I was standing on the edge of the boardwalk, peering onto the waters of the delta. An amalgam of clouds, remnants of a late afternoon thunderstorm, caught the last rays of sunlight, glowing bright pink while awaiting twilight. A few shorebirds and waterfowl were making last calls on the delta before heading to their nests. The air was filled with their sounds: a squak here, a scree there, and the resounding drone of crickets all over.

The San Joquin delta is a spectacular place in California, coming alive in the spring, with fresh wetlands, flocks of migratory birds and jaw-dropping sunsets. This place is truly a treasure to be preserved for the future. And while I had the chance to visit it a few times, in no other visit did the sky put such a spectacular show like this one.

San Luis NWR

CA USA