In my previous article, I introduced the annual Martin Luther King, Jr, Day of Service. This year, people all over the country took part in more than 12,000 service projects that were organized locally by your friends and neighbors. As for my part, I spent the day the way I'd like to spend any holiday: outside in nature. Only this time I did it with a trash bag in hand.

I joined a great group of people and cleaned up the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area wetlands. You know, that area next to the causeway that’s flooded with water and teeming with migratory birds during the winter months. I often see the birds from the freeway, but was unaware of how accessible the area is to visitors. All you have to do is take the Chiles Road exit off Highway 80, drive over the levee, and you’re there. You can park your car in the lot by the freeway and head off on one of the many trails, or you can enter the scenic 6-mile auto loop to get a view of the wildlife from the comfort of your car.

Our project was to clean up trash between the parking areas at the north and south entrances. It wasn’t hard to fill our black trash bags. Just between my boyfriend and I, we filled three. Two hours later, we took a break for lunch at the nearby fruit stand, and then headed back into the wetlands for the auto tour. There we were met by coots, great egrets, green and cinnamon teals, white-faced ibis, black phoebes, long-billed dowitchers, black-shouldered kites, and even a great-horned owl. I’m sure there were many more I missed or couldn’t identify. The day was a perfect mix of work, sun, and fun. I’ll be sure to visit the Bypass again soon. Thank you, Sarah Warnock, for organizing and leading our project!

For more information on they Yolo Bypass, check out these sites:

http://www.sacramentoriver.org/access_site.php?access_site_id=153

http://www.yolobasin.org/popup_photo.cfm?photo=YBFMap.jpg (map)