Field Trip Report

Field Trip Report: Sierra Valley/Yuba Pass

June 29, 2019

June 8-9 2019 The Prelude to this trip was two one-day scouting trips. On Memorial Day all the roads were passable and temperatures mild, but the diversity of birds was really low. Six days later the birds had arrived and birdsong was everywhere. Our trip was six days after that.

Field Trip Report: Putah Creek Nestbox Highway

May 11, 2019

Tour of Putah Creek Nestboxes. Photos Hanika Cook We looked inside 22 of the nestboxes to see nests, eggs, and chicks of several cavity-nesting species, including Western Buebirds, Tree Swallows, House Wrens and White-Breasted Nuthatches. Guests were able to look inside, take pictures, and ask questions about the birds and

Field Trip Report: Kusch Gardens at Putah Creek 4/28

April 28, 2019

Trip Summary, Manfred Kusch A group of Yolo Audubon members showed up today for their annual tour of my garden and a walk along my trail on the south bank of Putah Creek. It was nice that by now the typical birds for this time of year in my garden

Field Trip Report: Mitchell Canyon

April 27, 2019

Fifteen participants showed up for the Mitchell Canyon trip at Mt. Diablo on April 20. The weather started out cool, overcast, and windy. Many species were heard as we began walking along Mitchell Creek, but it was challenging to get good looks. Acorn Woodpecker, Cooper’s Hawk, and Bushtit nests were

Field Trip Report: Bodega Bay

April 15, 2019

On Saturday, April 6, Chris Dunford (with the assistance of Steve Hampton) led a Yolo Audubon field trip designed to introduce birders new to coastal birds to the best spots and tide levels to see the ducks, sandpipers, gulls, loons, grebes, and cormorants at Bodega Bay. The ideal for the

Field Trip Report: Owling in Yolo County

March 12, 2019

The trip was deemed a success even though we only succeeded in seeing/finding one owl species, the Burrrowing Owl. We went to the locations where we expected (or hoped) to find five owl species common in Yolo County. At each site we shared information on owl natural history, sightings of

Field Trip Report: Bobcat Ranch

January 6, 2019

Five intrepid birders joined hike leaders Stanton Hunter and Joe Zinkl for a 2.75-mile hike at Audubon Bobcat ranch this morning, despite the prospect of heavy rain and cold temperatures. Though the rain was never very heavy, it was a constant drizzle, and the temperature never got above 45 degrees

Field Trip Report: Lake Solano, Nov 3 2018

November 10, 2018

2018 Lake Solano Field Trip Trip Leader: Sharon Kirkpatrick Sat, Nov 3rd A group of seven birders took a chance that Lake Solano would be much calmer than the 20+ mph winds Davis and Winters experienced that day. Luck was on our side! The day was unseasonably warm, sunny, slightly

Vermillion Flycatcher, Maxwell cemetery 2017, Deb Ford

Field Trip Report; SNWR, Colusa, and Maxwell cemetery

November 2, 2018

On the way, we stopped at the Maxwell cemetery, where we eventually saw a Vermillion Flycatcher at about 9:15. Good looks were shared by all. Water levels at both Colusa and Sacramento Reserves were good, but many areas were not yet flooded. Good numbers of waterfowl in flooded areas. Snow

Field Trip Report; Davis Cemetery(10/28)

October 28, 2018

Davis Cemetery, Yolo, California, US Oct 28, 2018 8:00 AM – 10:20 AM Protocol: Area 28.0 ac Comments: I lead a Yolo Audubon Soc bird walk in the back portion of the cemetery, Calm, slightly misty then clear, cool to warm. 31 species Wild Turkey 9 I observed

Field Trip Report; Yolo County Sparrows(10/20)

October 28, 2018

With a Bingo card in hand showing the names of 16 species of sparrows, 13 birders set out on a beautiful October day. We ended up with 11 species of sparrows, 72 bird species overall, all of them in a few mile stretch between Winters and Fishing Access #3 in

Field Trip Report, Bodega Bay

September 28, 2018

Chris Dunford led a Yolo Audubon field trip to Bodega Bay with David Hickman, Kinga Kaminska, Chris Botha, Lori Maloney, and Marlyn Zuluaga. We started at Tides Wharf then spent an hour or more at Doran Beach (beach and harbor side at the Rich Stallcup Observation Deck) and on to

June 8-9 2019

The Prelude to this trip was two one-day scouting trips. On Memorial Day all the roads were passable and temperatures mild, but the diversity of birds was really low. Six days later the birds had arrived and birdsong was everywhere. Our trip was six days after that.

We had an odd start…at Donner Pass the cold wind was brutal. We worried that the birding would be difficult. At Donner Camp Picnic Area it was only breezy. We were treated to nesting Williamson’s Sapsuckers, Pygmy Nuthatches, Green-tailed Towhees, and Song Sparrows. On the valley floor the winds were stronger but we found lots of life. We also hit Yuba Pass and San Francisco State Field Campus on Saturday.

Sunday morning we birded Chapman Saddle road, Yuba Pass and Marble Hot Springs Road again, followed by the productive waters of Heriot Road. Smithneck Creek Park was our final stop as a group.

We noted 105 species.

Submitted by Mary Schiedt