Volunteers Joe Zinkl, Josh Greenfield and Sonjia Shelly ©Autumn Turner

The Yolo Bypass is flooded from overtopping by the Sacramento River at the Fremont Weir, which is what it was designed to do to keep the city of Sacramento from flooding.  At this point it’s anybody’s guess when things will dry out and the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area will reopen.  Check the Yolo Basin Foundation website for news.
   Members of Sacramento Audubon, Yolo Audubon and Yolo Basin Foundation had a very productive meeting a couple of weeks ago with Garrett Spaan, the new manager of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area.  We shared ideas on a variety of topics, including future field trips, improved accessibility, and plans to enhance shorebird habitat through fallowing a couple of rice fields in the summer and flooding them at levels to attract birds.  Garrett last worked at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex and brings a good deal of experience in habitat planning and education.  He would like to see improved signage at the Wildlife Area, so that visitors will be clear on the CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife regulations.  Yolo Basin Foundation has just received a grant from the state to improve the signage, and Sac and Yolo Audubon plan to assist however they can.  Garrett emphasized that he’s always available if people have questions about the Wildlife Area.  Contact him here.
   Yolo Audubon is beginning its 8th season of phenology surveys at Audubon CA’s Bobcat Ranch outside of Winters.  Coordinators Sonjia Shelly and Joe Zinkl report that they would be happy to have a few more volunteers this spring.  The team goes out every other week year-round for a few hours to record birds sighted.  To learn more, please contact Sonjia here.  There’s nothing better than a spring morning at Bobcat!
   We are also going to need a number of volunteers for 2-hour sessions staffing the Yolo Audubon display table at CA Duck Days on April 27th.  The festival is a fun-filled day that last year hosted almost 1400 people at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Headquarters.  Please contact Ken Ealy here if you’d like to join us.
   The Yolo Audubon name change committee would like to thank everyone who responded to the questionnaire that was sent out this winter.  A total of 101 responses were received.  In answer to the question of support for a name change, 61% strongly supported a change, with another 10% leaning toward support, and 16% were opposed.  The committee will meet again and take recommendations for next steps to the Board at the March meeting.  All YAS members will be kept informed and encouraged to vote on any decisions made at the May 15th members’ meeting.
 

Volunteers Joe Zinkl, Josh Greenfield, and Sonjia Shelly record birds seen on the bi-weekly 
survey at Bobcat Ranch

 — Ann Brice, President