April 25, 2005
Yolo Spring birding cleanup
While Empids provided the fun ID challenges of the weekend, migration season in Yolo County surged on (seems a much better year to me than last year). Following the morning's Gray Flycatcher sighting, we visited Bridgeway Island Pond. This site was many Long-billed Dowitchers and smaller numbers of peeps. A lonely-looking Mute Swan will sadly not be making it onto my county list! I realised just how dinky this Cinnamon Teal was when it was joined by this Canada gosling!
After a brief stop at the I St bridge in West Sacramento to tick off Purple Martin for the year, we birded the Yolo Wildlife Area. There were many shorebirds on show, of which Semipalmated Plover (6) and Marbled Godwit (3) were new for the year. This bird was still in winter plumage, but its bright bill indicates it is nearing breeding condition.
The Black-bellied Plovers were also in a variety of states of moult.
This Killdeer was pushing its luck by nesting in the middle of the road...
... but fortunately the eggs have survived so far.
The Western Sandpipers were looking dapper in pristine breeding plumage.
I got wonderful, close-up views of Least Sandpipers,...
Dunlins...
and an interesting size comparison between the two.
A 5 minute stop at Willowbank Ditch was most successful, with my first county Dusky Flycatcher, a Cassin's Vireo and this Black-chinned Hummingbird all on show.
Even a bathroom break at Joan's house yielded a Nashville Warbler bathing in her pond!
One of the day's big surprises was a large flock of over 100 Marbled Godwits flying overhead at Davis WWTP - I think this is the largest number ever recorded in Yolo County! Nearby at the Catfish Ponds, Great-tailed Grackles and Yellow-headed Blackbirds were making a racket while 4 Redheads swam serenely by.
On Sunday morning, Joan, Laura, Roger and I were unsuccessful in relocating the Plumbeous Vireo along Putah Creek, although plenty of other migrants were on show including a probable Gray Flycatcher and Chipping Sparrow. Surreal moment of the morning was hearing two Western Screech-Owls calling in broad daylight, apparently in response to gobbling Turkeys! Cliff Swallows were again making their homes in holes under the Pedrick Road Bridge.
A return visit to the Yolo Wildlife Area revealed a very different selection of birds from the day before, including 3 smart Blue-winged Teal, flyover Whimbrel and White-fronted Geese, 2 Long-billed Curlew and 60+ Semipalmated Plovers. With one or two exceptions I managed to clean up on spring migrants this weekend, which is just as well as I'm off to Australia on Thursday!
Yolo moonrise
