photos by Greg Hofmann

03/17/03: All around the Elkhorn Slough Reserve are "guzzlers," shallow troughs that are kept full of water for the benefit of the local wildlife. In dry months, the guzzlers can be a convenient source of fresh drinking water, but the birds discovered long ago that they are ideal for a quick bath at any time of year. This Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) was one of several birds that took advantage of the guzzler behind the research trailer on a sunny spring day.