New Guest Blog- Local Preserve provides peace and inspiration

By Leslie Morris

Some photographers have the skill and patience to bring out just the right smile from a reluctant child or capture the perfect photo of newlyweds.  I have to admit that I am drawn to subjects with feathers, fur or fins.

Swainson's Hawk

For me, there’s nothing that compares to capturing a Swainson’s Hawk soaring majestically in the sky, a White-tailed Kite hovering over a field and then swooping down to grab its next meal or a Burrowing Owl family emerging from their subterranean home.

I’m fortunate to live a short drive away from a special place to view these scenes and many others. The Cosumnes River Preserve is a nature preserve spanning 46,000 acres located about 20 miles south of Sacramento.  It’s jointly managed by a number of organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited and various local, state and federal groups. The Cosumnes River is the last free-flowing river in the Central Valley. In addition to trees and marshy areas, crops including rice are grown, which compliment the natural wildlife habitat.

Sandhill Crane

I find it relaxing and rejuvenating to spend time on the preserve photographing, hiking the nature trail and walking along the boardwalk.  The variety of animals and birds you can observe here is amazing.  I’ve viewed and photographed a range of species, including Belted Kingfishers, Greater Sandhill Cranes, North American River Otters and even snakes and coyotes. There are more than 250 different bird species to be found and photographed.  I’m out to locate every one of them!

When I visit this special place with camera and tripod at the ready, I’m filled with a sense of freedom, perhaps similar to that of the birds that are flying around me.

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Leslie Morris is a Sacramento-based photographer specializing in bird and wildlife imagery.