SAS Field Trip: Van Vleck Meadow/Tells Creek, 05/16/2026
Common Poorwills were flying around the pond. © Chris Conard
Leader Craig Swolgaard reported: Despite it being a tad early to bird the area, we were timely enough to see or hear a majority of the possibilities that the meadow holds. A total of 29 species in approximately 5 hours (including the stop at the pond) – pretty good, actually. I will try to get another trip going there this summer, probably in early August, after the young have fledged and birds are cueing up to migrate south. The meadow will be drier and more easily crossed by then. We’ll have a better chance to see the Williamson’s Sapsuckers when we can cross the meadow. Plus, we’ll be able to cross that creek to access the east side of the meadow. We’ll also have another chance to see the Common Poorwills flying around the pond off the main road. I am including the two links that include the stop at the pond on the way up there and the walk around Van Vleck Meadow. The stop at the pond on the way back didn’t add any new species, though we did see a lot more Ring-necked Ducks than before.
Tells Creek Pond stop - https://ebird.org/checklist/S340174026
Van Vleck meadow - https://ebird.org/checklist/S340939523
SAS Field Trip: Teal Bend, 05/17/2026
A highlight was watching an Ash-throated Flycatcher catching and eating a butterfly. © Mary Forrestal
Leader Richard Barbieri reported: I had four brave souls to join me on this terribly windy Sunday morning. Because of the conditions the birds were few and far between with the trip not lasting the typical length of time. Total species for the morning was 22 with one highlight of an Ash-throated Flycatcher which caught and ate a large butterfly.
SAS Field Trip: Beginning Birder Walk, William Pond Park, 05/17/2026
An Osprey flew directly over us with a fish in its talons! © Timothy Jackson
Leader Larry Hickey reported: 18 of us endured and ultimately enjoyed a very windy morning of birding at the William Pond part of the American River Parkway. European Starlings and Yellow-billed Magpies were feeding in the grass, not bothered by the wind. Many of the typical species were not easily seen but Turkey Vultures, Tree Swallows and a White-throated Swift did not seem to be fazed by the windy conditions. We had good looks at some of our returning nesters, including Western Kingbirds and beautiful Bullock’s Orioles. A Pied-billed Grebe with young was spotted on the pond. Highlights included an Osprey flying directly over us with a fish in its talons and a family of Wood Ducks with young along the shoreline at the river.
SAS Field Trip: Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park, 05/23/2026
We were impressed by Black-headed Grosbeak (female) catching insects around us. © Daniel Lee Brown
Leader Cliff Hawley reported: Only one birder met me at the College Greens Starbucks but there were nine more waiting at the park when we arrived. I expected the day to be full of breeding activity and I was right. It started with a nest of young Nuttall's Woodpeckers right in a parking lot post. We had 14 species confirmed breeding, mostly carrying food. Everyone was impressed with the beautiful Bullock's Orioles, Western Tanagers, and Black-headed Grosbeaks showing off as they sang and gathered insects. We ended with a picnic. 44 species were seen and heard on the day.
SAS Field Trip: Crystal Basin, Eldorado National Forest, 05/24/2026
A Calliope Hummingbird perched on a low twig nearby, giving us great looks. © Daniel Lee Brown
Leaders Maureen Geiger and Rich Howard reported: Great trip today to Crystal Springs area in Eldorado National Forest. We hit the usual hot spots from Hwy. 50 to the Ice House dam area. The target species, as always for this trip, were Lazuli Bunting, Cassin's Vireo, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Calliope Hummingbird, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Green-tailed Towhee, Hermit Warbler. We missed the Lazuli Bunting and heard but did not see the Hermit Warblers, but other than that all targets were found! A male Calliope Hummingbird gave us great looks perched on a low twig. In addition, the Cassin's Vireo was feeding recently fledged young and several Fox Sparrows were found at the Big Hill Lookout. All in all, thirteen happy birders had a great day! Tim Jackson’s trip report can be found here: https://ebird.org/tripreport/528598.
Young Birders Club Field Trip: Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, 05/30/2026
No report submitted.
SAS Field Trip: Bushy Lake, 05/30/2026
Field Trip Cancelled (Cliff Feldheim)
SAS Field Trip: William B. Pond Park, 05/31/2026
Leader Dan Williams reported: Eight of us had a nice late spring morning at this jewel on the Parkway. We started out along the river south from the bike bridge where we got nice scope views of a (actually) Spotted Sandpiper in fresh breeding plumage, fawned over a mother Common Merganser with her two adorable ducklings, and were serenaded by many Northern House Wrens. A nearly adult Bald Eagle flew over heading downstream; a sight that is getting more and more common in Sacramento but is always a thrill. We also heard a singing Western Warbling Vireo (one of the few remaining migrants on this day), had a family of Wild Turkeys with 9 poults cross our path, and watched an Ash-throated Flycatcher comically hawking insects over a dumpster.
Blazing Bullock’s Orioles stole the show! © Ed Harper
A little further down the path, we explored the woods between the river and Arden Bar Pond. As was the case on our walk here in early May, the blazing orange Bullock's Orioles stole the show at this location, and we also got to enjoy a Western Kingbird and several Acorn Woodpeckers. From this location we were able to spot a couple of the Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets on nests at the rookery, though most of the nests were hidden by the broad leaves of the trees.
We found a family of recently-fledged White-breasted Nuthatches. © Ray Rozema
Arden Bar Pond was productive with Canada Geese, Mallards, Wood Ducks, and Pied-billed Grebes all with new chicks in tow, a much more visible Great Blue Heron towering over a nearby red-eared slider, a fly-by Green Heron, a young Red-tailed Hawk wheeling overhead, some bright cheery Lesser Goldfinches feeding in the star thistle, and a tuckered migrant Northern Rough-winged Swallow that let us walk right under its perch in a live oak along the pond. We extended our walk west toward the Harrington Way access and were able to find a recently fledged family of White-breasted Nuthatches and watched a trio of Common Ravens soaring overhead in the growing heat. All told we had 55 species on a rather warm walk that definitely felt like the unofficial start of summer.
SAS Field Trip: Sugar Pine Reservoir, 06/07/2026
Leader Dana Miller-Blair reported: 10 of us met for birding at Sugar Pine Reservoir located at 3200 feet elevation outside of Foresthill in Placer County. The weather was pleasant and the trail was shaded. There was not much boating activity on the lake for our morning excursion, so there was very little human noise.
As we had hoped, we got great looks at Nashville Warbler. © Ray Rozema
We hoped for warblers and were not disappointed. We had excellent looks at Nashville Warblers, Black-throated Gray Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers (Myrtle), as well as Hermit Warblers, and one Yellow Warbler. Black-headed Grosbeak, American Robin and Western Tanagers were singing in several places, and we had some good looks at them. Some of us caught a glimpse of a Calliope Hummingbird. We saw several Turkey Vultures, at least one Osprey, 4 adult Canada Geese with 5 goslings, 1 Downy Woodpecker heard clearly, many Western Wood-Pewees heard but not seen, at least one Cassin's Vireo heard but not seen. We saw 2 Steller's Jays near the boat ramp and heard at least 2 Common Ravens calling. One highlight was a good look at a Wrentit; 2 were heard, 1 seen. We heard but did not see Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-breasted Nuthatches, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and several Chipping Sparrows. Two of our group saw a Purple Finch and the rest of us heard it. We had many Spotted Towhees, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Brown-headed Cowbirds. Brewer's Blackbirds were ubiquitous along the shore.