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WETlands ??
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WETlands ??

by SandyRichardsBrown

Gallery: Man & FaunaPosted January 13, 2012520 views7 comments
This is an extremely weird winter. Alaska is getting more snow than they have had in many years, with repeated tough storms. Many other places are getting no winter weather or snow at all.
Here, in N California, in the middle of our "rainy" season, we are in a severe drought. We have not had a drop of rain for months. The hills are all still brown. Not a bit of natural snow in the Sierras, crippling the seasonal ski economy.
Last year, we had about 225% normal rainfall (so the reservoirs are still pretty full, thankfully) THIS year, we are at about 5% of normal.

This all affects birds, and wildlife also, of course. Places like Bosque are unusally dry and many of the migrating waterfowl have altered their course to go to other areas. Here, there are more sandhills and far fewer waterfowl, who dpend on seasonal wetlands for food and socializing.

The area at the Merced/San Luis NWR near Modesto, CA (Central CA) shown in this photo is usually covered with water and ducks all winter.
No rain in the predictable forecast.
Sandy

Comments

7 comments
Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on January 13, 2012 at 10:28 PM
Another area in the refuge. This stump usually has a raptor on it, happily watching the thousands of surrounding potential future dinners.

Sandy
Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments
Comment posted by Anil Rao on January 16, 2012 at 10:54 AM
I heard that its going to be wet this coming weekend. Snow is also expected in the Sierra.
Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments
Comment posted by Philip Schwarz on January 17, 2012 at 11:29 AM
Same conditions around here. Hardly any snow this winter.
Registered on November 29, 2006, 236 Posts, 1210 Comments
Comment posted by Ray Whitt on January 19, 2012 at 8:28 AM
Your title says is all. Weird weather in the Northeast also this year.

Congratulations on the Editors Pick!

Ray
Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Hackley on January 19, 2012 at 1:24 PM
Congratulations on the WP Sandy, kind of sad to see the place without water.
Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments
Comment posted by Nancy de Flon on February 4, 2012 at 8:58 PM
The sign is just clear enough that the viewer can read the word "marshes" and see from the rest of the picture that something doesn't add up. A very telling image, Sandy.
Registered on June 28, 2010, 61 Posts, 284 Comments
Comment posted by Avi Hirschfield on February 20, 2012 at 1:56 AM
Hope the weather changes :frown:
Registered on November 1, 2003, 518 Posts, 2114 Comments