Nature’s Black and White
Goose down, rice fields, Central Valley (10/10/21) Robert Kermen 
Black Ibis, Central Valley (10/10/21) Robert Kermen
On a recurring drive to Nevada, Robert Kermen witnessed what he calls the “black and white” of our natural world.
As he rode through the northern Central Valley, Bob observed that rice farmers, ” have mostly completed harvest and are in the process of ripping the rice stubble and flooding the fields to decompose rice straw. During this process, thousands of water fowl descend to feed on the loose rice left in the fields and to rest on their southern migration.”
This year, he said the first to arrive were Black Ibis and White Fronted Geese. “Thousands of them.” So many that “the edges of the flooded fields were covered with goose down blown in by the wind.”
Continuing across I-80, just outside of Truckee, Bob traveled through Coldstream Valley, a popular hiking and biking area with beautiful fall color near apartments and condominiums being built to house local workers and second home owners. Elsewhere along I-80- he found Patchy color at Rainbow Lodge and at Hirschdale Road near Truckee.
Rainbow Lodge, I-80 (10/9/21) Robert Kermen 
Herschdale Rd., Truckee, I-80 (10/9/21) Robert Kermen
- Northern Central Valley Wildlife Refuges – Near Peak, Go Now!
- Coldstream Valley, Truckee – Peak (75 – 100%) GO NOW!
- I-80 – Patchy (10 – 50%)
