Magnolia Warbler ©Josh Greenfield
Spring and summer 2024 was a birdy period in Yolo County, filled with a wide diversity of rare birds from every corner of the county. This report documents some of the most exceptional reports from the summer of 2024, spanning May through August. While mostly chronological, it begins with two undoubtable highlights.
On 6/19, Tom Uslan’s yard in rural Clarksburg, now dubbed “Uslan Farms,” struck again with a stunning male MAGNOLIA WARBLER. Uslan, who has found plenty of crazy yard birds (recall the first Central Valley record of RUDDY GROUND-DOVE in 2023), was once again generous enough to allow birders onto his property and the beautiful warbler was seen by dozens of birders throughout the one day it was present. It put on a show singing at eye level from the willows, valley oaks, and oleanders. This was a fourth Yolo County record, and the first widely chasable individual. Birders pursuing the “Maggie” were also able to see one of the ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRDS summering there for the fourth year in a row (TU).
Another shocking find was a LITTLE BLUE HERON at the City of Davis Wetlands on 7/9 (JG). While it only stuck around for a matter of minutes, the unmistakable heron was very well-photographed. A massive search ensued, but it was never refound. This is a fourth Yolo County record and may be the same individual seen briefly at a heron rookery earlier this spring. Nobody knows where or if it may show up again.
May is an exciting time of year for birders, as spring migrant songbirds return in their fancy plumages and it is a race against time to enjoy them in all their spring splendor before they pass through. In this period, looking for unusual migrant songbirds and shorebirds is the name of the game. As is usually the case, this May experienced a flurry of DUSKY FLYCATCHERS, with a whopping four individuals all reported on 5/9. These came from Putah Creek Riparian Reserve (MH), two individuals at Grasslands Regional Park (JG), and another on the UC Davis campus (EMo). On that same day, a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK was observed at Grasslands Regional Park, a stunning male seen briefly amongst the many birds present and unfortunately never seen again (JG). With just a small handful of records for the county (some from decades ago), this was a shocking find. Keeping with songbirds, a heard-only NORTHERN PARULA on 5/15 at Willowbank Ditch in south Davis was unexpected (MP), as was a PLUMBEOUS VIREO reported from South Fork Putah Creek Preserve on 5/18 (MP). Unfortunately both birds involved brief encounters and were not chasable.
Rayhouse Road is a favorite of many Yolo County birders because of its varied habitat and elevational gradient. This spring, one birder made it his mission to scour Rayhouse Road via e-scooter, giving him access to endless oak woodland and chaparral habitat not easily coverable in a day’s journey on foot. Josh Greenfield had absolutely fantastic results, the flashiest of which were up to four BLACK-CHINNED SPARROWS, all singing males seemingly on territory, about 6 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing from the nearest hiking access point. The different individuals were discovered on different dates, some of which are outlined in the previous edition of this column. A few brave county listers made the trek on foot to see two of these individuals. At least one BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW continued through the end of May. On another crazy scooter ride, Josh found a migrant BREWER’S SPARROW in the chaparral, an unprecedented find at this location and 5/10 date (JG). On an adjacent section of Blue Ridge, an EVENING GROSBEAK was seen flying past on 5/12 (KS). More expected up Blue Ridge was a migrating male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD on 5/13 (JG). Speaking of Calliopes, a female was seen at Uslan Farms on 5/2 (TU).
This summer two SUMMER TANAGERS were documented in Yolo County. The first was a late spring bird, an immature male, at the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve on 6/11 (ZP). This bird continued for almost a week and even sang infrequently from high in the tree canopy. It was enjoyed by many. On 7/28, another splotchy immature SUMMER TANAGER was photographed at Cache Creek Wild Wings Park (BC). It is unclear whether this represented an early fall migrant or a bird that summered in the area.
Spring waterbirds were highlighted by an adult BROWN PELICAN at the Sacramento River Deepwater Channel on 5/20 (BW). This rarity came on the heels of a strange inland incursion of pelicans throughout the spring in adjacent counties, with records from inland Napa, Sacramento, Contra Costa, and Solano, plus additional birds further afield. The pelican at the Deepwater Channel was the first to reach Yolo since 2015. Many birders were able to see and photograph the pelican over the course of its two-day stay.
Rather exciting was a flock of 29 WILLET at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area (YBWA) on 5/8, an impressive tally for such a flock (EMa). While unfortunately not chasable, a FRANKlN’S GULL was photographed on private property near Knights Landing on 5/10 (JS). A RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, always exciting, was particularly out-of-season when it showed up at the Woodland Wastewater Treatment Plant (Woodland WTP), on 6/8 (MM, LC). On 6/17, birders discovered a highly-coveted LEAST TERN there (MM, LC). Initially only seen briefly, it was thought that this sixth county record was gone for good. Rather amazingly, two were discovered a week later on 6/25 (JG). LEAST TERNS continued to be seen off-and-on until 7/15, with as many as four individuals being reported simultaneously. While the pairs were observed engaging in courtship-related fish-passing, no nest-building was documented.
Fall shorebird migration is in full swing by mid-July, and depending on water levels at hotspots such as Woodland WTP or the YBWA, the number of birds passing through can be quite impressive. Habitat quality varied week-to-week this summer but relentless checks of the better habitat produced a handful of rarities. The number of SNOWY PLOVERS this year has been staggering, with three reports from Woodland WTP between 7/14 and 8/1 (MM, LC, EMa), and additional birds at the YBWA on 8/2 and 8/5 (JG, DS). Quite surprising were three reports of SANDERLING in the county this year, all of them adults. One was at Woodland WTP on 7/26 (MM, LC), another at the YBWA on 7/28 (ZP, JJ, JG), and a third at the YBWA on 8/9 (DS, CT). Of lesser rarity but equally exciting, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS have had a smattering of reports, including an adult at Davis Wetlands on 7/9 (JG), and a handful of juveniles in August (ZP, EMo, DS, EMa).
Finally, a few unusual records of expected species. WESTERN GREBES successfully nested at Woodland WTP this year for the first time ever in the county. At least one pair fledged two young that continue to follow a parent around the pond. HOODED MERGANSERS, until recently unconfirmed as breeders in the county, were documented nesting in a box intended for Wood Ducks on private property (JS). Extremely out-of-season was a MERLIN at Fremont Weir Wildlife Area on 7/19, one of very few northern California records for July (JG). A GREATER ROADRUNNER photographed at Davis Wetlands on 8/29 is exceptional on the valley floor (JE), but may be the same bird reported earlier this year from the Yolo County Central Landfill. Finally, early reports of RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, one on 8/8 (MP), and another on 8/25 (MM), become two of very few August records for this winter species.
Thanks to the following for their reports:
Bobby Walsh (BW), Brent Campos (BC), Cameron Tescher (CT), Dessi Sieburth (DS), Ethan Matsuyama (EMa), Ethan Monk (EMo), Joe Sweeney (JS), Jonathan Eisen (JE), Josh Greenfield (JG), Julian Johnson (JJ), Kirk Swenson (KS), Lyann Comrack (LC), Marcel Holyoak (MH), Mark Martucci (MM), Michael Perrone (MP), Tom Uslan (TU), Zane Pickus (ZP)
Photos and Audio Recordings:
Magnolia Warbler: https://ebird.org/checklist/S182673628
Allen’s Hummingbird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S171783974
Little Blue Heron: https://ebird.org/checklist/S186266336
Dusky Flycatcher (Grasslands Regional Park): https://ebird.org/checklist/S173124178
Dusky Flycatcher (UC Davis): https://ebird.org/checklist/S173111471
3 Black-chinned Sparrows: https://ebird.org/checklist/S174383014
Brewer’s Sparrow: https://ebird.org/checklist/S173341488
Calliope Hummingbird (Clarksburg): https://ebird.org/checklist/S171523373
Summer Tanager (Putah Creek): https://ebird.org/checklist/S181098483
Brown Pelican: https://ebird.org/checklist/S176196949
29 Willet: https://ebird.org/checklist/S172894222
Franklin’s Gull: https://ebird.org/checklist/S175816576
Red-breasted Merganser: https://ebird.org/checklist/S180229158
Least Terns: https://ebird.org/checklist/S183761896
Snowy Plovers (YBWA): https://ebird.org/checklist/S190484040
Sanderling (7/28 YBWA): https://ebird.org/checklist/S189340534
Sanderling (8/9 YBWA): https://ebird.org/checklist/S190832488
Semipalmated Sandpiper: https://ebird.org/checklist/S190719949
Greater Roadrunner: https://ebird.org/checklist/S193177378
–Zane Pickus