Carson River Photos

I live next to the Walker River, and work beside the Carson River. None of the rivers inside the Great Basin flow out to the sea. Most of them evaporate in sinks. The Carson River is no different. It starts up in the Sierra Nevada in Alpine County, CA and 184 miles later ends in the Carson Sink close to Fallon, NV. One place I really want to visit is the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge. It's not that far away at all, but I've never managed to get there...yet! It's a wetland area branching off from the Carson River, close to where it ends.

I walked around one of the trails at Fort Churchill last night before it got dark and got some pictures of the river...

Railroad bridge above the river...

Just a few months ago the river was completely dry. It didn't start flowing again until the end of October and finally these last few days with rain and snow have added some water!

 

Looking back toward the Fort from the Carson River Ranches.

 

Great Horned Owl

This morning before I went out to do the rounds, I happened to grab the park camera, just in case...and it was a good move! As I was driving into Scout Camp, I saw a Great Horned Owl flying low to the ground beside the truck--I wonder if I disturbed a meal or if it was sleeping. I saw where it landed, grabbed the camera and got a couple good shots before I left it alone, going back to cleaning and checking fee tubes...

I've seen it here before, but I don't always (never) have the camera with me!

 

It didn't look too happy with me so I left it alone...