Cassin's Finch; © Sean Smith
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 remains. A Sage Thrasher discovered […]
Colusa NWR; © Ann Brice
As you look for ways to stay sane in the next few months, don’t forget to go birding! We are so lucky to have so many great spots for winter birds in the area, like Colusa National Wildlife Refuge pictured above. You can go on your own or with your family. I have been birding […]
Josh Greenfield on first YAS Phenology Survey after LNU Complex fire
Text by Joe Zinkl, Phenology Survey Coordinator Yolo Audubon members have been conducting a phenology survey at Audubon California’s Bobcat Ranch for over four years. The study is conducted in cooperation with the National Phenology Network. All data collected by our surveyors is sent to NPN. What is phenology exactly? It is the study of […]
Long-eared Owl; © Steve Hampton
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 at the Woodland/Davis Clean Water […]
The Sacramento Bypass Wildlife Area (along County Road 126, off River Road just north of the city of West Sacramento) is an excellent birding spot, with 197 species reported on eBird. This large bird list reflects the presence a strip of forest at the foot of the north levee of the bypass, plus wetlands that […]
Yolo Reflections; Painting by John Nichols
I want to invite everyone to Yolo Basin Foundation’s first virtual Bucks for Ducks. As most of you know, Yolo Basin Foundation is the non-profit associated with the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, and Bucks for Ducks is the largest source of income for their wetlands education and conservation programs. They need our support now more than ever, so […]
Greater Roadrunner; © Sami LaRocca
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, quickly disappearing before other birders […]
Bewick's Wren; © Deb Ford
In most Yolo County landscapes, birds are usually hidden from view, while fly-overs are often too distant to be identified by eye. And some birds fly by night. In all those instances, birding by ear is essential for knowing who they are, and thus essential for better understanding of the bird life of our county. […]
Gray Catbird; © Bart Wickel
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) and seen by dozens for […]
August 2020 Bobcat Fire; © Dash Weidhofer
The migrating warblers have decreased significantly in my yard and are being replaced primarily by yellow-rumps. Other old friends are showing up: White-crowned Sparrows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Spotted Towhees, Hermit Thrushes, Fox Sparrows, etc. Their presence is soothing and provides a sense of normalcy after all the recent terrible wildfires, especially at our own Bobcat Ranch. […]
Giant Garter Snake; © Dave Feliz
In the field of endangered species management, the term Safe Harbor refers to agreements with the US Fish and Wildlife Service by which a landowner voluntarily improves or expands habitat for a species and, sometime later, can decide to return the property to its original condition without penalty. The aim is to encourage otherwise hesitant […]
Townsend's Warbler; © Ann Brice
It’s been a challenging summer for all of us with Covid and the fires, but I hope you’ve managed to do some birding close to home. I’ve had fun photographing warblers in my yard. So much has happened since our last newsletter in early May. Good news on the national front was the passage of […]