Great Blue Heron with crayfish, photo Mary Hanson
Yolo Audubon and Tuleyome, are offering a family beginning birder outing in eastern Yolo County on Sunday August 19th. The two-hour trip will introduce children and adults to the basics of bird identification as well as habitat preservation. The participants will walk on a level dirt path through a Tricolored Blackbird easement of tule wetlands and past rice field on their way to Willow Slough, all on Conaway Ranch. The slough has mature valley oaks and a large permanent, open water area with fish, turtles & otters. The group will focus on large, easy to identify, bird species, including herons, egrets, kingfishers, Wood Ducks and Swainson’s Hawks.
Participants should wear hats and sturdy shoes, and bring water, snacks and insect repellent, if wanted. Yolo Audubon will provide binoculars for those who don’t have them.
The group will meet at 8am at the corner of County Roads 25 and 103. Someone will be there to direct parking along CR 25. Participants should sign up for the trip by going to http://tuleyome.org/events/. There is no charge, but participants must sign liability waivers. Bill Grabert, Tuleyome, and Mary Schiedt, Yolo Audubon, will co-lead this field trip. For more information, Bill may be contacted at bgrabert@tuleyome.org or 530.613.0317.
Photo caption: Great Blue Herons (and crayfish) should be seen along Willow Slough and the nearby wetlands during the Tuleyome/Yolo Audubon field trip on August 19th.
Photo credit: Mary Hanson