Vast grassland expanses and rolling hills provide excellent opportunities to look for Ferruginous Hawks, Prairie Falcons, and other winter raptors. Payen Road has few cars and allows a leisurely visit.
Birding the site: Near the intersection of White Rock Rd and Payen Rd, the cattle enclosures usually host a large flock of blackbirds. You may be able to find Brown-headed Cowbirds, Tricolored Blackbirds, and, rarely, Yellow-headed Blackbirds among the abundant Red-winged Blackbirds and Brewer’s Blackbirds. eBird Sightings
Ferruginous Hawk, Image by Daniel Lee Brown
Payen Road travels south for 1.5 miles past a model airplane staging area and ends at private property. There are few places to pull completely off the road, but since there is very little traffic, it is usually safe to get out of your car.
From mid-October through March, a Prairie Falcon is often present along the road and Ferruginous Hawks may be sitting on the hillsides to the south. Golden Eagles, Rough-legged Hawks, and Merlins are found here, though not quite so dependably. Check the fields and the abandoned railroad culverts for Burrowing Owls. eBird Sightings
Begin the next tour by heading west on White Rock Road for 2.5 miles from Payen Road, and then heading south on Scott Road.
Directions: From the East Bidwell Road exit on Highway 50 near Folsom (23 miles east of downtown Sacramento at Interstate 5), travel south for 1.6 miles to White Rock Road. Turn left and drive east 1.2 miles, and immediately after Placerville Rd goes to the left (north), turn right (south) on Payen Rd.
Chris Conard