Sacramento Audubon Society is proud to offer a variety of field trips every month. Here’s some of what birders saw, heard, and experienced on recent field trips. Field trips are open to birders of all abilities. We’d love to have you join us on an upcoming Sacramento Audubon field trip.
There were hundreds of Bufflehead. Image by Daniel Brown.
Lake Solano County Park, (11/15)
Nancy Gronert, co-leader with Amy McDonald, reported: "Three birders showed up to join Amy and Nancy for a pleasant day at Lake Solano. Highlights included seven Common Gallinule, a good number of Wood Ducks, elegant male and female Hooded Mergansers, and very vocal Belted Kingfishers flying up and down the river. There were hundreds of Bufflehead and a nice selection of vocal Sora along with a Virginia Rail calling. We found the requisite Phainopepla, California Quail, numerous Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warblers, both White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches, as well as Northern Flickers, Nuttall’s, Downy, and Acorn Woodpeckers. No Lewis’ Woodpeckers were detected unlike the abundance of 2022. Raptors included Red-tailed Hawk, Osprey, and vocal as usual, a Red-shouldered Hawk."
The Magpies (Yellow-billed) looked stunning in their iridescent plumage. Image by Larry Hickey.
Bannister Park, Sacramento Bar, (11/16)
Leader Stan Hunter reported: "It was a beautiful autumn morning when 10 birders started three and a half hours of birding. We were greeted by numerous Yellow-billed Magpies at Bannister Park, as well as Western Bluebirds, Yellow-rumped Warblers and a lone Dark-eyed Junco. The Magpies looked stunning in their iridescent plumage, brought out by the morning sunlight. It was nice to see a healthy and sizeable flock of these lovely endemics. We then started our leisurely stroll down the bike path to Sacramento Bar, deviating onto the fire road that leads past San Juan Rapids where we saw Spotted Sandpipers, Common Mergansers, Mallards, Buffleheads and a Killdeer. Along the way, we caught sight of a Great Horned Owl, tucked up into the foliage of a Cottonwood tree, hiding from the harassment of a very squawky Red-shouldered Hawk. Continuing down the trail, we saw plenty of Acorn Woodpeckers, European Starlings and Cedar Waxwings, as well as Nuttall’s and Downy Woodpeckers, Bewick’s Wrens and a Red-breasted Sapsucker. Acorn Woodpeckers and Red-shafted Northern Flickers were going into and out of holes in dead trees, and White-breasted Nuthatches were seen and heard in the trees. A small number of sparrows showed themselves, but the list included White- and Golden-crowned, Song and Lincoln’s, plus Spotted and California Towhees. An Orange-crowned warbler was seen briefly by a few birders. As we approached the first of the dredge tailing ponds, we saw many Turkey Vultures circling overhead, clearly feeding on the dead salmon in the American River. At the pond, we were able to catch a glimpse of several Wood Ducks, Canada Geese, a Green Heron and a Belted Kingfisher.Other “usual suspects” that we encountered include a couple of Downy Woodpeckers, House Finches, Lesser and American Goldfinches, Anna’s Hummingbirds, Great Blue Herons, Herring Gulls, American Robins, California Scrub-Jays, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a House Wren that was heard but not seen. An impressive total of 52 species were seen or heard by all or some of the group. Thanks to all who came out for a nice walk on a lovely morning, and special thanks to Peter Perrine for keeping the eBird list."
Early on an adult Bald Eagle was spotted overhead. Image by Larry Hickey.
Cosumnes River Preserve, (11/24)
Leader Cathie LaZier reported: "14 people braved 44 degree temps and 15mph wind blowing across the water to join me this cold morning. Early on an adult Bald Eagle was spotted overhead; it soon landed close by and feasted on a large bloody waterfowl. Waiting nearby for scraps were several Turkey Vultures; their presence emphasized the extreme size of the eagle. The winds kept most waterfowl and shorebirds sheltering in reeds, so we did not have the usual close up views, but near the end of the walk we had a great scope view of a Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs side by side, which was very helpful for the beginners.”
We were met with numerous Common Goldeneye. Image by Daniel Brown.
Nimbus Fish Hatchery, (11/25)
Leader Kevin Thomas reported: "A crisp cool morning for a field trip along the American River. We started off the morning with a fly by swan that we weren’t ready for and couldn’t get a positive identification on. Species came quickly as we walked to the trail along the river and observed Herring, Glacous-winged, and Iceland Gulls all sitting on the piers of the old fish weir. We were met with numerous Common Goldeneye and Double-crested Cormorants as well. We took a quick look into the hatchery outlet ponds to see the continuing Northern Pintail that has been resident for over two years now. As we walked down the path towards the willow and cottonwood habitat we were greeted by two Osprey, one of which flew directly over the group carrying a large fish. At the end of the dirt trail we were treated to a beautiful tan morph White-throated Sparrow hanging out in the blackberry thicket with some Fox Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes. Our biggest surprise came next as we approached two large pine trees along the bike trail and noticed an unfamiliar sapsucker. It was almost a pure Red-naped Sapsucker but some stray red feathers in the face and chest gave away this hybrid Red-naped x Red-breasted Sapsucker. We continued over to the picnic benches along the bike trail and spotted several male Barrow’s Goldeneye with the crescent white face patch on purplish heads. As we made our way back to the parking lot after a wonderful morning we had one more surprise in store. A beautiful adult Bald Eagle circled above us a few times as it headed downstream to search for food. A perfect ending to a fabulous morning of birding with good company."
Parking Lot #14 resounded with the vocalizations of thousands of Snow Geese. Image by Daniel Brown.
Gray Lodge WLR, (11/26)
Leader Sonja Sorbo reported: "Once again, Gray Lodge delivered a terrific birding experience on a spectacular sunny autumn day. We were rewarded with views of 68 species. Upon our arrival, Parking Lot #14 resounded with the vocalizations of thousands of Snow Geese joined by a few of their smaller cousins, Ross’s Geese. Greater White-fronted Geese were present but were vastly outnumbered. Several times during the day, hordes of geese rose up en masse, swirling around in the sky like giant pieces of confetti. It was breathtaking! Meanwhile, the ducks placidly went about their business — Cinnamon, Blue, and Green-winged Teal were all present, weaving amongst Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, and Ring-necked Ducks. A nice surprise was the appearance of 6 Redhead in the crowd of waterfowl. Several shorebird species were noted, including Greater Yellowlegs, Black-necked Stilt, Killdeer, and Wilson’s Snipe. Scoping the edges of the tules yielded great views of a Sora, a Common Gallinule, and an American Bittern. They weren’t fazed by a river otter which sped by them. In the same pond, a Snowy Egret, Great Egret, and Great Blue Heron were intently hunting. We were delighted when a couple of dozen California Quail crossed a trail in front of us, skittering around some White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows, a California Towhee, and a Fox Sparrow. Raptors were plentiful, including Red-shouldered, Cooper’s, and multiple Red-tailed Hawks plus a Northern Harrier and an American Kestrel. It seemed as though every tree held at least one Turkey Vulture! Passerines included Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Mockingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Bushtits, California Scrub-Jay, Spotted Towhee, Northern Flicker, American Pipit, and three wren species (House, Bewick’s and Marsh). Black Phoebes seemed to be everywhere. Our final sighting was outside Gray Lodge in some agricultural fields where a pair of Sandhill Cranes were feeding. It was a fitting end to a wonderful day."
East Yolo County, (11/29)
Leader Bill Bianco reported: "Seven of us started on a good cool fall morning. Had a total of 51 species for the four locations we visited. Some of the species at first stop: Green Heron, Pied-billed Grebe, Belted Kingfisher, Black-crowned Night Heron, American Pipit, Western Bluebird. Second & third stop; Wood Duck, Yellow-billed Magpie, Cedar Waxwing, Downy Woodpecker, Oak Titmouse to name a few. Fourth stop was Bridgeway Pond where Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Hooded Merganser, Sora, Foster’s Tern, American White Pelican were seen. Was a good birding day that all enjoyed."
It was fun to see a Merlin in one of the oak trees. Image by Larry Hickey.
Wintering Raptors of the Valley, (12/3)
Leader Craig Swolgaard reported: "Yesterday I led the trip on Meiss / Michigan Bar Roads to look for wintering raptors. Overall it was a great trip - got good feedback from people. About eight folks joined me as we car-pooled the 20 mile length of our trip. Some species of water birds or shorebirds were too far away to confidently identify, but a total of 31 bird species were seen. Along Meiss Road I was very surprised that we didn't see any Ferruginous Hawks at all. Very abnormal for this time of year at that location. However, we did see two of them at the end of the trip at Michigan Bar & Latrobe Roads. Missing Prairie Falcons were also unusual. However, it was fun to see a Merlin in one of the oak trees, close to Kestrels, so many were able to look for the differences between the two species at a distance. Being able to see both Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks within a short time was very gratifying for those who are still trying to learn the difference, which can be difficult. We saw a Bald Eagle near the shooting range on Meiss Road, three together along the Cosumnes River, and another flying downstream separately on the Cosumnes River. We spent over five hours birding yesterday."
Gull Identification Trip, (12/6)
Leader Ed Harper reported: "Calm conditions and gray skies greeted a small, but eager group about to undertake gull identification at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery. After introductions, Ed distributed several handouts to aid in the identification of gulls, gave a short discourse about mastering the complexities of the larus genera, and the morning began with an air of eager enthusiasm. Our first steps were halted by a flyover of a pair of Peregrine Falcons, marking a most propitious start to the day. An American Kestrel on a river cable added to our falcon count and that was augmented by a Merlin flyby as the morning was concluding. Gulls, though, were our objective for the morning and we soon were at our task. A confiding Glaucous-winged Gull started off our study and that was followed by four more gull species of various age classes. Although the gulls were somewhat sparsely distributed, it made viewing easier since the gulls could be clearly isolated for an in-depth study with scopes. We could not help but note other birds as well. We scanned the flocks of Goldeneye Ducks to locate a Barrow’s, marveled at the White-throated Swifts rocketing through the air, and obligingly noted many passerine species. At noon the trip concluded just as the first few raindrops began to fall. A fitting end—we need the rain-- to a fine morning shared with a wonderful group of folks and the gulls!"
Adult California Gull in basic plumage. Image by Ed Harper.
The dusky bar at the base of the secondaries in the Adult California Gull is an easy way to separate this species from adult Ring-billed Gulls that exhibit an all white underwing. It is somewhat subtle, but useful for birds overhead.
Ring-billed Gull, Image by Ed Harper.
We observed 10 species of ducks with Northern Pintail being the most abundant and in groups of hundreds. Image by Mary Forrestal.
Sacramento NWR, (12/9)
Leader Cliff Feldheim reported: "We had a very nice day birding at Sacramento NWR. Although we were not trying to maximize the number of species we observed, a slow meander along the tour route produced 48 species of birds. Our goal was big groups of waterfowl, and the refuge did not disappoint. In the large permanent pond on the southeast end of the tour route, I estimated one group at 20,000-25,000 Lesser Snow and Ross’s Geese. Along the northeast corner of the tour route, there was a second group of Ross’s and Lesser Snow Geese that I estimated at 10,000-15,000 birds. Greater White-fronted Geese were sporadic and in much smaller groups, generally <100. We observed 10 species of ducks with Northern Pintail being the most abundant and in groups of hundreds and collectively with other species of ducks in groups of greater than 5,000. These large groups of waterfowl attracted some raptors, and we got good looks at an adult Peregrine Falcon eating a goose, and at least 4 different Bald Eagles."
Lincoln Grasslands, (12/10)
Leader Richard Barbieri reported: "Five people joined me on this crisp and clear morning to explore the grasslands and fields in and around Lincoln. Highlights for the day were a very nice look at a single Purple Finch in the top of a tree at the shopping center in Lincoln, a total of 5 Bald Eagles throughout the day with two adults seated together at Camp Far West Lake, 2 Rufous-crowned Sparrows and a Rock Wren at the lake as well as 16 Ringed-necked Ducks and one Cinnamon Teal. Total species count for the day was right around 75."
As the fog cleared we were able to get good looks at a cooperative Northern Mockingbird. Image by Ray Rozema.
William Pond Beginners' Walk, (12/10)
Larry Hickey, co-leader with Jane Van Kessel, Nancy Kapellas and Heather White, reported: "Although it was quite cold and foggy when we started out, 13 of us persevered and were rewarded by gradually clearing weather and a good morning of birding. In the beginning it was hard to make out anything more than the many Canada Geese and the loud sounds of the Yellow-billed Magpies but as the fog cleared we were able to get good looks at a cooperative Northern Mockingbird, some White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows and a Red-shouldered Hawk. We were able to get scope views of what appeared to be a hybrid Red-breasted/Red-naped Sapsucker, dozens of Wood Ducks, Spotted Sandpiper and several Pied-billed Grebes. A co-operative Greater Yellowlegs stayed close by while we were at the river. Despite the foggy start we ended with a total of 48 species."
William Pond Park, (12/13)
Leader Mark Martucci reported: "Six birders detected 62 species of birds on a very cold December morning along the American River Parkway. Highlights included Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-breasted Sapsucker, American Kestrel, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, Phainopepla, and Greater Yellowlegs."