Central CA NWR Road Trip
Chasing cranes and other winter migrating birds
Table of Contents
NWR Road Trip
Plans for 2026
NWR Road Trip
National Wildlife Refuges are one of the more unknown park systems, but their mission is incredibly important: protecting wildlife and their habitats. And when it comes to winter wildlife viewing in California, the refuges truly steal the show, even more than the national parks or state parks ever could.
The ones along Highway 5 in Central California are especially critical because they serve as major resting stops for thousands of migrating birds traveling the Pacific Flyway each winter. So of course, I had to go see what migration “traffic” looked like this season! And as with any great birding trip, I managed to pack everything… except my binoculars.
Most refuges are tucked far away from normal human traffic. One minute you’re cruising down the 5, passing endless rows of orchards, and the next you’re turning onto a dusty, questionable dirt road, wondering if you’ve accidentally trespassed onto someone’s farm. Then, finally, a little NWR sign appears in the distance and all doubts disappear. I had complete faith in my navigation skills, obviously. The best part is how quiet and empty these places are. Since most people don’t even know refuges exist, it’s usually just you and the birds across thousands of acres. Just make sure to check the hunting schedule in winter. Rangers might be at the stations to turn you around, but it’s better to know ahead of time!
Sandhill Cranes roost overnight in the refuge ponds to stay safe from predators and then fly out at sunrise to feed in nearby agricultural fields, returning again at sunset. I arrived at Pixley NWR just in time for the morning flyout and later managed to find them feeding in the fields. They usually roost in the inner ponds far from footpaths, so getting a good view is tough until they take to the air. Thankfully, they flew toward me instead of away.
Merced NWR instantly shot to the top of my birding locations list. When I arrived, the ponds were covered in what looked like a sea of white, accompanied by the loudest honking I’ve ever experienced. Normally, waterfowl are extremely skittish and will flush the moment they see you when you’re over a mile away. But Merced has an auto-tour route, so the birds are more comfortable with vehicles and less wary as long as you stay in the vehicle. Large flocks were roosting close to the road, which made for some incredible views.
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San Luis NWR also has an extensive auto-tour route that winds through nearly 27,000 acres of wetlands and woodlands and offered beautiful views of tule elk!
Sometimes you’ll encounter technical difficulties out in the field! Always be ready!
Photos from Pt. Lobos State Reserve and Fiscalini Ranch Preserve (not NWR locations) (below)
Plans for 2026
That wraps up 2025 and what a year it’s been! It feels like dreams are actually starting to become real! :) Now for the rambling!
Horses - After I graduate in May, I think I’m going to seriously start considering buying my own horse. I’ve been leasing for about half a year now and I’ve loved every second of it. I know the responsibility of ownership is on a completely different level, but leasing has at least given me a real taste of what that life looks like. I’ve talked with my trainer about logistics and finances, and I think it actually feels doable!
I also signed up for a horse packing trip this summer in the Sierra backcountry. Camping under the stars, clear blue alpine lakes, wildflower meadows, no cell service, just horses and nature. If I ever want to do horseback camping with my own horse, this will be the perfect introduction to learn what gear I will need and what the reality of it is like. I’m so excited!!
Gardening - Gardening is making a comeback! I’ve grown corn, snap peas, and other vegetables before, but this year I want to add cut flowers into the mix. I’ve never had luck with starting flowers from seeds but this month I now have snapdragons (around 80 seedlings… oops), cosmos, sweet peas, and poppies growing. I know I technically should’ve started them in fall, but this is already progress compared to my usual March panic planting. I also picked up a couple dahlia tubers, so hopefully I’ll have some dinner-plate-sized blooms later in the year.
Birds and Art - Birding will always be a constant in my life, and I’ll be involved in some really exciting projects at the refuge that I hope will be shared publicly soon.
Art-wise, 2025 was… nonexistent. There was just no time. I’d love to get back into just traditional journaling: handwriting and sketching what I see. Sharing photos online has been fun, and I might keep posting adventure highlights or photo dumps. Vlogging still sounds great in theory, but I absolutely hate editing, so we’ll see. I change my mind about this constantly! I really want to return to traditional artwork, finish that horse painting I started, and try plein air painting. Collectible bird cards will always stay digital, and I need to make more of them. They’d be perfect for a monthly snail mail project… although that would require full-time effort, so maybe quarterly is more realistic.
First, though, I need to graduate. After that, full steam ahead!!
