Blauert on Outdoors: Plenty to see at Merced National Wildlife Refuge

My favorite time to visit local wildlife refuges has been in the winter, when great flocks of geese and cranes fill the sky.

During my visit to the Merced National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, the geese and cranes were gone, but there still was plenty to see.

I’m taking a California Naturalist class at UC Merced through the UC’s Cooperative Extension. I signed up with the intention of filling in gaps in my knowledge about plants and animals. It’s been a rewarding experience, and I’ll be writing more about it in the coming weeks. The class brings me back to something I’ve said many times in this column: One of the best ways to learn is from experts.

Last weekend, with help and guidance from Dr. Chris Swarth and Kestrel O’Hearn, I saw a lot at the refuge – more than 40 bird species, plus rabbits and rodents.

Besides learning from experts, the thing that has helped me the most in starting to recognize and know the different species is simply spending time with binoculars at one of the refuge’s viewing platforms. The more you look, the more you start to notice the differences and begin to know what to look for to differentiate the species. A sign at the main viewing platform identifies some commonly seen birds, but it probably didn’t cover more than half of what we saw.

Having a guidebook is definitely helpful. I’ve been pleased with “Birds of Northern California” by David Fix and Andy Bezener. On my recent visit to the refuge, “The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America” by David Allen Sibley was strongly recommended. I’m enjoying the challenge of learning the species, and I can see how it could become a fun competition for a couple, family or group of friends.

Unlike the winter months, morning fog isn’t an issue right now. Since the two platforms are situated for westward views, morning light is ideal. Water levels in the ponds are lower than in some years, and some areas that have been flooded in previous years weren’t this year. The water levels have been reduced since my last visit, mostly to accommodate shorebirds, which arrive in March and stay until late May or early June. The refuges are managed to replicate the great riparian wetlands that once covered large sections of our valley. They serve as a year-round home for some species and an annual stopping point for others as they traverse the great Pacific Flyway from South America to Canada and Alaska.

The Merced NWR has a 5-mile auto tour route with two raised viewing platforms. You can stop your car along the route to view anything interesting. Your vehicle actually works well as a viewing blind – the birds are less likely to fly away if you remain in your vehicle. The refuge also has three short trails for explorations on foot. The Merced NWR is on the south side of Sandy Mush Road about 7.5 miles west of Highway 59.

Another occurrence at this time of year is the blooming of vernal pool wildflowers. The Merced NWR will host a guided tour of vernal pool wildflower areas at the Arena Plains Unit on April 11 at 9 a.m. The event is limited to 40 participants. You can reserve a spot by calling the refuge at (209) 826-3508.

Just about everything you can see at the Merced NWR also can be seen at the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge 7 miles north of Los Banos on Wolfsen Road. In addition, there’s an excellent visitor center (open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), two auto tour routes, several short trails and an enclosure of tule elk. The elk lost last year’s antlers in February and are sprouting new antlers covered in velvet.

For more information about both refuges, go to http://www.fws.gov/refuge/san_luis/ or call (209) 826-1445. To see what species are present in the refuge at any point during the year, click on the “Seasons of Wildlife” link near the top of the webpage.

This story was originally published March 24, 2015 at 11:17 PM with the headline "Blauert on Outdoors: Plenty to see at Merced National Wildlife Refuge."