Fall Birding
Fall is here and we are starting the season off at Yolo Bird Alliance with some exciting birding opportunities. The first event is YBA’s first sponsored Pelagic Birding Boat Trip, which will leave from Sausalito Harbor on October 18 at 6am. This is a rare opportunity to view birds that can normally be seen only far offshore. Examples include species of albatrosses, petrels, skuas, and auklets. To cover the costs of chartering the boat, the fee for the trip is $175 per person, or $120 for students. Spaces are limited and the trip will fill quickly, so contact Zane asap to reserve your spot. We are offering this opportunity first to YBA and UC Davis Bird Watching Club members and then will open it up to others space permitting.
Black-footed Albatross, by Zane Pickus
Closer to home, Kevin Guse and Zane Pickus will lead the popular annual Terry Colborn Memorial Point Reyes field trip on October 10. The trip is free but space is limited to 10 participants so sign up soon – note that the trip has filled, but you can put your name on the wait list.
And even closer to home, is the new Birding for Beginners series of bird-watching walks, which will start on October 17 at the UC Davis Arboretum. The trips will be led by YBA board members Sonjia Shelly and Michael Perrone. This is a wonderful opportunity for new birders. Check the website events page soon for more details and future series trips.
The 9th annual Winters Salmon Festival will be held from 11am to 4pm on November 7 at Rotary Park in downtown Winters. The event celebrates the return of Chinook salmon to Putah Creek and features live music, local food trucks and a variety of educational exhibits. It’s a great family event!
Registration is now open for the Central Valley Birding Symposium in Stockton November 19th through 22nd. The symposium celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and YBA is a sponsor. The most popular field trips and workshops fill up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon if interested. YBA will have an information table at the symposium, so stop by and say hi if you go.
Finally, researchers at the University of California, Davis, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are conducting a survey to better understand birdwatchers’ views on grassland and oak savannah habitat conservation, restoration, and possible ways to support this work in California. Yolo Bird Alliance has agreed to share the survey with the members and friends of our newsletter list. A link will be sent soon in a separate email. Please note that participation is completely voluntary and anonymous.
–Genevieve Colborn and Ann Brice