Natural History Wanderings

A Windy Day at one of  California’s Best Birding Sites

Sacramento National Wildlife Complex consists of six refuges.  The two most accessible are the Sacramento and Colusa units, which both have drives and walks around and through marshes and ponds.  The drives are the highlights but a number of species will only be seen on the walks, which include woodland areas.  Today was quite windy and was limited to the two drives.  Many of the birds were hunkered down due to the winds, but there was still plenty to see.  Before I give you the bird lists I should qualify that I am not a very skilled birder or bird photographer and mistakes are likely.

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Sacramento  list of species seen on 11/13/10: American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, American Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Turkey Vulture, Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Ross’s Goose, Canada Goose, Gadwall, American Widgeon, Mallard, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Ring-necked Pheasant, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Gulls (not identified), American Crow, Savannah Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Brewer’s Blackbird.

Colusa  list of species seen on 11/13/10: Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret Black-crowned Night-Heron, White-faced Ibis, Turkey Vulture, Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Ross’s Goose, Mallard, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Red-tailed Hawk, American Coot, Red-winged Blackbird,  Brewer’s Blackbird.

The highlight of the day, when heading out on Highway 20, was a Sandhill Crane flying in one direction and a Great Blue Heron flying off in the opposite direction.