Staten Island, 11/16

Leader Betty Cooper reported: A beautiful day with only a breath of wind greeted the 14 birding participants on this Saturday. Most participants had not been there before and they got a great introduction to this special place. There were cranes aplenty, many of which cooperated by feeding fairly close to the road for good viewing. Cackling Geese were seen in their usual great abundance, but we also got nice flyovers from Snow Geese and American Pelicans. Tundra Swans were seen at a distant pond edge. Ducks and shorebirds were oddly hard to find with the exception of Long-billed Dowitchers. But the highlight of the trip was a beautiful sunset reflected in the wetland with Cranes and Geese calling and flying in for the night. A total of 34 species were observed.

Lake Solano County Park, 11/19

Amy McDonald, co-leader with Nancy Gronert, reported: Four birders took part in a beautiful morning of birding at Lake Solano County Park. Conditions were chilly, partly cloudy, and calm, making it easier to both see and hear 51 species. Along the creek we were treated to excellent views of waterfowl (including gorgeous Hooded Mergansers and Wood Ducks), continuous fly-bys of calling Belted Kingfishers, Green and Great Blue Herons, and calling Soras. Woodpeckers stole the show in the nearby picnic areas and woodlands. Good numbers of noisy Acorn, Downy, and Nuttall’s Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, and Red-breasted Sapsuckers were seen throughout the morning. Other highlights included multiple Phainopeplas calling from tree tops, high-soaring White-throated Swifts, and exceptional looks at numerous Hermit Thrushes. Thanks to everyone for contributing to an enjoyable trip. The complete checklist can be found here https://ebird.org/checklist/S203043383.

East Yolo County, 11/20

Leader Bill Bianco reported: Trip canceled because of rain.

Ancil Hoffman Park, Black Friday, 11/29

A flock of Bushtit was working over the leaves in a live oak, *Image by Chris Conard*

Leader Rachael Cowan reported: We had nine birders, including three ARC students, for a frosty start--about 34 degrees-- and a 3.5 mile hike around the Ancil Hoffman perimeter. Some were without binoculars so we focused on vocalizations and noting behaviors. We began with a Red-tailed Hawk flying into a tree as we took a brisk walk to warm up. We stopped to enjoy watching Bushtits working over leaves in a live oak when a Red-shouldered Hawk flew over, triggering alarms from the flock. We had good looks at Acorn Woodpeckers and a Downy Woodpecker and we had a fleeting look at a Hermit Thrush before we headed toward the river away from the Governor’s mansion. We saw a Black Phoebe, a couple of Common Goldeneye diving, and a Double-crested Cormorant flying downstream. We walked along the recent salmon habitat restoration area, which now has a side channel for juvenile fish. The beach near the old water tower had a large flock of Canada Geese, some Common Mergansers, and we saw lots of Yellow-billed Magpie and Northern Flicker activity as we headed toward the NSA. The piles of tree trimmings produced both House and Bewick's Wrens and a Fox Sparrow. There was an assortment of Ring-billed, Herring, and California Gulls occupying an area where deceased salmon were being deposited. Killdeer were out and Turkey Vultures were seeking thermals, but it was otherwise fairly quiet due to lots of people out. We ended the walk with some American Pipits and Lark Sparrows in the grassy field and a total of 50 species.

North Natomas Park, Young Birders Club, 11/30

Gadwall pair, M (left) and F (rt), *Image by Daniel Lee Brown*

Leader Mackenzie Hollander reported: Two other young birders joined my father and me on the very first Sacramento Valley Young Birders Club Field Trip. At the start of the field trip, extreme fog covered the lake and anything beyond seven feet ahead, but this cleared rapidly, and we had sunny skies from 9:00am on. Our route took us along the lake, where highlights included diving Pied-billed Grebes, American Coots, and many Mallards. Sunning Double-crested Cormorants rested on the rocky ledges of both islands, as well as some Snowy Egrets. American Pipits walked in small groups in the field adjacent the lake. We enjoyed a female Nuttall's Woodpecker foraging in a willow, and a Northern Flicker (of the red-shafted subspecies) being harassed by a California Scrub Jay in a cottonwood. Black-crowned Night Herons, both adults and juveniles, roosted in trees on the island. A Great Blue Heron and a Green Heron stood on the rocky shore. Two pairs of the less common Gadwall were found among the Mallards, and five Western Bluebirds landed in a short shrub right in front of us. We identified an American Herring Gull floating on the water of the lake. A highlight of the day was a female Belted Kingfisher—a lifer for 2 attendees-- diving into the water and flying back up to a willow. In the grassland stretch, we enjoyed nice views of the inconspicuous Savannah Sparrow perched right on top of an exposed bush. A Red-tailed Hawk flew past us and landed in a light tower. Two warring Anna's Hummingbirds put on quite the show as they did their territorial diving right in front of us. We saw Lesser Goldfinches, two Northern Mockingbirds, a perched Say's Phoebe, as well as a potential Sharp-shinned Hawk circling with a group of Turkey Vultures. Our non-bird highlight of the day was watching a Jackrabbit that had wandered into a fenced off baseball field try to find an exit. We ended the trip by getting good views of a Black Phoebe foraging next to the water. Overall it was a very nice and engaging first field trip for this new Young Birders Club.

Nimbus Fish Hatchery/Upper Sunrise, 11/30

Northern Pintail, *Image by Timothy Jackson*

Leader Kevin Thomas reported: It was a foggy start for this Sacramento Audubon Society walk along the American River by the Nimbus Fish Hatchery. Visibility when we arrived was less than 50 feet and nothing could be seen on the river. Our group of 11 intrepid birders started slowly picking species up while we waited around the parking lot for the fog to clear. It was a start full of raptors: our first bird was an Osprey perched on the wires over the river, followed by an American Kestrel perched on an oak tree across the river, then came the Bald Eagle flying downriver through the fog, and finally a Red-tailed Hawk soaring overhead. Once the fog began to lift, we got great looks at both Goldeneye species, the continuing Northern Pintail that has been hanging out with a group of Mallards for the last few years, and up close scope views of California, American Herring, Ring-billed, Glaucous-winged, and Short-billed Gulls. We continued down river on the trail until we got to the spot to look for the White-winged Scoter, a species just reported the previous day. A rare visitor to the Central Valley, we were able to see it through the spotting scope relaxing on the water near the opposite bank along Sailor Bar. Everyone in the group got great looks at this rare bird. We made our way back to the parking area picking up a few new things along the way, finishing the morning walk having seen 58 species of birds and several black-tailed deer.

Lincoln Grasslands, 12/8

Virginia Rail, *Image by Craig Swolgaard*

Leader Richard Barbieri reported: There were six of us this morning as we set off for a day of birding north of Sacramento. We made several stops on our journey through the foothills and out into the rice fields and grasslands which brought us a nice variety of birds totaling 76 species. Some of the highlights included Virginia Rail, Lewis's Woodpecker, Wilson's Snipe, Ring-necked Ducks, Bald Eagle, Ring-necked Pheasant, and Rock Wren.

Lincoln Water Treatment Plant, 12/10

Leader Jane Taylor reported: Nine of us met on a very chilly morning at the plant. We saw good numbers of very few species of waterfowl, primarily Bufflehead & Canada Goose, in the western ponds, and saw and heard field and riparian species, including Savannah Sparrow, on a drive around them. Disappointingly, the best duck pond on the eastern side was not in use by the facility. However, sharp eyes and ears found Aleutian Cackling Goose, Horned Larks, White-throated Swifts, male Norther Harrier and Say’s Phoebe on that side. A post-prandial walk along Ingram slough to the north yielded California Quail posting up and signs of American Beaver activity. Though it seemed to get colder as the day went on, we managed about 49 mostly common species, and our trip ended around 1:30.

Cosumnes River Preserve, Young Birders, 12/14

Leader Mackenzie Hollander reported: Trip rescheduled because of severe weather.

Robinson Road, Solano County, 12/14

Leader Maureen Geiger reported: Trip rescheduled because of severe weather.

Field Trip Findings, November 16 to December 14, 2024