Michigan Bar, 1/18
Highlights were many and mostly related to raptors, including six Ferruginous Hawks. Image by Mary Forrestal
Leader Chris Conard reported: We had a good outing that was cold early, but otherwise had sunny, calm, and very nice weather, with good views of the Sierra. Highlights were many and mostly related to raptors, including six Ferruginous Hawks, at least two Bald Eagles, a Burrowing Owl, and a Prairie Falcon. Seeing Wilson's Snipe at the bridge over the Cosumnes River was a treat, as were good views of a female Phainopepla along Meiss Rd.
Effie Yeaw Nature Center Family Walk, 1/18
Dan Williams, co-leader with Rachael Cowan, reported: Eight of us had an OUTSTANDING one hour family walk at Effie Yeaw on this date. Our fortune started pretty much right off the bat when, while enjoying and chatting about Acorn Woodpeckers, a Red-shouldered Hawk started circling low over the woods, and while watching that lovely raptor, a PEREGRINE FALCON appeared in the sky just behind it and circled for almost a full minute. Everyone of all ages got great looks at that nice surprise visitor. We took the Pond Trail...my hidden agenda there was a rare bird that had been spotted near the pond earlier in the week.
It was indeed the RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER! Image by Ray Rozema
Not really the objective of a family walk, but I thought why not take a shot? Along the Pond Trail we had good views of a Bewick's Wren, an Anna's Hummingbird, a flock of Bushtits, and a singing Hutton's Vireo. As we approached the pond from the north, several relaxing deer allowed us ridiculously close views. Then suddenly, I heard the loud nasal mewing call of a sapsucker, and when I got on the bird it was indeed the RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER that had been previously reported. It wasn't just that we found this bird, but that it was working diligently on a low oak branch and I was able to get it in the scope and, again, show everyone of all ages this nice surprise visitor. All told we had 30 species on this hour-long family walk and it was truly a memorable one!
Woodland WWTP, 1/19
Leader Mark Martucci reported: Fourteen birders saw 55 species of birds on a very cold mid-January morning. Highlights included over 2500 Canvasbacks, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, American Avocet, Eared Grebe, Burrowing Owl, Say's Phoebe and Loggerhead Shrike.
Highlights included over 2500 Canvasbacks. Image by Mary Forrestal
We started off the decent raptor day with five White-tailed Kites. Image by Daniel Lee Brown
Gibson Ranch, 1/25
Leader Kevin Thomas reported: It was a chilly start to this Sacramento Audubon Society walk with a group of 8 people at Gibson Ranch. A little fog and the chill meant bird activity was a little slow to start the morning. We started at the pond and picked up our two gull species for the day (Ring-billed and California) along with the normal Canada Geese and Mallards. No herons or egrets on the pond at all this morning had me questioning what kind of day we would have; it turned out to be fantastic as always at this location. We started off the decent raptor day with five White-tailed Kites early in the morning; there must be a roost in the area but I have yet to find it. We slowly picked up our wintering sparrows (White-crowned, Golden-crowned, and Lincoln's) though it would be a slow day for these overall. This location is great for woodpeckers and today was no different; we picked up the year round residentS (Downy, Nuttall's, and Acorn) along with the wintering Northern Flicker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, and the vagrant Yellow-bellied Sapsucker that has been present for a month or so. It took two tries for the group to all get on the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker but it eventually put on a show for all of us at very close range in a leafless oak tree. We also found several flocks of Dark-eyed Juncos and Western Meadowlarks foraging in the grass. Among those masses was a small flock of Lark Sparrows. Our good raptor day continued with three American Kestrels and a fly by Merlin. As we returned to our vehicles to call it a day one of the female American Kestrels was perched on a power pole not more than 50 feet from us offering everyone extended beautiful views. It was a great morning with a great group mixed with new and experienced birders; everyone got in on the action spotting, calling out, and working through identification of the birds we saw.
Young Birders Mountain Plover Survey, 1/25
Leader Mackenzie Hollander reported: Two other birders and two parents joined Cliff Feldheim, my father, and me for this trip. We met at a Starbucks in Woodland where Cliff Feldheim and I gave a half hour presentation about Cliff's career in Fish and Wildlife and our work developing a Mountain Plover survey. Through the presentation, the young birders learned about a possible career path they can take with their passion for nature. The young birders also learned Mountain Plover ID and distribution, and how someone their age can get involved with bird conservation. After the presentation, we drove up to Knights Landing towards one of our survey sites; the Highway 45–South of County Line Ebird hotspot. Notable birds seen on the car ride there include: Massive flocks of Horned Lark, scattered Snow and Greater White-fronted Geese, a perched American Kestrel, and a Great Blue Heron. We arrived before an expansive barren farm field with small scattered patches of short green vegetation that Cliff had seen the plovers at the day before. As soon as we stepped out of our cars, forceful biting winds greeted us. Despite the heavy winds, the group remained enthusiastic about finding the plovers. We started down a road that ran alongside the field, and before long spotted five Mountain Plovers that seemingly magically appeared directly to the right of us in the center of the field. We watched the distant plovers through shaky binocs and scopes, noting their "run-stop-pick" foraging style. Then, one flew in from the southwest low over the field and landed quite close to us, providing great views of its sandy wash and rufous tints on the sides of the neck. We spotted another individual flying further downfield, for a count of seven. This was not a final count, however, shortly after that, eight more plovers flew in from the northeast right behind us and landed about 5 yards from us! We observed how the plovers seemed to disappear and reappear as they traveled up and down the dips in the field. Our highlight of the day was when a last, sixteenth plover flew in from the left of us and landed only about 2.5 yards away, providing incredibly lucky close up views of plovers that usually stay far out. We noted bold black and white wing stripes on this individual when in flight. Overall, getting quality observations of Mountain Plovers made the omnipresent, raging winds worth it! We had a very sentimental field trip.
Overall, getting quality observations of Mountain Plovers made the omnipresent, raging winds worth it! Image by Daniel Lee Brown
Gray Lodge WLR, 1/26
A Sora emerged from the reeds to enjoy the sunshine. Image by Mary Forrestal
Leader Sonja Sorbo reported: Once again Gray Lodge Wildlife Area lived up to its reputation as a stellar birding area, providing eight birders with nice views of 72 species. The pond near Parking Lot #14 was full of activity, with several hundred Northern Pintail paddling around. They were joined by Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, and handful of RIng-necked Duck and Bufflehead. One lonely Common Goldeneye wandered around looking lost. We achieved a “teal trifecta”, observing Green-winged, Cinnamon, and Blue-winged Teal. Whilst enjoying views of all the ducks, we were interrupted several times by huge flocks of Snow Geese exploding up into the air en masse, spooked by a pair of Bald Eagles. The sight of thousands of geese in the air is a sight to behold and can take one’s breath away. Heading down the xwalking trail past another pond, we caught sight of a Great Blue Heron, standing statue-like on a log. A Black-crowned Night-Heron was spotted in vegetation nearby. Meanwhile, a feisty Green Heron popped up and squawked at us, then dove back into the reeds. A Sora emerged from the reeds to enjoy the sunshine, joining a half dozen Common Gallinule at the water’s edge. A Common Yellowthroat lurked along the bank under cover of a berry bush. Farther down the trail, we counted a couple dozen White-crowned Sparrows with a few Golden-crowned Sparrows mixed in. A Lincoln’s and Song Sparrow were added to the list a few minutes later. Several California Quail scuttled onto the trail, then vanished into the brush. Other sightings included Western Meadowlark, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Bushtit, Northern Flicker, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, and three wren species (House, Bewick’s and Marsh). We watched a Phainopepla weave in and out of some treetop mistletoe.
The Bald Eagle duo made their presence known all day long, performing graceful flyovers in between roosting. Image by Mary Forrestal
After enduring a chilly north wind for several hours, we were ready to hop into our vehicles and drive the auto loop, with windows down and seat heaters on. We finally found a handful of Ruddy Duck, diving in and out between two dozen gorgeous RIng-necked Duck. Shorebirds were scarce, but we did tally several Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, and a sole Greater Yellowlegs. White-faced Ibis were noted in several locations along the auto loop, their beautiful greenish plumage revealed by great natural lighting. Several Black Phoebe and two Say’s Phoebe entertained us with their tail flicks. A Belted Kingfisher landed on a signpost in front of us and posed for photos before flying off. Shortly thereafter, another amazing photo-op occurred when a Loggerhead Shrike landed on a low tree branch next to the road, remaining in full view for two or three minutes. Raptors weren’t present in large numbers, but we did note around eight Red-tailed Hawk, two Northern Harrier, and an American Kestrel. Of course, the Bald Eagle duo made their presence known all day long, performing graceful flyovers in between roosting.
Cosumnes River Preserve, 2/1
Leader Paul Miller reported: Trip was cancelled due to rain.
Bodega Bay, 2/1
Leader Dan Williams reported: Three of us braved the elements for what turned out to be a soaking wet but lovely day at Bodega Bay. The rain persisted all day long, but the winds were calm and the tides favorable for viewing many birds on the mudflats and open bay waters.
We stopped for lunch at Diekmann's Deli where the shrubbery below the parking lot revealed the rare overwintering NASHVILLE WARBLER which has been present there since October. Image by Ray Rozema.
Starting at Doran Regional Park, we were treated to Snowy Plovers, Willets, Marbled Godwits, and a Whimbrel on the beach, while over on the bay side we observed hundreds of Brants, Greater and Lesser Scaup, Red-breasted Mergansers, Sanderlings, and Black Turnstones, and (our most surprising bird of the day) a BLACK SKIMMER which it turns out had been found the week prior. This species is always a good find north of the Bay Area. At Doran Jetty were several Black Oystercatchers, more Black Turnstones, several Surf Scoters, and a few Red-necked Grebes. Our next stop was The Tides, where we took a brief break from getting soaked through and scanned the bay from the restaurant windows. A nice close Pacific Loon among the Common Loons provided nice comparisons, while Western, Glaucous-winged, and Short-billed Gulls, and a Forster's Tern swooped by. We stopped for lunch at Diekmann's Deli where the shrubbery below the parking lot revealed its customary nice assortment under eye level which included darting Anna's Hummingbirds, California Towhees, a Lincoln's Sparrow, an Orange-crowned Warbler, and the rare overwintering NASHVILLE WARBLER which has been present there since October. In the afternoon, we stopped by Spud Point Marina to try for the Yellow-billed Loon that had been reported there two days prior. We were not able to locate that rarity, but we did get to enjoy several Common Loons, a Western Grebe, many Buffleheads, and a very close Pelagic Cormorant among the boats. A brief check at Hole-in-the-Head yielded a calling Sora and several Myrtle Yellow-rumps, while the Head itself yielded much more rain and no new birds with the challenging visibility. So, we called it a day a bit early, but it was a VERY enjoyable day nonetheless, with 75 species including a couple of nice surprises!
Bobelaine, 2/2
Other flyovers included a Great Blue Heron whose usual straight flight line was hampered by the wind. Image by Larry Hickey
Leader Rachael Cowan reported: After tracking weather between two atmospheric rivers, I opted to roll the dice on a forecasted break in the rain. Six brave birders decked in full rain gear joined me at Bobelaine at 8am. One couple said this was their first time out on a birding trip and one ARC biochemistry student joined us to satisfy a requirement for her zoology course. A friendly orchard dog joined the group and romped here and there while we made our way to the river. Consequently, we did not see any sparrows on the trails. We did get some fleeting glances at California Towhee and heard the Spotted Towhee mewing in the brush. It was fairly quiet in the riparian forest as we watched for movement at all levels. Much to our surprise a good size group of White-faced Ibis flew over, followed by few more groups with at least 100 all told. We saw them flying over the forest a number of times and came to know their silhouette well. We had good looks at Western Bluebird and Black Phoebe, and we saw many Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Fortunately the levee served as a great windbreak and we could hear active birds in the forest, including European Starlings among the treetops, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Song Sparrow, and both Bewick's and House Wrens. But there was one less common sound that really stood out--the Hutton's Vireo. We never saw it, but the "chu-ee" was very clear. We made it to the river which was full of branches and whitecaps. We found a Great Egret on the far shore where the Bear River spills into the Feather River, otherwise no waterfowl or shorebirds, nor raptors were observed. We did see a few Turkey Vultures attempting to soar in the wind, as well as some Ring-billed Gulls. It was quite a dark day so it was hard to see the details. Other flyovers included Double-crested Cormorants, Greater White-fronted Goose, and a Great Blue Heron whose usual straight flight line was hampered by the wind. We made quick work of walking back to the parking lot with the rain coming in by the time we were back on the levee. We all agreed it was worth getting outside and seeing Bobelaine. And 28 total species was not bad considering the conditions.
Sacramento Bar, 2/8
While the group gathered in the parking lot, we had a lively discussion of the oft-debated Cooper’s vs Sharp-shinned Hawk. This bird hung around long enough for scope views from all angles, and the final consensus was juvenile Cooper’s Hawk. Image by Mary Forrestal
Leader Rich Howard reported: We had 18 people on a cool but sunny morning. While the group gathered in the parking lot, we had a lively discussion of the oft-debated Cooper’s vs Sharp-shinned Hawk. This bird hung around long enough for scope views from all angles, and the final consensus was juvenile Cooper’s Hawk. We then headed to the American River and found Ring-billed and Herring Gulls, both Snowy and Great Egrets and a Great Blue Heron, along with our only Spotted Sandpiper and the first of many Canada Geese, Mallards, Common Mergansers, Bufflehead, and Common Goldeneyes. The walk downstream along the river yielded many good views of these species, along with an actively fishing Belted Kingfisher, Double-crested Cormorants, and Killdeer. Sparrow species bathed and foraged obligingly in the roads so we got good views of White- and Golden-crowned Sparrows and California and Spotted Towhees. One of our group spotted a distant Bald Eagle perched in a snag overlooking the river, and this full adult favored us with a flyover directly upstream above us. Red-shouldered Hawks were our constant companions; we counted eight, along with three Red-tailed Hawks and two American Kestrels. Turkey Vultures finally appeared as the day warmed. Turning away from the river, we check out the Egret-Heron Rookery that overlooks Bannister Pond. The nests were not occupied, but our patience was rewarded with great looks at a Phainopepla perched in a nearby tree. Other highlights included Anna’s Hummingbirds perched conspicuously, several active Bushtit flocks, and great views of our most numerous bird by far (56!) Acorn Woodpeckers. Flowering fruit and nut trees and swarms of Tree Swallows investigating nest cavities made it seem like Spring, at least after the day warmed into the 50’s. A great group with wide experience levels but uniform enthusiasm and helpfulness. We counted 53 species thanks to Mary F’s list, which can be found here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S212499566.
Young Birders at Stone Lakes WLR, 2/8
Two huge silvery Sandhill Cranes flew past us from the loop trail. Image by Larry Hickey
Leader Mackenzie Hollander reported: Two other young birders and two parents joined my father and me at the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Blue Heron Trails on this chilly morning. The morning started slowly- we did our best with the boardwalks closed for repair. We first birded the pond to the right of the boardwalks, finding a lone Pied-billed Grebe. In the small oaks surrounding the trails, we spotted small flocks of Golden and White-crowned Sparrows, American Robins, and a Downy Woodpecker that was chased away by a Northern Mockingbird. Melodic Western Meadowlarks sang from treetops and fence posts throughout the trip. Hundreds of Snow Geese constantly passed overhead and honked from the farm fields behind the refuge. Common Ravens, Red-winged and Brewer's Blackbirds were also common flyovers. We made our way to the Lost Coyote Loop Trail, pausing for a female Common Yellowthroat and a singing Spotted Towhee. The wetland adjacent to the Lost Coyote trail was pretty empty, but we noted Western Bluebird, American Pipit, and flyover Greater Yellowlegs. Two huge silvery Sandhill Cranes flew past us from the loop trail. A hovering White-tailed Kite by the parking lot was also a highlight. We continued to bird the pond to the right of the boardwalk, walking all the way around it multiple times, intent on glimpsing our target birds, the Sora and Virginia Rail. We got amazing looks at a female American Kestrel perched in an oak, and a single Yellow-billed Magpie on a telephone pole. A beautiful adult Bald Eagle soared right over our heads, providing great looks and excellent photographs. Finally, we heard a Virginia Rail from the back end of the big pond. We raced over to see if we could find it, and as soon as we arrived, we heard a Sora calling from where we just were! For a solid 10 minutes we ran up and down the pond chasing Virginia and Sora rail calls; we heard both the descending whinny and the sora! call of the Sora, and the rising grunts of the Virginia. Finally, we all caught a glimpse of a Sora as it briefly came out of the reeds. It was a lifer for both attendees.
Beginning Birders at William Pond Park, 2/9
A highlight for all of us was a soaring adult Bald Eagle. Image by Paul Miller
Larry Hickey, co-leader with Rich Howard and Nancy Kapellas, reported: On a cold, clear winter day at the William Pond part of the American River Parkway thirteen beginning birders joined us for a delightful morning of birding. Right away many Yellow-billed Magpies entertained us with their boisterous calls and nest building activities, not at all bothered by the cold. We were treated to excellent views of a Red-breasted Sapsucker and female Phainopepla in a flowering tree, Great Blue Herons on their nests, Red-shouldered Hawks and roosting Great Egrets. A highlight for all of us was a soaring adult Bald Eagle.
Robinson Road, 2/9
Leader Maureen Geiger reported: Fourteen of us in 5 vehicles survived an icy cold but wonderful trip in the Robinson Road area. Present were lots of Loggerhead Shrikes, Say's Phoebes, one adult Bald Eagle, many Northern Harriers, Kestrels, etc. and a nice flock of Horned Larks. Although we tried, no Mountain Plovers or Burrowing Owls were found. A probable Ferruginous Hawk was a tease, will decide when photos reviewed. With the possible destruction of this beautiful area likely with the potential approval of the Solano County California Forever development, it was bitter sweet to be able to enjoy it while it is still welcoming for birds.
Present were lots of Loggerhead Shrikes. Image by John York