Sanderling, © Bart Wickel

September saved its biggest treasures for last, with a Buff-breasted Sandpiper found Sept 28 at the Woodland/Davis Clean Water Facility (SHo). Only the third county record, it didn’t stay more than a few hours before it was flushed by a Peregrine Falcon and never returned. The previous day, a Tennessee Warbler was discovered at Grasslands Park (SH, MP). On Sept 22, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak was photographed along Putah Creek near Stevenson Bridge Rd (MK). On Sept 1, a Plumbeous Vireo was found along Babel Slough (AE).

The only Franklin’s Gull of the fall put in a brief appearance at the Woodland Wastewater Treatment Plant on Sept 20 (KS). Six Black Terns found dancing over the Davis Wastewater Treatment Plant on Sept 6 (BW) is a fairly late record. A Ruff was photographed at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area on Sept 21 (KD). Two Sanderlings were enjoyed by many at the Winters Wastewater Treatment Plant on Sept 9 (EI). A Solitary Sandpiper put on a show in north Davis on Sept 7 (CD, KE, EW). A Snowy Plover at the Yolo County Landfill disappeared right after it was found on Sept 3 (SH).

Three Green-tailed Towhees turned up early in the month. A nighthawk at the Yolo Bypass bat emergence on Sept 2 (AP) may have been either species. The large irruption of Red-breasted Nuthatches has been accompanied by a scattering of Pine Siskins and four reports of flyover Evening Grosbeaks (IE, RF, MP).

Finally, a new open space acquisition of the City of Davis, along Putah Creek upstream of Mace Blvd in Solano County, was put on the radar of local birders when a Wood Thrush was found. Only the second record for the Central Valley, it was discovered Sept 15 (RM). Its discovery quickly led to a Northern Waterthrush (EI) and Green-tailed Towhee (JH) within twenty yards of it.

Thanks to the following for their reports: Konshau Doman (KD), Chris Dunford (CD), Ken Ealy (KE), Andy Engilis (AE), Irene Engilis (AE), Rob Furrow (RF), Steve Hampton (SH), Jim Holmes (JH), Scott Hoppe (SHo), Emmett Iverson (EI), Manfred Kusch (MK), Roger Muscat (RM), Asher Perla (AP), Michael Perrone (MP), Kirk Swenson (KS), Ed Whisler (EW), Bart Wickel (BW).

Checklists with Photos:
Buff-breasted Sandpiper: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S60195826
Ruff: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59983207
Sanderlings: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59645069
Northern Waterthrush: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59834989

Checklist with Audio:
Wood Thrush: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59866197

Compiled by Steve Hampton, Davis, CA