June is undoubtedly the slowest birding month in the Sacramento area in terms of species diversity, but this month had more surprises than one would expect. By June, nearly all of the songbird migrants have passed through, though any lingering migrants found are likely as not to be something of interest. By the last week of the month, the first wave of shorebird migrants signal that the slow times are about over. A Snow Goose photographed at the Davis Wetlands on 6/9 was quite unexpected. Also on 6/9, two female Hooded Mergansers with young were found at the normally closed Valensin portion of Cosumnes River Preserve (CRP), confirming continued breeding by this species in our area. 

A presumed Vaux's Swift was found near the I St Purple Martin colony, adjacent to the Railroad Museum, into the second half of the month. By then, it seemed just as likely to be a Chimney Swift, but a convincing decision on the bird's species has yet to be rendered. Vaux's Swifts are regular migrants through the area, but there are summer records of Chimney Swifts, and one record of presumed breeding in Yolo County, after nearly all of the Vaux's have passed through. Among a smattering of early shorebirds, two Willets were a nice find at CRP on 6/20. A young Bald Eagle fledged from a nest in the Tall Forest at CRP by 6/19, provided the first successful nesting record for the lower Preserve.

For June, there were some really notable songbird records. A Pine Siskin  photographed in a Davis yard on 6/9 was unexpected for the date. The area's first nesting Chipping Sparrows along the edge of CRP's Tall Forest fledged at least two young (ebird. checklist) and continued to be found through 6/21. A Dark-eyed Junco feeding a recently fledged young bird on the UC Davis campus was a surprise on 6/12 and the first nesting record for the campus. A Yellow-breasted Chat was reported almost daily at Sailor Bar along the American River Parkway (ARP) throughout the month and into July. For the second month in a row, a Kentucky Warbler was found; this time it was Sacramento County's first on 6/10 at a closed portion of CRP. A female American Redstart along Babel Slough on 6/8 was a nice find. Up to 10 Yellow Warblers were singing in the vicinity of the Accidental Forest, northeast of the Tall Forest at CRP, with breeding confirmed by early July. This is an unprecedented number for the area, but the forest quality continues to improve, with well over a mile of unbroken, early successional riparian forest. A gorgeous singing male Chestnut-sided Warbler along ARP (ebird checklist), downstream of the Gristmill access, was found on 6/10 and briefly on 6/11. A male Rose-breasted Grosbeak was found at a closed and seldom-visited portion of CRP on 6/6. On the same day and in the vicinity, among at least 15 Lazuli Buntings, was a hybrid Lazuli x Indigo that was blue except for white wing bars and a white belly. A young male Indigo Bunting was seen and photographed by many from 6/10-15 at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area (ebird checklist).

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: Lyann Comrack, Lily Douglas, Andy Engilis, Irene Engilis, Steve Hampton, Cliff Hawley, James Holmes, Scott Hoppe, Emmett Iverson, Jeri Langham, Andrew Lee, Mark Martucci, Michael Perrone, Zane Pickus, Jason Riggio, Mark Sawyer, Steve Scott, Jim Thomas, and John Trochet. Thanks to everyone for their reports--without them, this column would not be possible.