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Folsom and more - Posted at 9:38 PM on Monday, January 21, 2008 by Chris Conard
It was a good year for the local Christmas Bird Counts.  With good weather and few misses of expected species, Sacramento, Lincoln, and Folsom had new high counts.  Area 1 (the Bufferlands) on the 1/3/08 Rio Cosumnes CBC had 120 species.  That beat our previous high by 10!  Best were Redhead, Short-eared Owl, Brown Creeper, Rock Wren, and White-throated Sparrow.  Nothing too unusual, just few misses.

For Folsom, on 12/30, we had a new record of 144 species.  We had some good finds, but mostly there were just very few misses.  We rarely get all of the geese, plus Tundra Swan, like we did this year.

On 1/1, Kimya and I headed out to try to find a reported Red-naped Sapsucker, and were drawn to my old stomping grounds at Beek's Bight along Folsom Lake where we might turn up a Canyon Wren for count week.
On the hike out to Beek's Bight, Purple Finches were everywhere.
As were "Myrtle" Yellow-rumped Warblers
Along the rocky shore of Folsom Lake, there were many Rufous-crowned Sparrows.
After posing for a while, the itch was too much to resist.
There were many Rock Wrens too.  Kimya got the best shot of one for the day (below).  No luck with Canyon Wren, however.
This dark Merlin was a nice find.
Folsom Lake as low as I've ever seen it.


"Nose Rock"
This American Painted Lady was a nice find for the first day of the year.  Nice to see a butterfly in mid-winter. 

We failed to find the Red-naped Sapsucker, but this adult Sharp-shinned Hawk flew in.

On 1/6/08, we tried again for the Red-naped Sapsucker reported near Orangevale.  This Western Bluebird allowed close approach and caught a worm.

Turkey Vulture
Contemplating flight.
Female Brewer's Blackbird drinking at Nimbus Hatchery.
Mallard drinking.
A lucky shot of a White-throated Swift.  Most were out of focus.

On 1/13/08, this Brown Creeper, eating an insect, was at Larchmont Park.
Nuttall's Woodpecker at Larchmont.

Heavy winds broke out a big limb on this huge valley oak at the Bufferlands.
While doing some replants in a restoration planting, I found this very cold Pacific tree frog.  It allowed me to pose it for a photo.  After being in my hand for a minute it was much warmer and more lively, so I put it back in some matching green vegetation.
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