Stockton Off The Beaten Path

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About halfway between Stockton and Sacramento off I-5, the Cosumnes River Preserve is one of the better places in the San Joaquin-Delta region for non-boaters to see birdlife. It's located near the confluence of the Consumnes River and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The Consumnes (a name derived from a Miwok Indian word, I believe) is one of the last major rivers in California not tapped directly as a fresh water or electrical resource somewhere between its source in the Sierras Mountains and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The Preserve has an extensive wooden boardwalk through the wetlands, which allows wildlife enthusiasts to see many varieties of birds and wetland animals. Go to the website for an update and exactly when to come for the bird migrations. Bring your binoculars and telephoto camera. I was last there just after some heavy January rains that caused flooding in various parts of the San Francisco Bay Region, in particular the cities of Vacaville and Napa were affected. The images here were taken during a brief stop to examine the possible damage to the boardwalk system, so expect me to replace them later with better images of the animal life. The Visitor Center is located on Franklin Boulevard 1.7 miles South of Twin Cities Road, near the small but fast growing town of Galt.