Summer 2023 was a season for the Yolo birding record books, with an impressive tally of rarities discovered at a variety of locations. As is often the case, the summer was defined by shorebirding and sprinkled with a scattering of rare songbirds.
The County Road 104 Ponds had begun evaporating by August, creating excellent shorebird habitat that hosted hundreds of birds each day. On 8/19, a gorgeous juvenile HUDSONIAN GODWIT was found (ZP, JG). This is a howling rarity and represents the first confirmed Yolo County record. It was enjoyed by many that evening, and briefly seen again early the next morning before disappearing just an hour after sunrise. HUDSONIAN GODWIT is a very rare visitor to California, with just a small number of records for the Central Valley. During the time of the Hudsonian, a SOLITARY SANDPIPER was also present in the same location (JG, ZP). The County Road 104 Ponds also produced an early adult PECTORAL SANDPIPER on 7/31 (KD), as well as many SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS, and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS.
Along with the Hudsonian, the other star of the summer was a fading adult RED-NECKED STINT at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area on 8/29 (ZP). This Siberian peep is a mega-rarity in California and is just the second record for Yolo County and the entire Central Valley. It proved difficult to pick out of the many shorebirds present its first night, but luckily returned the following evening and provided even better views. Somewhat incredibly, the only prior record of RED-NECKED STINT was from the exact same area of the Yolo Bypass fourteen years earlier, in August 2009.
Water levels at Woodland WTP remained high throughout the summer, but patches of good habitat still had plenty of waterbirds. On 8/3, a beautiful adult RED KNOT was found (MM, LC). The bird proved difficult to chase, disappearing for long periods between a few short visits to the shore of North Regional Pond. This is the first Knot in Yolo County in two years. A rare fall storm system passed through Yolo County on 8/21, dropping many birds into the ponds including an immature COMMON TERN (ZP, FF). This was the first chaseable individual in over a decade, though it disappeared before the end of the day.
Other exciting records for the summer included a breeding-plumaged adult GLOSSY IBIS at Davis Wetlands, first discovered on 7/4 (SH). It played hard-to-get with Yolo County birders but was well-photographed by a lucky few. WILLETS made an impressive showing throughout the summer, with dozens being reported at different locations. An AUDUBON’S YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, abundant in the county in winter, was a surprise when it was found in north Davis on 7/4 (ZP, SoS, JH, NG). This is just the second summer record for the county.
In terms of songbirds, fall migration got off to a great start with a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH at Putah Creek Fishing Access #1 on 8/15 (KD, JL). It was well seen and audio recorded but never detected again following the initial encounter. More chaseable was an adult female NORTHERN PARULA at the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve on 8/26 (KiS).
Backing up to late spring, a PALM WARBLER was found migrating along a ridge with a flock of warblers near the peak of Rayhouse Road in the northwest tip of the county on 5/7 (KS, SeS). This is Yolo’s seventh county record, and certainly the most unprecedented. Another eastern warbler, a singing AMERICAN REDSTART, was found at Putah Creek Fishing Access #4 on 6/14 (FF). This is only Yolo’s second spring record, and the first in the month of June.
As is often the case, many unusual migrants were reported throughout the month of May. Multiple CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRDS were found early in the month. One was at the Elkhorn Slough Boat Ramp along the Sacramento River on 5/6 (KiS). Two were reported on 5/11, one visiting a feeder in Woodland (BC, KrS), and another at Grasslands Regional Park (BW). On 5/13, one was photographed at the top of Rayhouse Road (JG). Two GRAY FLYCATCHERS were observed together at a private yard near Clarksburg on 5/12 (TU). Additionally, two DUSKY FLYCATCHERS were found at Grasslands Regional Park that same morning (MP). An unexpected record was a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL photographed in south Davis on 5/22 (MB).
Finally, a few comments on some continuing occurrences. The ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRDS at a private residence near Clarksburg continued for the third summer (TU). As many as three males were seen and additional female Selasphorus hummingbirds seen throughout the summer can likely be attributed to Allen’s as well. The CACKLING GOOSE at Woodland WTP has spent the summer and does not appear able to fly. Finally, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES have been reported with increasing regularity throughout the month of August, following a couple of reports in July. It seems that this species is already beginning a major irruption into the Central Valley, and it is likely that RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES will be present throughout the upcoming winter.
Thanks to the following for their reports:
Bart Wickel (BW), Brent Campos (BC), Frank Fabbro (FF), Jasen Liu (JL), John Hansen (JH), Josh Greenfield (JG), Kirk Swenson (KiS), Konshau Duman (KD), Kristen Sesser (KrS), Lyann Comrack (LC), Mark Martucci (MM), Michael Barnett (MB), Michael Perrone (MP), Nancy Gronert (NG), Scott Hoppe (SH), Sean Smith (SeS), Sonjia Shelly (SoS), Tom Uslan (TU), Zane Pickus (ZP)
Photos and Audio Recordings:
Hudsonian Godwit: https://ebird.org/checklist/S147581855
Pectoral Sandpiper: https://ebird.org/checklist/S146131183
Red-necked Stint: https://ebird.org/checklist/S148580342
Red Knot: https://ebird.org/checklist/S146351662
Common Tern: https://ebird.org/checklist/S147809349
Glossy Ibis: https://ebird.org/checklist/S143598558
“Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped Warbler: https://ebird.org/checklist/S143560866
Northern Waterthrush: https://ebird.org/checklist/S147349257
Northern Parula: https://ebird.org/checklist/S148176318
American Redstart: https://ebird.org/checklist/S141456989
Gray Flycatchers: https://ebird.org/checklist/S137274394
Northern Saw-whet Owl: https://ebird.org/checklist/S138928769
–Zane Pickus