May is an exciting time to be out birding in Yolo County. Migrating songbirds working their way north from the tropics stop over in riparian areas throughout the area. Any morning birders can turn up dozens of “neotropical migrants,” and the keen observer will occasionally pick out unusual species amongst these flocks. This spring was a fantastic year for both GRAY FLYCATCHERSand DUSKY FLYCATCHERS. These small flycatchers are common breeders in the mountains to the north and east of us but only pass through Yolo County on rare occasions. Three DUSKY FLYCATCHERS were found throughout the month of May: one at Willowbank Ditch on May 7th (RF), one at West Pond on May 15th (KD, LW), and another at Fishing Access 1 in Putah Creek Canyon on May 19th (AE). GRAY FLYCATCHERS were discovered near UC Davis on May 4th (KD, LW), at Woodland Regional Park Preserve on May 6th (ZP, JH), and on May 15th at Grasslands Regional Park (EM) and Putah Creek Sinks (CT).
The indisputable star of May was a singing adult male CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER at Putah Creek South Fork Preserve on May 25th (MP). Unfortunately, this bird disappeared shortly after its discovery and was only seen by the original observer. Still, this rarity represents just the second spring record of this species, with the first over fifteen years ago.
June is often thought of as a slow month in Yolo County, when all that is here are the few breeding birds that we have. But for the second year in a row, an adult male ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRDwas photographed in a yard in Clarksburg (TU). This yard had also had a few female selasphorus hummingbirds, and given the date, it is likely these were Allen’s as well. The adult male was seen through June 6th.
Fall shorebird migration starts early, with the peak usually around late July. Things got started early this year with the discovery of a SNOWY PLOVER at Woodland Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) on June 25th (CT). It turned out to be quite the fall for SNOWY PLOVERS, with three more individuals being discovered at WWTP (EI, ZP, SH) in July and August. Yet another was at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area on July 22nd (CD, JC). While expected in small numbers, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS made an impressive showing this year. As many as ten different individuals were found throughout the month of July. An adult FRANKLIN’S GULL roosting with a gull flock at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area on July 19th and 20th was a wonderful find (WY, VW, MZ, LL).
Fantastic water levels at WWTP continued throughout the month of July and into August, producing a wide variety of shorebirds. Two out-of-range shorebirds highlighted this period. A molting adult STILT SANDPIPER spent two days at WWTP beginning July 13th and was seen by many (ZP). It represents one of just a few July records for the county. Fast-forward to August, and an adult RUDDY TURNSTONE captured the attention of many for four days following its discovery on August 4th (MP). This beautiful shorebird of the rocky coasts put on a show for the many birders who went to see it.
By August, fall songbird migration has begun. It starts as just a trickle – a few migrants here and there building in numbers with each passing day. By the end of August, fall songbird migration is in full swing and birds are everywhere. Local birders are kept busy scouring Putah Creek, Babel Slough, and other spots for rare songbirds. This fall is off to a truly impressive start, with three “vagrant” (lost), eastern warblers already discovered. A NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH was found on August 27th at Babel Slough, and gave incredible views through August 29th (MaM, LC). This represents the earliest fall record of this species, and the first for August. On August 30th, a TENNESSEE WARBLER was found at Putah Creek near Levee Road (MP). Seen briefly, this warbler was never seen again. Perhaps most shocking was a BLACKPOLL WARBLER in West Sacramento near Bridgeway Island Pond on August 30th (MiM). Amazingly, this bird was found in a lone cottonwood on the edge of the Deep Water Channel. A very pretty bird, it was enjoyed by a lucky few later that afternoon before it disappeared. This Blackpoll also represents an early fall record of the species, and is the first August record of this species in Yolo County.
Thanks to the following for their reports:
Andy Engilis (AE), Cameron Tescher (CT), Chris Dunford (CD), Emmett Iverson (EI), Ethan Monk (EM), Joe Clemens (JC), John Hansen (JH), Konshau Duman (KD), Louis Lo (LL), Lyann Comrack (LC), Lynette Williams (LW), Mark Martucci (MaM), Michelle McCormick (MiM), Meirun Zhang (MZ), Michael Perrone (MP), Rob Furrow (RF), Scott Hoppe (SH), Tom Uslan (TU), Violet Wu (VW), Wentao Yang (WY), Zane Pickus (ZP)
eBird Checklists with photos:
Gray Flycatcher: https://ebird.org/checklist/S109206890
Allen’s Hummingbird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S109413002
Snowy Plover: https://ebird.org/checklist/S113789671 and https://ebird.org/checklist/S115690333
Franklin’s Gull: https://ebird.org/checklist/S115410598
Stilt Sandpiper: https://ebird.org/checklist/S115871729
Ruddy Turnstone: https://ebird.org/checklist/S116404937
Northern Waterthrush: https://ebird.org/checklist/S117673054
Blackpoll Warbler: https://ebird.org/checklist/S117831838
Compiled by Zane Pickus, Davis, CA