KAYAKING THE BILL WILLIAMS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Yesterday we left our camp out in the BLM south of Quartzsite and headed north near Parker, AZ.  Dropped the camper off at River Island State Park then headed up to the Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge.  Put our kayak in at thier headquarters and paddled over to where the old river channel is.  Now the river is pretty much still water that is backed up by the Parker Dam so I guess is part of Lake Havasu.  We paddled up to where the river comes into the lake and it gets to shallow and narrow to go any further.  Got to see lots of birds.  Took a lot of pictures of a Great Egret that let us hang around as long as we did not get to close.  When we first saw him/her, it was preening his/her feathers and had one almost out and lots of little ones on the bill.  Had a great time watching and taking pictures.

When we came out of the reeds on our way back the wind had kicked up considerably and we got a little wet coming across the bay to our take out point.  The waves were hitting us at about 45 degrees on our starboard side.  Glad we did not have to go miles that way - we would have been soaked.  One mile was enough.

Spent the night there and then headed back south to Kofa National Wildlife Refuge where we are camped tonight.  It is so much quieter here.  Went for a bike ride this afternoon and Connie wrecked going through some rocks in a wash.  She has a little road rash tonight!!

 

The egret when we first saw it.

Doing a little stretch for us.

Giving us the "don't get to close" look.

Actually started to do a little fishing here.

Finally said we were to close.

Pretty bird flying along.

A coot just swimming along.

A lot of these wasps or hornets would land on a floating reed or just on the water.  I assume to get moisture.

  

Going up the river in the reeds.

 

Bike riding in Kofa.

 

View from our camp.

 

Our camp.