Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge

I took advantage of having a day off for MLK Day to make the quick drive to Baskett Slough NWR for a short recovery hike after Saturday’s 15-mile hike at Ellendale Creek (post). Heather did not get the day off, so this was another solo outing for me and my sixth hike at the refuge. It was however my first visit during the seasonal closure period which runs from October ER 1st through March 30th. While much of the refuge is closed to protect wintering wildlife the Rich Guadagno Memorial and Inter-Tie Trails are open year-round. I parked at the Baskett Butte Trailhead planning on hiking those two trails and then hike along Coville Road to the Taverners Marsh parking area.

I arrived shortly before sunrise and headed up the Rich Guadagno Memorial Trail and detoured to the wildlife viewing platform before starting the loop.

Seasonal closure map.

Mt. Jefferson

Geese in South Slough Pond.

Heading toward the viewing platform.

Heading back to start the loop.

Here comes the sun.

I opted to hike the loop counterclockwise due to an even earlier bird having been ahead of me doing the loop counterclockwise.

Shortly after entering the trees I noticed three deer just up the hillside above the trail.

The three deer.

First deer

Second deer. The third deer was too busy munching on grass to look up.

After watching the deer for a moment I continued on getting a glimpse of Morgan Lake through the trees.

Next I spotted a bald eagle through the trees.

I could hear a number of other birds but spotting them was another thing. I was finally able to locate an acorn woodpecker though.

And a pair of starlings.

A little further along the loop I noticed another woodpecker. It was either a hairy or downy woodpecker, I didn’t get a look at the beak or face so I’m not sure which.

I turned left onto the Inter-Tie Trail when I came to that junction and followed it to the seasonal closure boundary and a bench overlooking Morgan Lake.

The white sign ahead marks the start of the seasonally closed section of trail.

Morgan Lake from the bench.

Egret hunting in a field.

Cackling geese

More geese headed for Morgan Lake.

After watching and listening to the geese on Morgan Lake I headed back and finished the loop.

Northern flicker

There were a bunch of birds in these trees by the sounds, but I only caught glimpses of them flying from tree to tree.

The end of the loop ahead.

After completing the loop I returned to the trailhead and headed down Coville Road.

Leaving the trailhead parking area.

The road is open to vehicles but why drive when I could walk the half mile to Taveners Marsh?

South Slough Pond from Coville Road.

There were a lot of birds to see as I passed along South Slough Pond.

This looks like mostly northern pintails, northern shovelers and American wigeons.

Coville Road. Notice the seasonal closure signs on either side.

Geese and northern pintails.

Baskett Butte

A mallard and an American wigeon along with geese.

Another bald eagle

American kestral

Hawk

American wigeon

An Amrican coot, bufflehead, and northern shoveler walk into a bar…..

Barn swallows

Taveners Marsh was also full of birds. Most of the ducks there were busy eating breakfast which resulted in a lot of duck butts.

Northern pintails, a northern shoveler and an American coot.

Red-winged blackbird

American coot

Northern shovelers and Merlin says the little shore birds are dunlins.

Gadwall pair

Taveners Marsh

Northern pintail

Name that duck butt.

Song sparrow

After spending a good amount of time at Taveners Marsh I headed back along Coville Road to the Baskett Butte Trailhead.

Baskett Butte from Taveners Marsh