Driving the 'S' Unit

The River 'S' Unit is a 4.2 mile auto tour route in the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge. The idea being that you use your vehicle as your personal observation blind. Of course we told the boys that they could unbuckle and move about the back seat so our vehicle also became our personal wrestling cage. We went late afternoon in early October, there was plenty of wildlife to see but I can imagine that during other times of the year, there is more wildlife than your eyes could take in. You may have to click on the picture to getter a bigger/better view of what we were seeing...until I get my zoom lens anyway.

Slime covered Nutria - shockingly, the boys loved this. This was a slough of sorts or maybe a large irrigation/overflow ditch that ran next to the road. Parts of it were very still and the algae took advantage!

I handed Joel the camera because this scene was on his side of the car and said, "take a picture." He did and this is what he got, it's one of my favorites from the day.

Look! It's a goofball!

There is one point along the auto route that you can actually get out of your vehicle and walk into an actual blind. This little guy greeted us when we got there.

'Heron' the wildlife refuge you see quite a few of these beauties.

Hawk's eye view.

Where's the Western Painted Turtle?

Seriously, my heart skips a beat, this is gorgeous, and lucky for me I can tune out the rambunctious boys in the back seat long enough to enjoy it and snap a picture too.

I'm going to have to take binoculars and a bird identification book with me next time.

It's hard to get these hunters on camera, just when you think you've got the shot, they dive and swoop out of the shot.