The main Chinook salmon run begins in October, and hundreds of gulls as well as large numbers of Turkey Vultures arrive to feed on the dying fish. This feast may bring in an occasional Bald Eagle. Ospreys are also often seen in winter along with flocks of Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser and the occasional Barrow’s Goldeneye.
Sailor Bar
Walk the trails along the river and you may find Spotted Sandpipers, Greater Yellowlegs, Great Blue Herons, and Great Egrets hunting at the water's edge while Wood Ducks and Common Mergansers float along. Black Phoebes, Bushtits, and Acorn Woodpeckers are seen year-round. In the spring and summer Ash-throated Flycatchers, Western Kingbirds and Bullock's and Hooded Orioles are all possibilities.
Lower Sunrise Area
In the fall and spring, migrating songbirds such as Townsend’s, Hermit, Nashville and Wilson’s Warblers, as well as Bullock’s Orioles, and Black-headed Grosbeak may be spotted. In winter, California, Herring, and Ring-billed Gulls are the most common species. One might also see less common Glaucous-winged, Iceland, or Short-billed Gulls.
Effie Yeaw Nature Center at Ancil Hoffman Park
More than 70 acres of riparian woodland adjacent the Effie Yeaw Nature Center (EYNC) have been preserved as a nature study area within the American River Parkway. Because this birding spot is easy to reach and includes a variety of habitats, it is possible to sight more than 100 species during the course of a year. In the spring, migrating warblers move through the woods. The crowned sparrows return each fall, and winter brings the goldeneyes back to the river.
River Bend Park
Riverbend Park has a variety of habitats with trails throughout. You can walk along the American River in search of goldeneyes or sandpipers; search the woods for woodpeckers, sparrows, and wrens; or explore the open areas for raptors soaring in the sky and hummingbirds flitting among the bushes.
William B. Pond Recreation Area
Known for its diverse habitats, William B. Pond has fast flowing water where riffles and gravel bars are present, sandy riverbanks, riparian woodlands, a nesting rookery, open areas and woodlands edges, plus a wonderful urban park. All these habitats draw in a great variety of birds making it one of the most popular birding locations along the American River Parkway.
Howe and Watt Avenue Accesses
Throughout the year informal trails provide access to the riparian forest. In the winter this is a good area for sparrows and wrens. During spring and fall migration, look for warblers, vireos and flycatchers in the oaks, willows, and cottonwoods.
California State University, Sacramento
In spring, look for migrating warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and grosbeaks. In winter, look for Dark-eyed Junco, crowned sparrows, winter warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Cedar Waxwing, Red-breasted Sapsucker, and Hermit Thrush.
East Lawn Cemetery
If you have only a few hours to spare for birding on a winter weekend morning, you might want to visit East Lawn Cemetery on Folsom Boulevard in East Sacramento. Filled with winter residents, over the years, Townsend’s Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, and Black-and-white Warbler have been found here in the winter.
William Land Park
The large conifers and berry-laden shrubs and trees of William Land Park attract winter flocks of American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dark-eyed Junco, and American Goldfinch. This is a good place to look for wintering Varied Thrush (under the redwoods), Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Townsend’s Warbler, Purple Finch and Pine Siskin.
North Natomas
Because of its varied habitat, a large variety of birds may be seen in North Natomas. Hawks and blackbirds inhabit the grasslands. In the right season shorebirds, ducks, geese and swans fill the rice fields. Riparian areas are rife with titmice and woodpeckers year-round and migrant warblers in spring and fall.
Cosumnes River Preserve
The more than 45,000 acres around the Cosumnes River that make up the Cosumnes River Preserve have been designated as a Globally Important Bird Area with more than 300 species recorded. Here you will find a wide variety of habitats, including wetlands, grasslands, wildlife-friendly agriculture, and perhaps the most intact valley oak riparian forest in existence.
Sherman Island and the Sacramento County Delta
This seldom visited portion of Sacramento County, including Sherman Island and Brannan Island, has enormous potential. There can be thousands of waterfowl, and many raptors, shorebirds, sparrows, and blackbirds (including Yellow-headed and Tricolored) with a diversity of rarities showing up over the years.
Michigan Bar Road
Michigan Bar Road is another location where the possibility of less common species is the draw, with Hairy Woodpeckers, Steller’s Jays, Band-tailed Pigeons, American Dipper, and Lawrence’s Goldfinches all rare but possible.
Bridgeway Island Pond
This year-round pond in West Sacramento near the eastern edge of the Yolo Causeway is one of the best places in California to see Blue-winged Teal each fall and winter. Additionally year-round resident Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets breed here in the spring.
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area (aka the Vic Fazio Wildlife Area)
This Global-Priority Level Important Bird Area now contains more than 25,000 acres and is just minutes from downtown Sacramento. Both seasonal and permanent wetlands are present as well as riparian woodland and valley grassland, providing habitat for a large variety of birds.
City of Davis Wetlands
This evolving wetland consists of 400 acres of ponds and upland habitat of varying depths and is a continuation of Davis’s storm water and wastewater treatment process. The Wetlands are only open to the public during limited times during the year. From February 15th through August 31st, the wetlands are open seven days/week from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. From September 1st through February 15th, the wetlands are open Mondays only from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Woodland Water Pollution Control Facility
The treatment ponds at this location have a fine history of attracting good shorebirds, gulls, and waterfowl. The peak season for finding rare shorebirds is from July through September, depending on water levels. Good numbers of shorebirds and gulls can be found in the winter, and spring migration can be productive as well.
Folsom Point to Sweetwater Creek
The multiple locations described in this section (Folsom Point, Mormon Island Wetlands, Morman Island Lake Access, Brown’s Ravine, Falcon Crest, Sweetwater Creek trail to Folsom Lk, and Sweetwater Trail) can be done as individual short excursions or as a full day of birding, progressing from one stop to the next.
Beals Point
Beals Point is probably the single best location for viewing large numbers of gulls and water birds on Folsom Lake. From 3pm until dusk thousands of gulls flying in to roost on the lake. As many as 14 Common Loons have been recorded just from this site.