to the Cibola Wildlife Refuge near the California/Arizona border. Would like to get there around sunrise or sunset sometime. However, I did see lots of Sandhill Cranes and Canadian Geese. And the trees were gorgeous! Did see a coyote running through the brush on my way out, but couldn't get the camera set up in time.

Here's a photo album of some of the pictures I was able to get. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... 5fcd9523a4 You don't have to be a member of Facebook to look at them. Here's a sample photo:

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Cibola Refuge was established in 1964 as mitigation for channelization and dam construction on the Colorado River in the 1930s and 1940s. It's located in the floodplain of the Lower Colorado River and provides important habitat for migratory birds, wintering waterfowl, and resident species. The refuge contains several miles of historic river channels and backwaters that provide key habitats in a changed environment.

About 240 species of birds use the refuge during the year. It is a critical wintering area for Canada geese and greater sandhill cranes. Several endangered or threatened species use the refuge. Included are the willow flycatcher, brown pelican, peregrine falcone, bald eagle, Yuma clapper rail, bonytail chub, and razorback sucker. Other resident bird species include Gambel's quail, kestrel, Harris' hawk, roadrunner, phainopepla, and burrowing owl. Mule deer, coyote, and bobcat are common mammals on the refuge, and visitors occasionally spot mountain lion, kit fox, gray fox, and badger as well. Many species of reptiles and amphibians, including the western diamondback and sidewinder rattlesnakes also call the refuge home.

The refuge actively manages a variety of habitat for wildlife. About 2,000 acres are farmed to provide food for migrating and wintering waterfowl, cranes, and other species. Farmers harvest hay in the summer and leave alfalfa, corn, milo, millet, and other crops for wildlife during the winter.
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Re: Cibola Wildlife Refuge - Arizona/California

Postby Nasoosie » Mon Nov 30, 2009 6:35 pm

WOW, Chris! Great pictures! Easy to view, too, with no asking for passwords, or such.

The brown bird, although I can't really see the shape of its beak, looks like a finch of some sort.

I have never seen trees like those! They are beautiful-----and I can't believe they are still in colored leaves. What kind of trees are those?

Thanks so much for the uplifting show this evening!
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Re: Cibola Wildlife Refuge - Arizona/California

Postby BirdbyBird » Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:36 pm

So many roads to travel down and vistas to explore...thank you.
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Re: Cibola Wildlife Refuge - Arizona/California

Postby avalen » Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:52 pm

beautiful place, thanks Chris for taking us along.
Soos, are you referring to the yellow trees? Those look like birch to me, but
can't tell for sure, I'd have to be closer.
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Re: Cibola Wildlife Refuge - Arizona/California

Postby AlmostThere » Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:27 pm

The little gray bird looks like a common sparrow to me, but, hey, what do I know of fowl? :lol:
The yellow leaf trees with the white bark look to be white birch.
All those white birds, I would venture to guess, are snow geese.
Anyone else wanna guess!?
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Re: Cibola Wildlife Refuge - Arizona/California

Postby bluepinecones » Mon Nov 30, 2009 10:22 pm

Absolutely wonderful. What a great way for me to end my day. Thank for sharing.

BTW - For those interested in more on birds, try the following:
[url]http://www.birds.cornell.edu/[/url]

This is the most complete and informative bird reference site I've ever found. Thousands of pictures, sounds, descriptions, etc. Be sure to check out the on-line guide to bird watching.

Also some of you are so good at photography, suggest you submit some of your work for their consideration.
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Re: Cibola Wildlife Refuge - Arizona/California

Postby snowball » Tue Dec 01, 2009 12:58 am

as it's not that far from Q we have been there several times did the walk through but sadly haven't hit it at the right time of night or morning to see the most birds but it is so pretty and always look for ward to going
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Re: Cibola Wildlife Refuge - Arizona/California

Postby Nasoosie » Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:14 am

I saw no white birch trees, but then, I was looking at those trees with the smoothish bark with cracks or splits in it. We have tons of white birch trees up here, but none looking like what I saw in those pics. There are trees there that are like none I have ever seen, by the tons! When I have more time, I'll go back and look again. Perhaps some of them are white birch, but those aren't the ones I don't know.....the closeups of the trunks ones are the ones I mean.
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Re: Cibola Wildlife Refuge - Arizona/California

Postby oregontocal » Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:20 am

The yellow trees? I'm pretty sure they're aspens.
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Re: Cibola Wildlife Refuge - Arizona/California

Postby Liz » Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:54 pm

Beautiful place...the list keeps growing. Thanks for the great pics!
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Re: Cibola Wildlife Refuge - Arizona/California

Postby JanetA » Wed Dec 02, 2009 12:41 pm

those buncha white birds in the field look like snow geese to me! That's what they look like when they land in a field,, SNOW!

as for the little bird w/ the orange beak,, i'd ask birdy, but im thinking it's some sort of house wren ,, you know,, the kind that build mud nests on your porch?
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