Many months have discernible themes. A big finch invasion, for example. Well, this December wasn't one of those. There were a lot of loose threads and no obvious themes. But there were interesting birds, and among those was a 12/30 record of a Brant, a species rare away from the immediate coast, photographed (eBird Checklist S207209492) at the North Area Drainage Pond in Davis. The female-type White-winged Scoter found at Sailor Bar on 11/29 continued until at least 12/7, and one to two Red-breasted Mergansers were regularly reported on Folsom Lake. Any Costa's Hummingbird report is notable, but this month had three. The female first found at a private yard in Wilton on 8/14 has persisted into January. An adult male in Davis near Nugget Fields was found throughout the month, as was an adult male visiting feeders at Heritage Oak Winery in San Joaquin County, north of the Mokelumne River. Common Poorwill records in the winter are a nice surprise, and one was seen and photographed in Folsom on 12/23.
Mountain Plovers continued at their traditional locations, with at least 53 along Flannery Rd, south of Dixon, and up to 70 in ag lands off Hwy 45 just south of the Colusa County line. The persistence of this declining species in the region depends on the preservation of very short grass or bare ground where they spend the winter. Development or crop changes, such as a switch from row crops to orchards, in these areas could lead to the plovers vanishing from our region. Beginning on 11/16, a Pacific Loon was consistently reported on Folsom Lake, and two were seen on occasion. Wintering Least Bitterns were reported from the pond at Stonegate Ave at Hoopa Rd in West Sacramento as well as from the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. At least ten Long-eared Owls were found at a semi-regular winter roost site on a survey of a normally closed portion of Cosumnes River Preserve (CRP) on 12/28.
A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was found on 12/27 near the Stevenson Bridge over Putah Creek to the west of Davis, and another was found at Gibson Ranch Park (eBird Checklist S206929536) on 12/28 where it continued into January. A Cassin's Kingbird was an excellent find from 12/15-12/17 near the intersection of Locke Rd and McEathron Ln between Vacaville and Winters. More surprising was the state's northernmost record of Thick-billed Kingbird, an excellent find anywhere in the state. This bird was found at Lynch Canyon Open Space Park in Solano County from 12/8-12/13. A Hammond's Flycatcher was a nice find at Ancil Hoffman Park on 12/23, and an Eastern Phoebe found on a regularly closed portion of CRP last month was briefly seen on 12/28. Local Vermilion Flycatcher reports are always welcome, and a female was found along West Butte Rd near the Sutter Buttes on 12/17, continuing through at least 12/19. An immature male first found on 12/27 near the headquarters of the Wild Wings Golf Course west of Woodland was seen by many into January (eBird Checklist S206918518). A Northern Shrike photographed (eBird Checklist S204324779) at the Sacramento Reg WTP on 12/2 continued for a day or two, but wasn't refound. A Swamp Sparrow first detected at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area on 11/30 continued into early December, and a Tennessee Warbler was a nice surprise along McIntyre Rd on 12/28, south of the Mokelumne River Day Use Area in San Joaquin County. The male Summer Tanager that returned for its fourth winter to William Land Park was first reported on 11/1, with subsequent reports coming from Sacramento Zoo staff through at least 12/21.
The Sacramento Area as covered here lies between Hwy 20 to the north, Hwy 12 to the south, and the 1000-foot contour to the east and west, plus all of Sacramento and Yolo counties. Many reports first appeared on the Central Valley Bird Club listserv (groups.io/g/centralvalleybirds) and in eBird (ebird.org). It is impossible to list everyone, but we thank the following for their reports: Steve Abbott, Bruce Christensen, Lyann Comrack, Chris Dong, Andy Engilis, Gil Ewing, Stephen Fettig, Joshua Greenfield, Emmett Iverson, Denali Krampe, Jeri Langham, Andrew Lee, Mark Martucci, Roger Muskat, Kelli O'Neill, Ed Pandolfino, Wendy Pearson, Zane Pickus, Linda Pittman, Ron Pozzi, Steve Scott, Frank Severson, Aidan Sinha, Kevin Thomas, John Trochet, Tom Uslan, Dan Williams, Amy Williamson, and David Yee. Thanks to everyone for their reports--without them, this column would not be possible.