Birding in Chico

A list of birds sighted at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, Willows on 12/14/06

Pied-billed Grebe
American White Pelican
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
White-faced Ibis
Turkey Vulture
Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Ross’s Goose
Canada Goose
Tundra Swan
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Bald Eagle
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Ring-necked Pheasant
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Black-necked Stilt
Western Gull
Mourning Dove
European Starling
Black Phoebe
Western Scrub Jay
Yellow-rumped Warbler
American Crow
Savannah Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden Crowned Sparrow
Belted Kingfisher
Long-billed Curlew
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer’s Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Common Merganser

Below, some photos by Scott Perry:

Our outing tomorrow, 12/14/06, will be on rain or shine. Be sure to come for soup after the tour.

The following is a list of birds we sighted at 7 Mile lane.

The weather was clear and cold, about 55˚, but very little wind.

7 Mile Lane 12/7/06

Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Gadwall
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Ring Necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
immature Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Long-billed Curlew
Long-billed Dowitcher
Western Gull
Loggerhead Shrike
Western Scrub Jay
Yellow-billed Magpie
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Pipit
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Savannah Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brewer’s Blackbird

It looks like the weather will be good for tomorrows outing to Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Llano Seco, 7 Mile Lane. It could be cold earlier in the morning, so be sure to dress in layers. We will be meeting at the viewing stand at 9:00 o’clock. Figure about 20 minutes from downtown Chico. This is a good place to use your spotting scope so be sure to bring it with you.

To get there from downtown Chico, take 8th St. West until you come to the stop sign at Walnut St. (Highway 32). Turn left and continue on Walnut, which turns into Dayton Rd. within three blocks. Follow Dayton Rd. South about 5 miles from 8th. St. to the stop sign, which is known as Dayton Four Corners. Turn right on Ord Ferry Rd. and continue West through the little town of Dayton to Seven Mile Lane. This is about three miles from Dayton Four Corners. Turn left on Seven Mile Lane, and in about 2 miles you will see the viewing platform on your right at the Sacramento Wildlife Refuge.   We will meet there at 9 a.m.

Sandhill Cranes have been sighted along Esquon Road South East of Durham.