June 8-9 2019 The Prelude to this trip was two one-day scouting trips. On Memorial Day all the roads were passable and temperatures mild, but the diversity of birds was really low. Six days later the birds had arrived and birdsong was everywhere. Our trip was six days after that. We had an odd start…at […]
Male Summer Tanager, © Gene Trapp
Yolo Notable Sightings: May 2019
With the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area closed due to flooding and water levels high everywhere, spring shorebird migration appeared to be a bust. That changed dramatically when the Davis Wastewater Treatment Plant (DWTP) decided to pump out one pond. Acres of mudflats appeared at the height of shorebird migration and the result was remarkable. Twenty-three […]
Field Trip Report: Putah Creek Nestbox Highway
Tour of Putah Creek Nestboxes. Photos Hanika Cook We looked inside 22 of the nestboxes to see nests, eggs, and chicks of several cavity-nesting species, including Western Buebirds, Tree Swallows, House Wrens and White-Breasted Nuthatches. Guests were able to look inside, take pictures, and ask questions about the birds and the Putah Creek Nestbox Project. […]
Ruff, © Bart Wickel
Yolo Notable Sightings: April 2019
The flooded Yolo Bypass prevented access thru the month, but one enterprising birder still picked out a Ruff from the levee on Apr 21 (AH). It or another one was found eight days later at North Regional Pond in Woodland (KB). The latter bird, seen at closer range, was identified as a non-breeding plumage male. […]
Swainson's Hawk, © Deb Ford
Conservation in the Yolo Habitat Conservancy
The Yolo Habitat Conservancy is the County agency charged specifically with protection of native species and their habitats, as well as management of environmental permits for development in the County and its cities. Toward that end, the Conservancy spent several years developing a combined federal Habitat Conservation Plan and state-level Natural Community Conservation Plan (Yolo […]
Burrowing Owls & Mace Ranch Innovation Center
In the April issue of The Burrowing Owl, Conservation Chair, Michael Perrone wrote about the plight of burrowing owls on the urban fringe of Davis, specifically the occupied habitat in the footprint of the proposed Mace Ranch Innovation Center. This is a parcel owned by the City of Davis.
The Yolo Audubon Board is sending the following letter to the Davis City Council. We encourage retention of this property as an undeveloped easement for burrowing owl habitat.
YAS-Mace-25-letter-to-Davis-City-CouncilField Trip Report: Kusch Gardens at Putah Creek 4/28
Trip Summary, Manfred Kusch A group of Yolo Audubon members showed up today for their annual tour of my garden and a walk along my trail on the south bank of Putah Creek. It was nice that by now the typical birds for this time of year in my garden were in attendance: Hooded and […]
Field Trip Report: Mitchell Canyon
Fifteen participants showed up for the Mitchell Canyon trip at Mt. Diablo on April 20. The weather started out cool, overcast, and windy. Many species were heard as we began walking along Mitchell Creek, but it was challenging to get good looks. Acorn Woodpecker, Cooper’s Hawk, and Bushtit nests were a nice treat and easy […]
Field Trip Report: Bodega Bay
On Saturday, April 6, Chris Dunford (with the assistance of Steve Hampton) led a Yolo Audubon field trip designed to introduce birders new to coastal birds to the best spots and tide levels to see the ducks, sandpipers, gulls, loons, grebes, and cormorants at Bodega Bay. The ideal for the purpose is a small group […]
Garganey, Bridgeway Island Pond, © Ken Ealy
Yolo Notable Sightings: March 2019
It was March Madness from day one in Yolo County when a young male Garganey was discovered at Bridgeway Island Pond in West Sacramento on Mar 1 (GE). The finder, Gil Ewing, also discovered the only other Garganey record in the county approved by the California Bird Records Committee, back in 1988. Probably over a […]
Burrowing Owl, Yolo County (Deb Ford)
Burrowing Owls at Risk on the Urban Fringe
The Burrowing Owl is the only bird of prey in the Sacramento Valley that nests underground, usually in abandoned ground squirrel burrows and most often on the edges of farm fields. Farmland on the border of cities is where most development occurs; Burrowing Owl nest sites are lost as building proceeds. It is lawful to […]
Woodland Regional Park
Over the past few years, the City of Woodland and a partnership of local nonprofit organizations, including Yolo Audubon, have been working to design a park and nature center along Road 102, just south of Woodland. Owned by the City, Woodland Regional Park occupies 160 acres at the site of a former model airplane park […]
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