SAS Field Trip: Robinson Road, Solano County, 12/13/2025
We ran across half a dozen Loggerhead Shrike. ©John York.
Leader Maureen Geiger reported: Seven intrepid birders enjoyed the wide-open ranch/grasslands of Solano County birding the Robinson Road/Flannery Loop. While we were mainly searching for the Mountain Plovers, we failed to find them but did have other great species, such as half a dozen Loggerhead Shrikes, one Ferruginous Hawk, a male Harrier, close to 50 Horned Larks and many very wet, bedraggled Red-tailed Hawks fluffed up on poles. Wonderful to know that this land is still there for all these birds, at least for now.
Young Birders Club Field Trip: Winter Hawkwatching, 12/13/2025
A total of FIVE Bald Eagles were observed. ©Jeff RIch
Leader Mackenzie Hollender reported: Three young birders and two parents met my father and me on this fog-filled morning at the beginning of Michigan Bar Road. Our first birds we picked up were Western Meadowlark, American Kestrel, and Savannah Sparrow. We traveled down the road toward the bridge, scoping out Red-tailed Hawks on the telephone poles and getting extraordinary looks at a huge subadult Bald Eagle perched on a snag very close to the road. At the bridge, we watched four more adult eagles fly down the river and scoped two individuals that landed in the bare cottonwoods, adding to an incredible total of five Bald Eagles. Also at the bridge, we picked up many passerines, including Spotted Towhee, Acorn Woodpecker, Golden- and White-crowned Sparrows, and Oak Titmouse. A Pied-billed Grebe dove in the river. Tens of Turkey Vultures roosted in the oaks just past the bridge. Just after the bridge, a round-tailed Cooper’s Hawk perched at the top of a gray pine. As we drove up from the bridge and through the blue oak woods, we saw California Scrub-Jay, California Quail, Western Bluebird, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
Though it was foggy, we could see enough field marks to ID a Prairie Falcon. ©Daniel Lee Brown
We emerged out of the woods and into the broad open grasslands. The pressing tule fog did affect our ability to scope birds out at the grasslands, nevertheless, we found more Red-tailed Hawks, two Northern Harriers, a couple Say’s Phoebes, and some flyover Horned Larks. At the very top of the open grasslands, where the road intersects Latrobe, we were a bit surprised to find a Dark-eyed Junco. On our way back down, we paused to scope out what ended up being a Common Raven on a fencepost and were about to get back in our cars when a Prairie Falcon flew across the road and zipped down the grasslands. We noted the dark axillaries and solid clay-colored back. Through the fog, we could just make out the outline of a mid-sized raptor sitting on a distant rock and waited for ten minutes for the fog to blow away just enough to reveal that the raptor on the rock was the Prairie Falcon, and we all enjoyed nice looks at its white and brown face. At the grasslands right up from the oak forest, we spotted a brilliant Ferruginous Hawk perched on a nearby fence. We admired its bright white underside, yellow feet and base of bill, and handsome rusty shoulders—even more so when it lifted off and majestically flew across the road. We later spotted a second one at the top of an oak. Despite the fog, it proved to be a successful raptor-watching day, with Prairie Falcon and Ferruginous Hawk as a lifer for all attendees.
SAS Field Trip: Sacramento Bar, 12/14/2025
Two White-throated Sparrows were found. ©Daniel Lee Brown
Leader Paul Cordero reported: Ten birders enjoyed a cold, foggy morning at Sac Bar. Highlights included two White-throated Sparrows, Red-breasted Sapsucker, plentiful Bufflehead and goldeneye, and the expected hawks.
SAS Field Trip: Beginning Birder Walk, William Pond Park, 12/14/2025
Common Goldeneye were seen well. ©Daniel Lee Brown
Leader Larry Hickey reported: On a cold and very foggy December morning, 13 beginning birders joined us for a field trip at the William Pond section of the American River Parkway. At first, we could only hear and see silhouettes of Yellow-billed Magpies in the fog, and glimpses of Dark-eyed Juncos and Bushtits in the trees. However, it was not long before a cooperative White-crowned Sparrow and Ruby-crowned Kinglet provided the group with good views followed by an excellent eye-level view of a Red-shouldered Hawk perched close to the trail. Wood Ducks, Bufflehead, and Common Goldeneye were seen well, and we observed many Great Blue Herons already perching above nests at the rookery.
SAS Field Trip: Bridgeway Island Pond, 12/21/2025
Trip Cancelled
SAS Field Trip: Garcia Bend, 12/28/2025
A Chipping Sparrow, uncommon in the valley, was spotted. ©Ray Rozema
Leader Ben Graber reported: 10 intrepid birders, including my 9-year-old daughter, Amy Graber, braved a cold and foggy day and made the full walk from the park to the water tower. Overall numbers of birds were somewhat low due to the weather, but we did have some notable sightings. We saw a Chipping Sparrow, which is somewhat uncommon in the valley. We heard Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and got some good looks at an Orange-crowned Warbler. We also had White-crowned, Golden-crowned, and Lincoln's sparrows, Great and Snowy egrets, a Common Goldeneye, and a flock of Snow Geese.
Young Birders Club Field Trip: Effie Yeaw Nature Center, 12/28/2025
As always, Wild Turkey were abundant, some even roosting up in the oaks. ©Larry Hickey
Leader Mackenzie Hollender reported: We had to reschedule this trip to the 28th of December due to unfavorable weather on the original date, December 20th. Four young birders and two parents joined my father and me on this overcast morning. Immediately from the parking lot, there was a lot of bird activity. A Bewick’s Wren called from a bush, Oak Titmouse and White-breasted Nuthatches foraged in the mid-levels of oaks. A Red-breasted Sapsucker landed briefly on the trunk of a gray pine. Ruby-crowned Kinglets and California Scrub-Jays met our eyes as we traveled to the start of the main trail. The entrance to the main trail ushered in a new mix of birds—a brilliant orange Red-shouldered Hawk, and a group of Wild Turkeys walking in the open grass areas, and some perched at the very tops of the oaks, which was very interesting to see! Acorn Woodpeckers were very abundant, visiting acorn caches in the thick branches of oak snags. We started on the main trail and then veered off on a smaller trail toward the small pond. We re-met the flock of Wild Turkeys, which followed us down the entire pond trail. We noticed one individual with a lot of white pigment in the wings. On the way to the pond, we paused to admire a flock of Lesser Goldfinches foraging in a live oak.
A Hutton’s vireo! ©Mary Forrestal
At the pond, we were greeted with multiple California and Spotted Towhees foraging feet from us, as well as White- and Golden-crowned Sparrows, and Northern Flicker. Suddenly, we heard a repeated, cheery one-note call coming from the live oak canopy just behind the pond. A Hutton’s Vireo!! We got quick glimpses of the small bird at the top of a live oak and noted the white spot behind the eye, giving the bird a gentle, “cute” look. We remarked at the unexpectedness of this find. We emerged out of the woods and onto the rocky riverbed, where we saw a male Belted Kingfisher, Common Merganser, Mallard, Common Goldeneye, Killdeer, and American Herring Gull. We got incredible looks at Spotted Sandpipers in winter plumage that bobbed their tails as they foraged along the river shore, sometimes coming up into the inland grass. A coyote with a gorgeous orange and silver pelt trotted yards from us, very relaxed despite our presence. Two Osprey circled and chirped above our heads, and Bufflehead dove farther down the stream. We headed back up from the river, and to a very birdy spot in the woods where we found Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Downy Woodpecker (one of which almost hit me in the head as it dashed up from some low plants), Northern House Wren, and more Northern Flicker. We ended the trip with some Yellow-billed Magpie foraging in the lawn grass across from the parking lot. It was a very productive morning with a well-rounded host of open oak riverside valley birds!
SAS Field Trip: Cosumnes River Preserve, 01/03/2026
Green-winged Teal were abundant. ©Mary Forrestal
Leader Drake Stallworth reported: The weather left much to be desired this morning, as we experienced occasional showers and strong gusts spread out across the 4 hours. With only 3 people attending the event including myself, we remained positive and resilient, a sentiment shared by the birds themselves. Despite the rain, we saw a whopping 68 species while walking Wetlands and River Walk Trails. In the parking lot, Western Bluebirds, Golden-crowned Sparrows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and several other small songbirds were fluttering about not seeming to care about the sporadic rainfall. Tree Swallows and Turkey Vultures were circling above combatting the wind, and even a Sharp-shinned Hawk darted past us quickly seeking refuge back in the trees. Wetlands Trail gifted us with lots of waterfowl and our familiar wintering shorebirds. Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, and Green-winged Teals dominated the relatively small flock, but a surprising number of Cinnamon Teals were present. We even had some Blue-winged Teals in the mix. Greater Yellowlegs, Black-necked Stilts, and Long-billed Dowitchers took advantage of the variable depths of the wetland to forage in the shallower parts. The rest of the boardwalk provided us with some marsh-favoring birds like skulky Marsh Wrens and Red-winged Blackbirds. We even saw a Northern Flicker dip into the water from a nearby tree as if to cosplay the surrounding Brewer’s Blackbirds.
American Bittern was caught not buried in reeds. ©Daniel Lee Brown
Crossing Franklin Blvd, we continued to behind the Visitor Center where a lone Hermit Thrush characteristically snuck through the low thickets only to disappear into the vegetation. We carried on to River Walk Trail which provided us with the typical wintering sparrows like White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, and Spotted Towhees, but the marsh area proved to be interesting, as a Virginia Rail was making its not-well-known grunt calls, evocative of some sort of pig. However, the highlight bird was an American Bittern that was caught absentmindedly sitting outside of the reeds only to be flushed back into them as soon as we laid our eyes on it, displaying the diagnostic black flight feathers. Although the wind limited our raptor activity, a pair of White-tailed Kites was perched on the wire above the meadow, understandably reluctant to do much flying. As we approached the end of our walk, we decided to use our extra time to take a diverging path away from the parking lot to see what birds were east of the main trail. A Green Heron immediately greeted us as it stood still in the shallowly flooded forest. American Pipits were seldom seen but did make themselves known with their nominate flight calls, and a female Belted Kingfisher sat across the slough, making up some of the last birds we saw. Although there were some birds that we missed, getting just shy of 70 species on a terrible weather day is always a treat, and it continues to remind me just how special of a place is the Cosumnes River Preserve. The eBird checklist is listed here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S292192099
SAS Field Trip: Winter Raptors in Eastern Sacramento County, 01/04/2026
A Ferruginous Hawk, hovering for a few minutes, gave us great looks. ©Craig Swolgaard
Leader Kevin Thomas reported: The forecast for this Sacramento Audubon field trip left little doubt that the day would be wet and windy. Despite the conditions, four participants joined me for this outing, which coincided with the Folsom Christmas Bird Count. Undeterred by the rain, we made several stops along White Rock Road to scan for raptors. Our first stop did not disappoint, yielding several Red-tailed Hawks and an American Kestrel. At the bridge over Coyote Creek, we were rewarded with excellent views of a Lewis’s Woodpecker, an adult Bald Eagle, and a Northern Harrier hovering against the wind. We also watched a perched Peregrine Falcon take flight, streaking across the creek and adjacent grasslands. At our next stop, the entire group enjoyed outstanding looks at a Ferruginous Hawk perched beside the road before it lifted off and hovered nearby for several minutes. Our final stop found us standing once more in driving wind and rain, patiently waiting for a Rock Wren to emerge from the rock piles at a new housing construction site. After a few minutes, the bird obliged, perching in the open and offering clear views. While the weather was far from ideal, the birds never disappoint, and the day proved rewarding despite the elements.
SAS Field Trip: Bridgeway Island Pond, West Sacramento, Yolo County, 01/10/2026
No report submitted.
Young Birders Club Field Trip: Nimbus Fish Hatchery, 01/10/2026
A Spotted Sandpiper wobbled about the water’s edge. ©Dana J Miller-Blair
Leader Mackenzie Hollender reported: Three young birders and three parents met my father and me at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery on this sunny morning. We quickly noticed White-throated Swifts trilling as they flocked high in the sky. Two Glaucous-winged Gulls perched at the top of wooden poles—we got to notice their dark eyes, pink feet, and uniformly soft gray wings. As we made our way down to the river, we noticed many ducks flying above the water—including Mallard, Hooded Merganser, and a Northern Pintail. At the river, Common Goldeneye dove just off the shore. Great Egret and Great Blue Heron hunted on the far grassy shore. A young Red-tailed Hawk sat perched in an oak while a male American Kestrel mobbed it. A male Belted Kingfisher perched on a concrete slab in the water, and a Spotted Sandpiper wobbled on shoreline rocks. We noticed a California Sea Lion that seemed to be “playing” with a group of California and Ring-billed Gulls. It would repeatedly surface from the water, teasing a piece of fish, and as a group of spectating gulls would swoop down towards it, the Sea Lion would disappear back under the water.
Spotted Towhee was foraging in the brambles. ©Chris Conard
We paused at the fish ladders and watched an Osprey circling above make multiple dives down toward the fish ladder. We later saw an individual flying out with a caught fish. We traveled down the river, noting Double-crested Cormorants on a wire, Bufflehead in the water, a Black-crowned Night Heron. A White-tailed Kite traveled over the river, and a Pied-billed Grebe hunted in a large pond. In the bramble and cottonwood/oak woods up the river bluff, we saw Spotted Towhee, and beautiful male Anna’s Hummingbird, White-breasted Nuthatch, and briefly, a Red-breasted Sapsucker. As we headed further into the woods, flocks of Dark-eyed Junco, Acorn and Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Western Bluebird, Bewick’s Wren, and California Towhee were some birds we enjoyed.
SAS Field Trip: Lynch Canyon Open Space, Solano County, 01/11/2026
We tallied one or two Golden Eagles as well as quite a few other raptors. ©Mary Forrestal
Leader Maureen Geiger reported: Very successful hike at Lynch Canyon on a beautiful sunny day. Eight of us walked up to the Reservoir and saw 43 species. It was a great raptor day with American Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawk, White-tailed Kite, Northern Harrier, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, a Rough-legged Hawk, and one possibly two Golden Eagles, all well seen. This Canyon is always a good place to look for birds.