Tropical Kingbird ©Zane Pickus
The star of March was a glowing TROPICAL KINGBIRD at Bridgeway Lakes Community Park in West Sacramento, found on 3/2 for a fourth Yolo County record (AG). The kingbird put on a show for four days, and was enjoyed by dozens of birders. TROPICAL KINGBIRDS are typically found well south of us, in Central and South America, although they show up regularly on the California coast in fall and winter. For whatever reason, the species is far rarer inland and is an exceptional record for the county.
Much of the HORNED LARK and longspur chaos from the previous month had subsided by the beginning of March, but one LAPLAND LONGSPUR was reported on 3/1 along Highway 45 northwest of Knights Landing (BC). At the other tip of the county, a male ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRD returned to a private residence near Clarksburg for the fourth year in a row. It was seen for three consecutive evenings starting 3/8 (TU). Only time will tell if it or other ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRDS show up at the residence in the coming months, as they have done in years previous.
A couple of LAWRENCE’S GOLDFINCHES brightened up some otherwise dreary March days at the student garden and farm at UC Davis, a typical location for them in early spring (KS). At least two GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS returned to their historic location along County Road 105 south of Davis, singing away from the marshy grassland. They were first noted this spring on 3/27 (KD, LWD). A LEAST BITTERN continued at a pond in West Sacramento and was detected singing before the end of the month (FS).
The fourth-county-record VERMILION FLYCATCHER, found in December at Wild Wings Golf Course in Woodland, continued through 3/10. Before it left the bird had molted in quite a bit of brilliant red feathering. Perhaps it will return next winter as a fully adult male.
While some neotropical migrants appear to be a bit behind schedule this spring, there were a couple of typical early reports of RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, BULLOCK’S ORIOLE, and WESTERN KINGBIRD in March. A WESTERN FLYCATCHER at Grasslands Regional Park on 3/27 is a tad early (MP), as the typical arrival date usually falls sometime in the first week of April. With warm weather on the horizon, it is sure that warblers, tanagers, grosbeaks, orioles, and more will be arriving any day! Make sure to get outside and enjoy spring!
Thanks to the following for their reports:
Alexandria Ginez (AG), Bruce Christensen (BC), Frank Severson (FS), Kirk Swenson (KS), Konshau Duman (KD), Lynette Williams Duman (LWD), Michael Perrone (MP), Tom Uslan (TU)
Photos and Audio Recordings:
Tropical Kingbird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S216530698
Allen’s Hummingbird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S217907268
Lawrence’s Goldfinch: https://ebird.org/checklist/S218697271
Grasshopper Sparrow (audio): https://ebird.org/checklist/S221609001
–Zane Pickus