Camas National Wildlife Refuge

Since we had a lot of extra time in the Idaho Falls area we decided to visit the Camas National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). During migration season April-May and in October this place is hopping with tundra and trumpeter swans, geese, ducks and other migratory birds. About half the area is water with the remaining grass fields and farming which supports the migration population. Our first stop at these places is usually the visitor center or headquarters or office so we followed the signs to the office. There was a great handicapped ramp there but nobody in the office. We guess Judy of Travels with Emma was not working here or else the office would have been opened :-)


There was a sign near the parking area with some maps so we took off walking on the trails. We talked with a guy who was also walking the trails and he told us the migration season had passed, which we expected, and that it was not a very good day for birding. We are just getting started with birding so we were happy when we saw a couple of birds that were new to us, the female black headed grosbeak which we did not get a good picture of, and a common nighthawk showing here.

We confess we had to send the blurry photo of the grosbeak and a better photo of the nighthawk to the aforementioned Judy of Travels with Emma for help in identifying them. It was good that we did because we might not have correctly identified them without her, thanks again Judy!


When we started out on the trails we were in the shade and there was a nice breeze. As we progressed we were out in the open and the breeze went away and we started getting hot. We don't handle the heat very well so we decided to drive to the ponds. We drove along the main canal thinking it was the way to go and we drove and drove but saw nothing but the grass lands and farm fields so we turned around. We then proceeded to try every other road in the area but every one of those roads had a sign saying no unauthorized entry. Without someone to talk to in the office and nobody else around we gave up and headed home.


It was still a great day but we wished we had seen the rest of the NWR.




Till next time,


Bob and Jo