Steve Hampton has been compiling monthly Yolo County Notable Sighting reports for the YAS’s Burrowing Owl newsletter since August 2001. This is his last report for us as he is relocating to Washington state. All of us at YAS wish Steve and his family the very best in their new

December featured a sprinkling of rarities. A Common Loon was in the Ship Canal on Dec 5 (SL). A Eurasian Green-winged Teal was photographed at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area (YBWA) on Dec 15 (SH). An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was found at the landfill on Dec 7 (CT) and

A mostly dry November was filled with interesting birds. Most intriguing was the appearance of two Black-throated Sparrows, only the fourth record for the county, at a private residence west of Winters on Nov 6, with at least one bird continuing longer (BG). A Red-breasted Merganser made a brief stop

Yet another “Indian summer” provided a warm and sunny October, with nary a cloud and not a drop of rain. The best bird was the last, an adult female Vermillion Flycatcher at Woodland Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) found on Halloween morning (SH). Unfortunately, it proved as ephemeral as the last,

Despite record heat, fires, smoke, and poor air quality, migration seemed largely the same. As with any September, there were plenty of rarities to chase, highlighted by six eastern warblers. Top of the ticket was the county’s first Blackburnian Warbler, found Sept 4 at the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve (EM)

There are few birds more spectacular than a breeding plumaged Red Phalarope. Three of them arrived on May 18 during a morning thunderstorm and spent a few hours in a rice paddy just north of the Davis Wetlands (JT). This was the first chaseable record in decades. A breeding plumaged

On Friday, May 1st, I did a biking big day in Yolo county, starting at 3am from my house in Davis and finishing at 8:10pm back at home, after looping out to Babel Slough, north to Woodland, and back to Davis.  In total I biked about 91 miles, seeing/hearing 139

A cool March was typically slow for rare birds. Top of the list, however, was a Dusky Flycatcher found Mar 5 in north Davis (SH). Only the second winter record for the county, the bird remained through the month, often vocalizing. A Costa’s Hummingbird display was heard several times at

A warm and completely dry February allowed birders plenty of time in the field. The biggest surprise came on the first morning of the month with the discovery of a Lark Bunting in a large sparrow flock north of Capay along Rd 86 (SH, MP). The bird has delighted birders

The new year featured several returning birds. On Jan 3, last winter’s Garganey was re-found at Bridgeway Island Pond in West Sacramento (LS, MS). The male is currently in eclipse plumage, but should molt as the winter progresses. On Jan 9, December’s Barred Owl made another appearance on Instagram, photographed

It all started on Dec 11 with an Instagram post among non-birders, clearly showing a Barred Owl perched on a rafter in a barn in south Davis. The post made its way to Emmett Iverson, who immediately recognized the significance of the photo. That evening, he and several others were