Richard Ingles of Santa Clara woke up before 5 a.m. so he could make the two-hour drive to Galt for the city's Winter Bird Festival.
"A bird with a bug - that's a beautiful story," he said, describing a perfect photo opportunity.
Ingles had on his shoulder at least $4,000 worth of photography equipment during a three-hour birdwatching tour this morning. But the retired airplane pilot didn't seem to mind the extra heft.
"Bird watching gets you outdoors. It's good for the body and good for the mind," he said.
Cosumnes River Preserve is home to about 100,000 birds, according to rangers who count the birds every two weeks. The population, however, fluctuates greatly depending on the season.
"Any time we get rain, there'll be less birds since there are more bodies of water around," said preserve manager Harry McQuillen.
Renis Harvey, a nature lover who has traveled to Africa and Florida, said the best thing about bird watching is when "something spooks the birds."
"When they start flying, that's when you get the good photos," he said.
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