American Dipper ©Josh Greenfield
A rather warm October was highlighted by a handful of county-level rarities and a few migratory species passing through at later-than-typical dates. Many of these birds were only seen briefly, but a few stuck around long enough to be enjoyed by many local birders. In addition to the rarities, birds continue to settle in for the winter. Waterfowl numbers have skyrocketed, with thousands of geese and ducks already at the Yolo Bypass and flooded rice fields throughout the county. It is proving to be an impressive year for kinglets, and the number of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS has been particularly staggering. It seems as though almost every conifer in the county has at least one of these birds flitting about, giving their high-pitched calls. Interestingly, it does not seem to be a great year for some of our other irruptive species. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES and PINE SISKINS, for example, have been quite scarce. It will be interesting to see how or if these winter birds increase as it gets further into winter.
October birding in Yolo County started off quickly. Two SABINE’S GULLS, continuing from September at Woodland Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP), were last reported on 10/1 (EMo). What is especially interesting is these two juveniles were heard calling back and forth on their last evening present! This is very unusual behavior for a species that is usually silent, and the audio recordings obtained of these birds are the first-ever recordings of SABINE’S GULL in California. Woodland WTP stayed hot with a BREWER’S SPARROW on 10/6, a species normally found in the Great Basin and only reported from Yolo County around once a year (ZP, EMa, JJ). It was seen and photographed briefly before flying off into the distance and was never refound.
A CASSIN’S FINCH was recorded calling amongst a flock of PURPLE FINCHES near the summit of Rayhouse Road on 10/14 (JG). This species, normally found at higher elevations in the coast range and Sierra Nevada mountains, is known to migrate locally along ridges in the latter half of October. However, there are considerably fewer records from ridges in Yolo County than in other counties nearby. This has proven to be a good year for CASSIN’S FINCHES regionally, with records from Solano and Contra Costa counties as well. Perhaps it is unsurprising that one turned up in Yolo. A few days later on 10/16, a SAGE THRASHER was found along County Road 104 south of Davis, a first record for the species in the county this year (JG). It was seen briefly and photographed but an ensuing search could not turn up the bird. The October date is consistent with many prior migrant SAGE THRASHERS in the county.
Last winter’s brilliant COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRD has returned to the same street in the Wildhorse area of Davis. It is an adult male, first reported this year on 10/18 (JR). The hummingbird has been singing, feeding, and putting on a show for many birders who have gone to see it. It continued to be reported daily through the end of the month.
Any kingbird reported in October can raise excitement about the potential for out-of-range species, but two birds reported this month were both clearly WESTERN KINGBIRDS. Still, these are notable late records for a species that is usually gone by mid-September. One was photographed on a wire above County Road 104 south of Davis on both 10/20 and 10/22 (CD), and another was seen and voice recorded in residential Davis on 10/27 (KD, LW). Another late record was a NASHVILLE WARBLER at the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve on 10/17 (FC), quite rare in the county after September but perhaps overlooked as a late migrant.
VESPER SPARROWS, which used to winter annually at select spots in the western foothills, have become increasingly rare in recent years. Long-time Yolo County birders may recall “Vesper Sparrow Corner,” a locally famous spot known to host this species in winter, off Highway 128 west of Winters. Unfortunately, that location has not produced a VESPER SPARROW since 2019. More recently, County Road 41 in the Capay Valley has been the place to find this highly local species, but even still, they have proven difficult to locate and secretive at times. All of this is to say that an individual found and photographed at Capay Open Space Park on 10/26 was an exciting report, and is the first individual of this species seen in the county since March of 2023 (JG)
Another species that is difficult to find in the county is the AMERICAN DIPPER. This highly charismatic songbird is famous for bobbing along rocks and swimming amongst rapids. Most of Yolo County’s records come from the same stretch of upper Putah Creek just below Monticello Dam. This year, a very confiding bird appeared there for the first time on 10/31, and may well spend the winter (JG). Excellent photos have already been taken and the bird was also heard singing, an unusual behavior for a bird quite far removed from any breeding habitat. This cold-loving bird is sure to warm the hearts of anyone who ventures to see it.
Thanks to the following for their reports:
Chris Dong (CD), Ethan Matsuyama (EMa), Ethan Monk (EMo), Forest Chapman (FC), Jennifer Raven (JR), Josh Greenfield (JG), Julian Johnson (JJ), Konshau Duman (KD), Lynette Williams Duman (LW), Zane Pickus (ZP)
Photos and Audio Recordings:
Sabine’s Gulls (recording): https://ebird.org/checklist/S198870061
Brewer’s Sparrow: https://ebird.org/checklist/S197850919
Cassin’s Finch (recording): https://ebird.org/checklist/S198945316
Sage Thrasher: https://ebird.org/checklist/S199174689
Costa’s Hummingbird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S199542604
Western Kingbird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S199702509
Western Kingbird (recording): https://ebird.org/checklist/S200493671
Nashville Warbler: https://ebird.org/checklist/S199246232
Vesper Sparrow: https://ebird.org/checklist/S200398505
American Dipper: https://ebird.org/checklist/S200945287
–Zane Pickus