Sailor Bar is on the north side of the river across from Upper Sunrise. The habitat is a mix of riparian, oak woodland, open area, and gravel tailings. Live oaks and blue oaks are the predominant trees on the hillsides, and there are stands of willow, alder, and cottonwood along the river.
Birding the site: There is a parking area down and to the right of the Illinois Avenue entrance; just north of it is a fishing pond where you can find Pied-billed Grebes and Mallards mixed in with domestic ducks. Red-winged Blackbirds inhabit the cattails in the spring and summer, and Red-shouldered Hawks frequent the area. Hutton's Vireos may be seen here. From late fall through early spring, a walk around the pond may reveal Fox Sparrows, Hermit Thrushes, or a Lincoln's Sparrow in the blackberry tangles. Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, and California Towhees are resident. Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Purple Finches (rare), and Yellow-rumped Warblers make the oak-covered hillsides their winter residence. In the open areas, you may see White-tailed Kites and Red-tailed Hawks. Wild Turkeys are seen occasionally in the winter, both White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows, House Finches, and both Lesser and American Goldfinches feed on thistle and other seeds.
Great Blue Heron, Image by Daniel Lee Brown
The road leads west to other parking areas by the river, and if you walk along the trails, you may find Spotted Sandpipers, Greater Yellowlegs, Great Blue Herons, and Great Egrets hunting along the water's edge. Black Phoebes, Bushtits, and Acorn Woodpeckers are seen year-round, and in the spring and summer you may see Ash-throated Flycatchers and possibly Bullock's Orioles. eBird Sightings - Fish Pond, Sailor Bar
Directions: From downtown Sacramento, take Highway 50 east for 17.5 miles from Interstate 5, and exit at Hazel Avenue. Turn left on Hazel and drive 1.3 miles north, crossing the American River, to Winding Way. Turn left and drive 0.5 miles west to Illinois Avenue. Turn left and drive southerly about 0.9 miles, to where the road ends at a parking lot adjacent the river. Watch for speed bumps. The entrance fee is currently $7 per vehicle (or a $70 annual pass).
Pete Hayes