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.
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, (9/16)
Highlights included observing Acorn Woodpeckers noisily preparing for the upcoming winter. Image by Ray Rozema
Sue Darst, co-leader with Rachael Cowan, reported: "We joined EYNC Naturalist Hannah Steurer for a very quiet morning of birding with 9 adults and children. We saw a total of 16 species on this late-morning walk. For this group of mostly beginning birders, we introduced them to basic bird identification by sight, sound, and behavior. Highlights included observing Acorn Woodpeckers noisily preparing for the upcoming winter, two White-throated Swifts, Killdeer, and a distant Great-blue Heron down by the river. It was a lovely morning with lots of Pipevine Swallow-tail butterflies to observe in addition to birds."
Bobelaine, (9/17)
An Osprey put in the first of multiple appearances. Image by Timothy Jackson
Mary Forrestal, co-leader with Nancy Kapellas, reported: "A group of 12 set out to explore the various areas of Bobelaine on this beautiful Sunday morning. The trip began up and across the levee with Western Bluebird, House Finch, and so many American Robins. Here as well an Osprey put in the first of multiple appearances and a Cooper’s Hawk made a dramatic display chasing a Northern Flicker in and around the trees. Down to the trail at the base of the levee where a female/immature Lazuli Bunting was a highlight for a lucky few. The group then headed into Bobelaine following the Center Trail to the River Overlook, stopping along the way to see a Red-breasted Nuthatch, several warblers, and the occasional woodpecker. At the River Overlook, 3 Spotted Sandpipers on the sandbar were upstaged by 2 Bald Eagles soaring over the Feather River. Not being willing to call it a day, the group headed down the South Trail where a first of season Golden-crowned Sparrow was a wonderful surprise. As we headed out along the Oak Trail, the warblers continued to flit among the treetops with Yellow, Wilson’s, Orange-crowned and Black-throated Gray all joining in the fun. See the complete eBird list at https://ebird.org/checklist/S150146333."
Sierra Discovery Trail, Emigrant Gap, (9/21)
No dippers sadly but the Brown Creepers were fun. Image by Chris Conard
Leader Maureen Geiger reported: "Nice to know that if birds are not forthcoming, plants always sit still. Seven of us remembered this on a quiet morning while we walked this lovely trail in towering conifers and oaks at about 4,600’. Barely a mile long, much of this trail is along the beautiful Bear River which was flowing strongly and included a surprisingly large, rambunctious waterfall. No dippers sadly but the Brown Creepers were fun, and we all enjoyed our time there."
Hagan Park, (9/23)
Leader Sheila Green reported: "Trip was canceled due to conflicting events at the park."
Teal Bend, (9/24)
Turkey Vulture, Image by Timothy Jackson
Leader Richard Barbieri reported: "A good group of 14 people joined me for this early fall trip. The temperature was pretty cool at the start and slowly warmed to a very comfortable morning. Highlights from the trip were FOS Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Black-throated Gray, Townsend's and Orange-crowned Warblers and Western Tanagers. Total species count for the morning was 51." https://ebird.org/checklist/S150674711
River Walk, West Sacramento, (10/3)
Black-throated Gray Warblers presented surprisingly close views. Image by Ray Rozema
Leader Bill Bianco reported: "Six of us started from the Broderick boat launch area and had a leisurely walk along the Sacramento River edge. Thirty-two species were observed during the walk which finished before noon. Top sightings were Cedar Waxwings, Western Bluebirds, Osprey, Belted Kingfisher, and Yellow, Orange-crowned and Black-throated Gray Warblers. The black-throated presented surprisingly close views, which presented good photo opportunities. Side attraction was a sea lion stirring up water and attracting feeding gulls. Very pleasant day and enjoyed by all."
Point Reyes, (10/7)
As we trekked down the perimeter road through the cypress trees, we were able to locate first a MAGNOLIA WARBLER which had just been found prior to our arrival. Image by Mary Forrestal
Leader Dan Williams reported: "Nineteen of us had an excellent fall day on the Point. We started at the Lighthouse, where the typical blanket of fog completely obscured our view of the ocean below, and birds were few and far between. However, we enjoyed a pair of Ravens playing tag with an immature Red-tailed Hawk in the cypress trees, as well as Savannah, White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows, and one Fox Sparrow foraging in the bush lupines. Just 2 miles east at Chimney Rock Trailhead and the Fish Docks, we were greeted by glorious sunshine and a feeding frenzy of Brown Pelicans, Heermann's Gulls, and Brandt's and Pelagic Cormorants on Drake's Bay. A Peregrine Falcon wheeled overhead, the elephant seals snorted from their haul out area below, and two coyotes treated us to scope views on the hill above. As we trekked down the perimeter road through the cypress trees, we were able to locate first a MAGNOLIA WARBLER which had just been found prior to our arrival, and then to our great astonishment, a thrush that landed on some low branches at the base of the cypresses turned out to be a very rare VEERY! A good number of us got to see the clinching field marks on the bird in scopes before it dove down into the understory and could not be refound. After a brief stop at Drake's Beach for lunch, where we were treated to Red-breasted Nuthatches in the trees near the restrooms, a Long-billed Curlew on the shore, and a couple of dolphins just past the shore, we elected to press on to Abbott's Lagoon since there were two rare shorebirds being seen there (a Ruff and an American Golden-Plover). While we did not find those species, we did get to enjoy dozens of Black-bellied, Semipalmated, and Snowy Plovers, Dunlins, Sanderlings, Least and Western Sandpipers, Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitchers, and Marbled Godwits. On the hike back to the parking lot a group of River Otters played near the outlet bridge, and a TROPICAL KINGBIRD flew past the trail giving us one last rarity to cap off our very good day."
Sacramento Bar, (10/10)
Leader Mark Martucci reported: "Ten birders detected 53 species of birds on a windy overcast morning along the American River Parkway. Highlights included Yellow Warbler, Orange-crowed Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Hutton's Vireo, Wood Duck, Green Heron and Sharp-shinned Hawk."
Hutton’s Vireo, Image by Daniel Brown