Rufous Hummingbird; © Ann Brice
In this epoch of COVID-19, we’ve all spent more time at home than we’re used to. My friends and I have been sharing photos from our yards. This has been a great spring for Rufous Hummingbirds. Too bad they don’t stay for long, although the Anna’s Hummingbirds aren’t sad to see them move on north! Be […]
Yellow-headed Blackbirds at YBWA; © Ann Brice
A cool March was typically slow for rare birds. Top of the list, however, was a Dusky Flycatcher found Mar 5 in north Davis (SH). Only the second winter record for the county, the bird remained through the month, often vocalizing. A Costa’s Hummingbird display was heard several times at the same time and place […]
Lark Bunting; © Steve Hampton
A warm and completely dry February allowed birders plenty of time in the field. The biggest surprise came on the first morning of the month with the discovery of a Lark Bunting in a large sparrow flock north of Capay along Rd 86 (SH, MP). The bird has delighted birders through the month. With no […]
YAS Board Members Michael Perrone, Sonjia Shelly, and John Hansen installing bluebird boxes at Capay Open Space
In November 2018 this column discussed ongoing and planned habitat improvements at the Open Space Park on Cache Creek, along County Road 85 just north of the town of Capay. Now I am happy to report on the success of the project, which has had help from YAS. The forty-acre park was recently part of […]
Slaty-backed Gull; © Bart Wickel
The new year featured several returning birds. On Jan 3, last winter’s Garganey was re-found at Bridgeway Island Pond in West Sacramento (LS, MS). The male is currently in eclipse plumage, but should molt as the winter progresses. On Jan 9, December’s Barred Owl made another appearance on Instagram, photographed in a backyard along Willowbank […]
Northern Pintail; © Deb Ford
Just a reminder that California Duck Days is coming up on February 22nd at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Headquarters in Davis. The event includes workshops, field trips, many on-site kids’ activities, and an exhibition hall. Go to the Yolo Basin Foundation website to learn more. Duck Days is a great community event, and Yolo Audubon members […]
Indoor Cat Birdwatching
A recent study by the Smithsonian Institution and the US Fish and Wildlife Service estimated that domestic cats kill about 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion small mammals each year in the lower forty-eight states. This is far higher—and probably more accurate–than previous figures, and likely exceeds all other sources of human-related losses of these […]
Bridgeway Island Pond; © Ann Brice
Bridgeway Island Pond is a birding hotspot in the Southport area of West Sacramento, famous for its excellent close-up views of an assortment of waterfowl, waterbirds and shorebirds. The pond and adjacent marsh often attract more Blue-winged Teal than any other place in northern California, and last spring it hosted a Garganey, the second one […]
Barred Owl; © Bart Wickel
It all started on Dec 11 with an Instagram post among non-birders, clearly showing a Barred Owl perched on a rafter in a barn in south Davis. The post made its way to Emmett Iverson, who immediately recognized the significance of the photo. That evening, he and several others were able to confirm the bird […]
White-breasted Nuthatch; © Erna Tarara
The Putah Creek Riparian Reserve, owned and managed by UC Davis, is a well-known birding spot. The publicly accessible Yolo portion is on the north bank of the creek, mainly between County Road 98 (called Pedrick Road in Solano County) and Brooks Road. The Reserve was established in 1983. We have a good picture of […]
Swamp Sparrow; © Kirk Swenson
Perhaps overdue, a first county record Brant was found among a thousand Greater White-fronted Geese at the Woodland/Davis Clean Water Facility on Nov 7 (TE). Enjoyed by many birders for several days, it’s not the only inland Brant this fall; they have also been reported in northern Idaho, southern Idaho, and eastern Arizona. The other […]
Wintering waterfowl are arriving, which is a great excuse to talk about our annual drawing at the meeting on December 4th. Our grand prize this year features a lovely winter wetlands scene donated by Lorna Belen. The framed and signed Robert Bateman print is entitled “Across the Sky—Snow Geese” and is valued at $1,000. We […]