Northern California: Lava Beds National Monument

Popped back into California for a gnarly afternoon among surface lava flows, lava chimneys and caving in lava tubes.

We drove from the emerald green potato fields, blue lakes and birds of southern Oregon into this otherworldly place.

All I could say was wow.

Its raw and you can almost feel the power of the volcanic action, not since the Galapagos Islands have I been this engaged with lava.

Devil's Homestead Flow, a dark, foreboding layer of lava laid down on the land, with only a few hardy plants taking root.

Impassible

Devil's Homestead Flow, vast indeed

Fleener Chimneys a place where you can peep into the earth and imagine lava spewing out.

Fleener Chimney

Peering into the chimney

Birding: Lower Klamath

Birding in Lower Klamath with Mt Shasta floating in the background

Up early and birding.

I am reminded  that the rhythm of being in the field requires patience and can be both rewarding and challenging.

And we experienced both. The area has natural beauty but at times I wondered why we were driving up and down a random track…

Anyway, got some great birds along the way and my list is ticking up.

American White Pelicans

Bullock's Oriole at the Visitor Centre feeder

A calling Western Meadowlark