"Pacific Flyway" - The Great Annual Migration

            The "Pacific Flyway" is a major north-south route for migratory birds in America, extending from Alaska to South America. Each year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in late fall, following food sources, heading to breeding grounds, or traveling to overwintering sites.  Any given bird species travels roughly the same route every year, at almost the same time.

Along the Flyway, there are many rest stops where birds gather to feed and regain their strength.  A portion of the large San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex in central California, managed by the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, is known as the Merced National Wildlife Refuge.  This refuge plays host to the largest wintering populations of lesser sandhill cranes and Ross's geese within the Pacific Flyway. In the winter over 20,000 cranes and 60,000 arctic-nesting geese terminate their annual migrations from Alaska and Canada to make this area their home for six months. Here they mingle with thousands of other visiting waterfowl, waterbirds and shorebirds making this place a true winter phenomenon and a nature photographers delight.

Taken in: United States / California / Merced (show map)

Taken on: February 5, 2016

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Sets appears in: • Merced NWR 2016

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Camera: Nikon D300, f/7.1, 1/40 sec, 86mm (=129mm), ISO 500 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D300
Lens:	70.0-300.0 mm f/4.0-5.6
Aperture:	f/7.1
Exposure Time:	0.025 sec (1/40)
Focal Length:	86mm (35mm equivalent: 129mm)
ISO:	500
Exposure Bias:	+7/3 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Spot
White Balance:	Manual
Light Source:	Cloudy
Gain Control:	Low gain up
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.7.1 (Macintosh)
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