SAS Field Trip: Nimbus Fish Hatchery, 11/9/25

Trip was cancelled.

SAS Field Trip: American Canyon Wetlands, 11/11/25

Pied-billed Grebe enjoying a meal ©Wen Guan

Leaders Amy McDonald and Nancy Gronert reported: 14 enthusiastic birders joined Amy and Nancy for a low tide visit to the American Canyon Wetlands along the Napa River on Veterans’ Day. We were lucky enough to have Mary Forrestal, SAS website champion to join us for extra leader help. A number of photographers of birds joined the group to discover the ID of birds they’d photographed and to share photography tips. The group enjoyed a wide range of waterfowl including all three species of teal, Pied-billed Grebe, Northern Shovelers, Gadwalls, American Wigeon, Canvasbacks and Ruddy Ducks.

At the Glass Beach overlook we got good looks at a Red-breasted Merganser and distant looks at two Bald Eagles. Along the Bay Trail at low tide, birders got excellent looks at various egrets, Black-necked Stilts, American Avocets, Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Long-billed Dowitcher, Dunlin, Black-bellied Plovers, hundreds of Western Sandpipers, and Bonaparte’s Gulls diving for food along with Forster’s Terns. Along the Wetlands Edge trail, we glimpsed 20 Black-crowned Night Herons in a tree, a Merlin, Red-tailed and Cooper’s hawks, American Kestrels, several woodpecker species including Northern Flickers, and Black and Say’s phoebes along with wintering White, Golden-crowned, and Song sparrows. American Canyon Wetlands, especially at low tide, provides an incredible habitat variety and bird life.

SAS Field Trip: Lincoln Wastewater Treatment Plant, 11/13/25

Trip was cancelled.

SAS Field Trip: Bodega Bay, 11/15/25

Leader John York reported: A beautiful day at Bodega Bay produced some great looks and great photo opportunities, including several lifers for some of the younger birders in the group. Starting with all three cormorant species in the same scope shot at the marina, we were quickly treated to an Osprey flyover about 100 feet directly overhead. Highlight species were the three Red-necked Grebes bobbing for fish off the jetty. We had large gull numbers for Short-billed and Heermann's Gulls, plus the usual suspects. The shorebird enthusiasts got their fill of far scope looks at large flocks of Marbled Godwits hiding many other species, and a bunch of Brant floating next to an island of seals. For many of us, this was our first sighting of the Hudsonian Whimbrel, since it has had that name according to e-bird for about three weeks.

SAS Field Trip: Staten Island, 11/16/25

Leader Betty Cooper reported: We decided to brave the weather since the radar showed a break at the time we would be at Staten Island. Five folks cancelled but we had a group of 14 intrepid participants. There was a strong chilly wind, but we counted 33 species, including a phalarope sp. and Canvasback ducks. Seeing birds in such huge concentrations is always exhilarating and the Sandhill cranes put on a magical show, floating gracefully onto the chosen roosting pond on the wind at the end of the day. Many thanks to Rich Howard and Bob Jensen for their help in scouting before the trip and providing additional scopes!

SAS Field Trip: East Yolo County, 11/19/25

Leader Bill Bianco reported: Seven of us visited 5 sites and had a total of 30 species. Weather was overcast but temperatures were good. Our highlights were Green Heron, Marsh Wren, and Spotted Towhee at the ponds by Nugget Market. At Stonegate holding pond, Say’s Phoebe, Ring-necked Duck, and Red-shouldered Hawk were observed. Bridgeway Pond provided views of Blue-winged and Cinnamon teal, American White Pelican, and Black-crowned Night Heron to name a few. Looked at Bee’s Pond for Wood Ducks but none observed. Everyone enjoyed the day birding and good conversation.

SAS Field Trip: William Pond Park, 11/23/25

Leader Mark Martucci reported: A small group of four detected 66 species of birds on an early morning walk along the American River Parkway. We started out with fog and ended up with bright sunshine. Highlights included Wood Duck, American Wigeon, Green Heron, Osprey, Cooper's Hawk, Red-breasted Sapsucker, American Kestrel, Merlin, Phainopepla, Fox Sparrow, American Pipit, and Purple Finch.

SAS Field Trip: Nimbus Fish Hatchery/Upper Sunrise, 11/29/25

Leader Kevin Thomas reported: Our group of ten got off to a foggy cool start to this post-Thanksgiving bird walk. The temperature may have been cold, but the birding was hot, starting with great looks at our first stop along the river of a male Barrow's Goldeneye. We followed that with great looks at Glaucous-winged, American Herring, California, and Ring-billed gulls; the higher-than-average salmon run has made for great gulling along the river this fall. We made several stops along the river picking up Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, and Common Merganser. While stopped at the picnic benches along the bike trail, the gulls all flushed up and we knew something was coming through: a Bald Eagle circled and landed in the river just in front of us and began feasting on a rotting salmon. We watched for a long while as it grabbed chunks of salmon and gulped them down with ease. We continued on and ran into a large mixed flock of Dark-eyed Junco, Golden and White-crowned sparrows, Bushtits, Oak Titmouse, and White-breasted Nuthatch. The flock was very active foraging in the gravel along the road and in the nearby oak trees. It was a great morning spending time with a group of people who appreciate birds and getting outdoors.

SAS Field Trip: Wintering Raptors of the Valley (Meiss Road/Michigan Bar), 11/30/25

Several Burrowing Owls were seen ©Craig Swolgaard

Leader Craig Swolgaard reported: The hawk watch went well last Sunday, despite overcast skies and cold temperatures. A total of ten raptor species were counted, including Ferruginous Hawk, Merlin, several Prairie Falcons and Bald Eagles, and Burrowing Owls as well. The route was about 30 miles long and was done with two cars, ending at 3PM. The high number of Prairie Falcons (5) was unusual, but the individuals were found mostly with enough distance between them (along Meiss Road), along with distinctive features for us to keep the number. The four eagles were all observed at the same time from the bridge crossing Consumes River at Michigan Bar Road. The Merlin was a fortunate observation, perched on a fence post along the eastern portion of Meiss Road. Other birds, such as Canvasback, Snow Goose, Lewis’s Woodpecker, and five Mountain Bluebirds were observed along Meiss Road as well. Link to eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S287107394

Young Birders Club Field Trip: Sankey Road, 11/30/25

Leader Mackenzie Hollender reported: Six young birders and four parents met my father and me on this cold, overcast November evening in the middle of a pocket of grassy marsh among miles of agricultural fields. A Red-tailed Hawk sat perched on a post, and an American Kestrel perched on a wire. A female Belted Kingfisher flew in vocalizing to a telephone wire that hung above a watery ditch. Flocks of Tundra Swan and Snow Geese constantly flew over our heads throughout the whole trip, and even after nightfall, we could hear them passing in the sky. As we drove down Sankey Road, we paused to admire a Loggerhead Shrike as it alternated perches on farming equipment in between disappearing on the grassy ground while hunting. We continued to the east end of the road and parked along a ditch filled with tall reeds, and upon getting out of our vehicles, a Virginia Rail grunted in the nearby ditch. We were all very surprised at this Virginia Rail using what seemed to be only a sliver of suitable habitat! We crept up to where we heard the bird, and, while we never got to see it among the thick reed cover, we got to hear it call again, right in front of us, clearer than we had ever heard one! We walked along some flooded farm fields, picking up Long-billed Curlew and Long-billed Dowitcher as flocks flew to roost sites, as well as Savannah Sparrow, Killdeer, Snow Geese, and American Wigeon using the flooded fields.

Walking back along the road as dusk fell, around 4:37, we picked up our first Short-eared Owl, hunting with buoyant bouncy flight, on the edge of the opposite end of the road, and saw the bird most clearly when it crossed the road between grassland parcels. We were all overjoyed to see the owl! We walked quickly close to the owls and steadily got better looks of the hunting birds until they flew behind a hill and did not reappear. We kept watching the area when the Short-eared Owl reappeared behind the hill, and flew over the farming equipment, followed by a second Short-eared Owl, that we all got to see briefly at close range! We admired its huge broad head, deep yellow-orange eyes, and large size for the few moments both owls were in view at close range. Then they both traveled behind the hill again and did not reappear. We kept watching until nightfall, when we were distracted by another owl hunting over the opposite side of the field. But this time, this owl was smaller, “rounder” and against the darkness we could just make out milky coloration—an American Barn Owl! We watched the bird hunt over the field for a few minutes before it disappeared into the night. Throughout the rest of the trip, we caught sporadic views of American Barn Owl silhouettes hunting over the field, and heard many, many more of their eerie shrieks. Overall, it was a very successful birding adventure, with the Short-eared Owl being a lifer for all attendees!

SAS Field Trip: Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, 12/6/25

Over the course of several minutes, we estimated that 15,000 geese were in the ponds and flying around the area.

On December 6, 7 of us enjoyed a cool foggy morning at Sacramento and Colusa National Wildlife Refuges. Dabbling ducks were abundant including good looks at Cinnamon and Blue-winged Teal, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, and Gadwall. At one point, at Colusa NWR, we were treated to wave after wave of Snow and Ross’s Geese filling the horizon and landing in the two ponds next to us. Over the course of several minutes, we estimated that 15,000 geese were in the ponds and flying around the area.

At Sacramento NWR, we enjoyed good looks at two adult Bald Eagles perched close near the tour route. In total we saw 48 species of birds including quick looks at a Loggerhead Shrike, Belted Kingfisher, and Nuttall’s Woodpecker. We had a great discussion about waterfowl habitat work and conservation in the Central Valley and with a drive through the rice country between Sacramento and Colusa NWRs, got a feeling for just how many Snow and Ross’s Geese were in the area, as seemingly every third rice field had hundreds to thousands of geese in it.

SAS Field Trip: Folsom Historic Canal Trail, 12/6/25

Substitute Field Trip Leaders Mary Forrestal and Jane Van Kessel reported: What a pleasure to bird with so many wonderfully enthusiastic people and discover this lovely trail in Folsom. In spite of the gray and chilly morning, 19 mostly newer birders joined the walk. Before we even reached the trail, a flock of Bushtits introduced themselves. White-crowned Sparrows, California Scrub-Jays, Dark-eyed Juncos, American Robin, and Lesser Goldfinch were seen and greeted with excitement throughout the morning. The sky above was constantly filled with gulls, numbering in the 1000’s. An Osprey and Red-shoulder Hawk were possible highlights for many, while the beauty of 14 female Common Mergansers floating in a long chain was a wonderful reward for walking to the end of the trail. The complete eBird list is here https://ebird.org/checklist/S287542226

SAS Field Trip: Lincoln Grasslands, 12/7/25

Ferruginous Hawk was a highlight ©Ray Rozema

Leader Richard Barbieri reported: I started off with three others on a cold miserable morning and was joined by five others at our first stop at Jessup University. There we saw a Ringed-necked Duck, Green-winged Teal, and others on the pond. As the day wore on, it actually became even colder and challenged our success. All and all, the outcome was average with some highlights like 2 Ferruginous Hawks, 3 Bald Eagles, 2 Prairie Falcons, and Hooded Merganser. Total for the day was 66 species.

SAS Field Trip: Lake Solano County Park, 12/9/25

Swamp Sparrow was a lifer for many ©Ed Harper

Leaders Nancy Gronert and Amy McDonald reported: Three well-layered birders showed up to a gray winter day at Lake Solano with a low of 42 and high of 45 degrees: perfect duck weather. Lake Solano County Park had hundreds of Bufflehead, 17 Greater Yellowlegs on the exposed mud flats, some Common Goldeneyes, more Wood Ducks, rattling Belted Kingfishers, squawking Sora and Virginia Rails along with a good number of egrets, herons, Pied-billed Grebes, and Hooded Mergansers. Raptors included a flyover Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered, Cooper’s, and Red-tailed hawks. Birders saw the expected Phainopepla and variety of woodpeckers (although no Lewis’s), many Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a variety of towhees and sparrows. The far end of the Day Use area at Pad E had the most goodies with a lifer Swamp Sparrow found Dec 1 by Chris Dunford still lurking around the mudflats, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Townsend’s Warbler, and Brown Creepers jumping from a nearby tree onto the high windows at the bathroom to glean insects off the metal grates.

Birders headed over to the dam area of Lake Solano to see American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, some Canvasbacks and Ring-necked Ducks along with the Bufflehead and Common Goldeneye. Along the far shore reeds were numerous Common Gallinules, Common Yellowthroat, egrets, herons, American Coots, and a glimpse at an American Bittern who popped out for a couple seconds then lurked one foot behind the reeds - a glimpse of moving horizontal stripes had by all. Such an enjoyable winter birding day.

Lake Solano Park checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S287979619

Lake Solano dam area checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S287979778

Field Trip Findings for November 9 - December 9, 2025