Suggested Birding Locations for October 2020

Veteran birder and Sacramento Audubon Field Trip Leader, Darrell Mohr, offers the following suggestion for great local places to bird this October.

Bushy Lake

This area is an easy walk this time of year. At the parking lot, look along the fence on both sides of the road, as well as the drain area. Goldfinches, House Finches, towhees, and phoebes are usually common in this area, as well as White and Golden-crowned Sparrows. As you walk along the paved road watch for blackbirds out in the field. Look up at the power line towers for hawks. When the paved road splits, take the lower trail at the base of the levee. When you get to the lake watch for Great Blue Herons and Wood Ducks. When the lower trail joins the levee road, turn back on the levee road along the fence and check out the trees for warblers and Great Horned Owls. If you find one owl, look closely; the mate may be nearby. 

Directions: Park in the cul-de-sac at the south end of Ethan Way, just south of where Hurley Way goes into Gate 12 of Cal Expo.

Wood Duck, Image Chris Conard

Sacramento Bar

On the north side of the river, this is a good site to look for a number of species. In the parking lot, watch the trees and brushy areas for Oak Titmice, Bushtits, towhees, and Acorn Woodpeckers. Cross the bike path and head for the American River. Scan the river for Common Mergansers, Bufflehead, and Common and Barrow's Goldeneye. Don't forget to check the shrubbery; often a warbler will be moving through the bushes.  Look overhead for swallows as well as White-throated Swifts. If you hear a raspy bird call, look for a Belted Kingfisher. Check the banks of the river for yellowlegs and Spotted Sandpipers, and enjoy your morning!  

Directions: From Highway 50, drive north on Sunrise Blvd.; turn left on Fair Oaks Blvd. and take the first left on Pennsylvania and follow it into the park. A Sac County Park Pass or $5 entry fee is required for all vehicles.

Belted Kingfisher, Image by Ray Rozema

Mather Lake

Mather Regional Park is a gem for finding different species.  There's plenty of parking; survey the area when you get out of your car as the parking lot usually has a number of different species. Look for blackbirds, Great-tailed Grackles, Red-tailed Hawks, and finches. Along the west side of the lake, look for Nuttall's Woodpeckers and Yellow-rumped Warblers. Search the tules for Green Heron and Gallinules. Now go back and across the dam; check the overflow for phoebes and wrens. Along the south side of the lake look for Double-crested Cormorants in the trees. Farther down, look for Yellow-headed Blackbirds.  Introduced Mute Swans should be swimming in the lake, along with Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots. Watch the field for California Quail. 

Directions: From Highway 50 go south on Zinfandel, Exit #17, about 2-1/2 miles. After crossing Douglas Blvd. take the first left into the park area. Use your Park Pass or pay the $5 fee. Enjoy the morning!    

Green Heron, Image by Mary Forrestal

Gristmill Recreation Area

This area can be very productive. Drive all the way in to the last parking lot and walk upstream, keeping an eye out for warblers; a number of rarieties have been found at this location. As you go upstream look for Northern Rough-winged Swallows. The trail will end at a fence. Look in the trees for Varied Thrush. The trail ends at a fence; go back along the river and look for Common and Barrow's Goldeneye and Common Mergansers. Scan the bushes for warblers. Farther down look for Red-breasted Sapsucker. On the return walk, take the upper trail where you may find Downy and Nuttall's Woodpeckers and Yellow-billed Magpies. 

Directions: From Hwy. 50 exit at Bradshaw Rd. and go north to Folsom Blvd. Go left on Folsom, then right on Butterfield Way, right on Linda Rio Drive and right again on Mira Del Rio Drive, turning left into the signed access for Gristmill Recreation Area. A Sac County Park Pass or $5 entry fee is required for all vehicles.

Barrow’s Goldeneye, Image by Daniel Brown

Suggested Birding September 2020

Suggested Birding in September

Field Trip Activities Chair, Maureen Geiger, offers the following suggestions for where to bird this September.

Woodland Wastewater Treatment Plant/North Regional Pond

Variously known as above and aka the Woodland/Davis Clean Water Facility and on the official City website as the Woodland Water Pollution Control Facility, the main sewer ponds and North Regional Pond across the road are a wonderful site for chalking up an excellent bird list. With shorebirds and waterfowl in abundance in winter and fairly numerous in the fall, take a scope and check this out. A Western Grebe has been over-summering in the main sewer pond, and in North Pond large numbers of Black-necked Stilts, American Avocets, White-faced Ibis, Pied-billed Grebes, ducks, blackbirds, swallows, and meadowlarks are abundant. Amazingly, 16 species of waterfowl were reported in early July, and there is a good chance many of these will remain in addition to migrating and wintering species.

Directions: Heading north on I-5 from Sacramento, proceed towards Woodland and take Exit #536. Turn left over the overpass on Road 102, then .9 of a mile further, at the light at E. Gibson Road, turn left/east (onto Road 24 although not clearly marked). Driving east, you will see the gravel parking lot on your right at the chain link fence and see the ponds to the left and right. Going through the chain link fence to view the sewer ponds to the east and south is acceptable M-F 9-3 p.m. only; but the North Pond can be viewed easily from the parking area or the gravel road running along two sides.

Black-necked Stilt, Image by Mary Forrestal

Effie Yeaw Nature Center, American River Parkway

Although probably better birding later in the month when there is more chance of migrants, this is always a great place to take a walk. If you head down to the banks of the beautiful American River, it is very soothing to watch the water go by, and you have a good chance of seeing Common Mergansers, Killdeer, maybe a Double-crested Cormorant fly-by, Turkey Vultures overhead, Red-shouldered Hawks – and, of course, Acorn Woodpeckers and deer and possible coyote throughout the Nature Center. EYNC is open 9-5 Tuesday through Sunday. 

Directions: From California Ave. in Fair Oaks take the Tarshes Drive entrance; at the stop sign turn left on San Lorenzo and follow it to the nature center parking lot on your right. For further directions see: sacnaturecenter.net. A Sac County Park Pass or $5 entry fee is required for all vehicles.

Acorn Woodpecker, Image by Ray Rozema

Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area

Except when lack of water keeps the birds away, YBWA is another excellent birding destination. In September, migrating shorebirds, raptors and swallows will be present. Last year, on a September field trip, two American Bitterns were out in the open and well seen by all participants. According to Steve Hampton, a well-known Yolo County birder, the summer shorebird migration pond this year will be the fields NE of the Y between the two auto tour loops. Flood up began in early July. See map on Steve’s website. Due to on-going work at the WA, this will be the only pond this year, and it may be only a portion of this tract. Also, at some point there will be detours on the auto tour at the Y and elsewhere as work on water control structures progresses. 

Directions: From Sacramento on I-80 west, take the first exit at the west end of the Yolo Causeway, East Chiles/Rd. 32A, Exit #78. Turn right at the stop sign, go under the freeway, make a left up onto the levee; then drop down into the Wildlife Area. 

Green Heron, Image by Larry Hickey

Reichmuth Park

This often-overlooked, urban gem in south Sacramento offers wide trails, dense understory, emergent wetland, riparian, and oak habitat that make this a good place to bird all year round. Fall is a great time to search for migrants. Last year on this trip, the highlight was a Great Horned Owl seen well by all birders plus Green Heron, Wood Ducks, Western Bluebirds, 3 species of woodpeckers, Spotted Towhees, Bushtits, Oak Titmice, and House and Bewick’s Wrens. There is ample parking in the lot on Gloria Drive and 43rd Avenue.

Directions: From southbound I-5, drive 3.6 miles south of I-50 and exit at 43rd Ave. Turn left and continue to Gloria Drive. Turn right onto Gloria, and shortly the parking lot will be on the left. If coming up I-5 from the south, there is no 43rd Ave exit, so exit onto Florin Road, head west and turn right on Greenhaven Dr., then right onto Gloria Drive.

Great-horned Owl, Image by Daniel Brown

Stone Lakes NWR

Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge south of Sacramento is beautifully designed for families with small children and those with mobility challenges as it offers a wide, level cement trail that loops through the Refuge. This varied habitat might produce interesting birds, especially in the fall and winter. The marsh has turned up Green Heron, Sora, Belted Kingfisher, Song Sparrow, and Common Yellow-throat; while in the surrounding ag and fallow fields, Swainson’s Hawks, Red-tails, doves, and meadowlarks can be found. 

Directions: Driving south from Sacramento on I-5, two miles south of the Elk Grove exit, take Exit 504 at Hood-Franklin Road and drive .8 of a mile to the NWR entrance on the left. There is a large parking lot and restrooms.