As is often the case in July, most of the highlights came in the form of shorebirds. By month's end, songbird migration had also picked up, with fair numbers of Wilson's Warblers, Western Tanagers, and even a few Hermit Warblers reported. A good collection of summering ducks was found at the Woodland WTP, including  Canvasback, Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, and Common Goldeneye. A Bufflehead also spent the month at Sailor Bar along the American River Parkway (ARP), and a young male Common Goldeneye did the same downstream, below the Gristmill access. A Red-necked Grebe was quite a surprise at the Woodland WTP on 7/26.

Among the good numbers of migrating shorebirds, the highlight of the month was a Pacific Golden-Plover at CRP on 7/26. A photographed Snowy Plover was a nice find at the Woodland WTP on 7/9. Single Semipalmated Sandpipers were reported from the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area from 7/16-29, with two on 7/24, at the Woodland WTP on 7/12, the Davis Wetlands on 7/25, and along Desmond Rd at CRP on 7/19. A Solitary Sandpiper was found at the Sacramento Regional WTP (SRWTP) on 7/20, with likely a different bird on 7/29-30; another was found at the Sutter NWR on 7/22. Reports of single Willets came from the Woodland WTP for much of the month after 7/18, SRWTP on 7/15, CRP on 7/18, as well as 7/24-25, and five were found at Beals Point, Folsom Lake, on 7/27. After a couple of failed nesting attempts, two pairs of Least Terns each raised a single chick to full size (ebird checklist) at SRWTP (under the watchful eyes of Swainson's Hawks and Common Ravens), with at least one of them seen flying strongly before departing in August. The terns at this site are the only regularly nesting pairs (one pair since 2008, with two pairs for the past two years) of the species in the Central Valley.

Over 100 Swainson's Hawks were reported on 7/23, attracted to ag fields east of I-5, between Lambert Rd and Twin Cities Rd. A photographed hatch-year Hermit Thrush was an interesting find at River Bend Park, ARP, on 7/22 (ebird.org checklist). The species doesn't breed in the Valley, so it likely travelled from the Sierra or points north well before this species is typically found around Sacramento. A Yellow-breasted Chat continued from June until at least 7/10 at Sailor Bar, ARP. A Black-and-White Warbler was an excellent find at Ancil Hoffman Park, ARP, on 7/28-29 where they have been found before in recent years, and a Summer Tanager was quite a surprise in the Sutter Buttes on 7/28.

The Sacramento Area is roughly defined as lying 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 listserve (cvbirds.org) and in eBird (ebird.org). It is impossible to list everyone, but I want to thank the following for their reports: Brian Acord, Max Brodie, Lyann Comrack, Farley Cross, Todd Easterla, Maureen Geiger, Eli Gross, Steve Hampton, Ed Harper, Cliff Hawley, Scott Hoppe, Jeri Langham, Andrew Lee, Mark Martucci, Michael Perrone, Zane Pickus, Ron Pozzi, Peter Sands, Steve Scott, John Toldi, and John Trochet. Thanks to everyone for their reports--without them, this column would not be possible.