Migratory Birds Swarm In Restored San Joaquin Valley Wetlands

[hatrack]

DELANO, Calif. - "Record numbers of ducks, ibises, egrets and other waterfowl are wintering in a wildlife refuge in the southern San Joaquin Valley, thriving in restored wetlands that have been fully flooded for the first time since creation of the refuge four decades ago.

Covering the Kern National Wildlife Refuge's 6,500 acres of wetlands in water after decades of only having enough resources to water a third of the area has turned the marsh into "an oasis in the desert," said Ducks Unlimited biologist Chris Hildebrandt.

A federal act passed in 1992 and gradually implemented over the last decade has mandated that Central Valley refuges receive a reliable supply of water. To the wildlife at Kern — a wetlands refuge created without its own water supply in the middle of thirsty grape and cotton farms — the Central Valley Project Improvement Act has made all the difference.

Thick green tufts of bulrushes, wild millet and other native grasses dot the lush marshland, providing food and shelter for familiar birds like mallard ducks, the little white-billed black coots and the common moorehen, but also attracting more than 6,000 white-faced ibises, a bird hardly seen in the Central Valley 10 years ago, and birds that are rare in the area, like tri-colored blackbirds. Clusters of cottonwood trees are weighed down by dozens of great blue herons in their nests. The majestic bird lives on the +frogs+ and fish it catches in the surrounding marsh. "If you worked at it, you could spot 150 species out here in a day," said refuge manager David Hardt. "

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[el_gato]

1. something positive

thanks for posting

[hatrack]

2. Always happy to post something like this

Ibises & egrets - very cool!