I spent Friday and Saturday, February 2-3, in Los Banos, and took some bird pictures at Merced National Wildlife Refuge. Good weather, and great birds! I saw and photographed huge flocks of Snow and Ross's Geese, and saw plenty of flyovers by Sandhill Cranes. I was also treated to an hour by myself with a cooperative American Bittern, which hunted in the grass near the water while I took pictures from my car. One White-faced Ibis was also cooperative, foraging in the water close to the road. Other birds photographed include Cinnamon Teal, American Pipit, and Marsh Wren. For my bird photos from the trip back home through Panoche Valley, see https://pbase.com/tgrey/panoche_feb07 .