San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

I joined a regional hiking group on a Sunset Nature Walk this past Sunday, and had a really enjoyable time discovering yet another Southern California place I previously didn’t know existed, the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine. The group was instructed to meet first at the picnic table area where many brought cheese, crackers, sandwiches, and fruit enough to share. Others had bottles of wine along to set the pace for our walk! My first impression of this group was truly off the chart!

Per the website, “San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary is a part of the Irvine Ranch Water District natural treatment system, a restored freshwater wetlands cleansing pollutants from the water before returning it to the San Diego River just inland from the Upper Newport Bay.  Over 200 bird species visit this wetlands.  The sanctuary has 12 miles of public trails.”

We covered but a small part of the many trails before the sky began to darken, but it was a great sampling. Of course, I was clicking away with my Nikon, bringing you the photos in the gallery below. I admit being pleasantly surprised by nature trails having modern office buildings as the backdrop, particularly in a city known for its beige tract house blandness. ~SueBee (photos by SueBee) Click on photos to enlarge and view the gallery.

Haven’t identified

Walking past a vacant area; apartments in background

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Office Buildings

Crows in the trees up ahead

In for a landing

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Getting ready for bed

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (SueBee)