With the continued severe smoke on top of a worldwide pandemic, this is not the September that any of us would have chosen. Yet, looking back after this round of smoke has cleared, with fine particles deep in our lungs, the list of birds recorded in September 2020 is remarkable in both the number and diversity of rarities. There were also some interesting Valley floor records of species that likely fled their Coast Range haunts ahead of the fires. Among the latter was a Hairy Woodpecker in north Davis on 9/11 through at least 9/20, a higher than usual number of Green-tailed Towhees reported locally, and a Rufous-crowned Sparrow, very rare on the flats of the Valley, at Babel Slough on 9/19. A Chimney Swift reported on 9/10 from the Harrington Way access to the American River Parkway (ARP) is among a handful of reports of this enigmatic species in the region. Among the interesting shorebird records was a Ruff (eBird checklist) in Colusa County on 9/29-30 in a flooded field off of Sycamore Cuttoff between Hwys 20 and 45. A Sanderling (eBird checklist) was at the Sacramento Regional WTP on 9/9-10, and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper (eBird checklist) at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area on 9/22-23 accounted for one of very few historical records of this species in the area.

A Long-eared Owl was a nice find in a closed portion of the Cosumnes River Preserve (CRP) on 9/21, as was a Least Flycatcher along Babel Slough Rd on 9/5. An early Pacific Wren was found at Reichmuth Park on 9/26, and a Varied Thrush was also early on 9/20 at Elk Slough near Clarksburg. A Gray Catbird was an excellent find in the largely burned-over Putah Creek Canyon west of Winters on 9/27-29. One to two Clay-colored Sparrows were found at Folsom Point, Folsom Lake, from 9/12-15 along with a few of the more expected but still notable Brewer's Sparrows. Single Vesper Sparrows were found at Folsom Point on 9/4, at Sailor Bar along the ARP on 9/21, and at Don Nottoli Park along the northern border of the Stone Lakes NWR on 9/26. A Bobolink was an excellent find on 9/22 in a closed portion of the CRP.

Among the impressive warblers found this September was a Northern Waterthrush along Putah Creek, downstream of Winters, on 9/7-9, and another at Bushy Lake in the ARP on 9/12. A Black-and-white Warbler (ebird checklist) was found at Babel Slough on 9/4 and 9/15, and the bird continuing from last month in the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve was reported through at least 9/12. Single Tennessee Warblers were widely reported, including at Verde Cruz Creek on 9/3, near the intersection of Fair Oaks and Greenback, at Putah Creek downstream of Pedrick Rd on 9/10, along Putah Creek near Mace Blvd on 9/20, and at Lodi Lake on 9/22-23. A Kentucky Warbler was heard-only at the CRP on 9/3, but called back and forth to a recording. An American Redstart was seen briefly in the River Park neighborhood near Sac State on 9/23, and a Northern Parula was at Ancil Hoffman Park in the ARP on 9/14, with another along Putah Creek near Pedrick Rd on 9/25-26. A Magnolia Warbler on 9/20 along Pumphouse Rd near Clarksburg was a nice surprise, as was a Blackburnian Warbler seen by many (eBird checklist) on 9/4-5 downstream of Pedrick Rd, near Levee Rd; another Blackburnian Warbler was at the CRP on 9/25, and a Chestnut-sided Warbler was also at the CRP on 9/18. As many as three Blackpoll Warblers accounted for observations in the vicinity of the Gristmill access to the ARP, with one on 9/15, two on 9/16, and subsequent reports on 9/20-23; just across the river at William B. Pond, there were reports on 9/19 and 9/27. Another Blackpoll Warbler was found at the CRP on 9/21, and a male Summer Tanager was at the CRP on 9/18. Wow.

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: Stuart Angerer, Max Brodie, Lyann Comrack, Leo Edson, Andy Engilis, Lief Gallagher, Susan Goodrich, Steve Hampton, Ed Harper, Cliff Hawley, Scott Hoppe, Manfred Kusch, Jeri Langham, Andrew Lee, Mark Martucci, Sean McAllister, Dan Murphy, Roger Muskat, Frances Oliver, Michael Perrone, Zane Pickus, Linda Pittman, Steve Scott, Gavin Stacey, Kirk Swenson, Kevin Thomas, John Trochet, Bart Wickel, Dan Williams, and David Yee. Thanks to everyone for their reports--without them, this column would not be possible.