Friends of the River Banks
Contact FORB
  • Home
  • Calendar
  • Priorities
  • About Us
  • What's Out There?
  • Important Issues
  • FORB Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Resources
  • Wildlife Species at SLP
  • Insects at Sutter's Landing Park
  • Education Materials
  • iNaturalist Observations
  • Walk on the Wildside@

Species Quest--March 12, 2011

3/12/2011

1 Comment

 
The day started out quietly and overcast as we walked from home. The temperature was probably hovering around 50 with a light breeze. It was quiet enough to hear bird calls for some distance and I located a small flock of cedar waxwings and followed them when they flew up to join a larger group heading towards midtown. Lone species flying along the river included a cormorant, gull, and egret. As our group gathered and headed down to see the river up close, I lagged behind to walk a foot path through the tall grass and  trees beginning to leaf out and began locating more birds that were hanging out in the dense vegetation waiting for the sun. 

We got good looks at a perched red-shouldered hawk before it flew across the river. Turtles were already out where they could find perches above the high water flows. We got good looks at small flocks of geese, mergansers, goldeneyes, and wood ducks. We also saw quite a bit of courtship activities including meadowlarks, kestrels, wood ducks, kingfishers, and geese around the water. At one point, someone asked if I could tell the male from female of the two perched kingfishers across the river. Too rusty for that but when I pulled up my binoculars for another look, it was pretty obvious from the activity underway...

There was also lots of foraging activity going on as well as some mate searching and probably migration too. As the sun broke through we had a male northern harrier circling high over the water, turkey vultures doing the same over the grassy landfill mound, and a humming bird perched along the water. Closer to the ground, a white-tailed hawk and kestrel hovered in serious hunting mode over that same location. Down on the ground or around the shrubs there were other species searching for insects, seeds, and anything else that would make a good meal.

With very little effort and few trained eyes, we easily managed to find well over 30 species of birds and a number of other wildlife signs including beaver, otters, and ground squirrels in this area. No doubt we missed many others that were present or will be arriving as the area continues to leaf out. The trees are still bare enough to easily spot many nests left over from last year, including some that will be used again soon. 

This was another great outing on the river with families, younger and older neighbors, and strangers all out to appreciate this great river resource and the habitats around it. (As usual, there were also joggers, walkers, bike riders, and especially dog owners roaming the area and enjoying it too. There was also a young group using the area as a backdrop for romantic photos.) It was clearly a day to remind us that spring is arriving and holds promise of much more opportunity to enjoy the Sutter's Landing river area again and again. With very little effort, walkers, bikers, and families with small children spent a very pleasant morning together enjoying the nature around us. We had time for some great conversations about how this area could be restored to a more natural habitat with greater wildlife values and the benefits that the city would gain from such efforts for many generations to come. Stay tuned for more on that subject.

When you go out this year, be sure to spend a little time looking at the wildlife around you and take a few notes and photographs of what you see as well as where you see them and what they are doing, and share this with others as we build a species list and journal of wildlife observations which will help us appreciate this area even more in the future. 

Dale Steele
1 Comment
Dale T Steele link
3/12/2011 08:57:07 am

Rare "bird" footnote:
I headed out on the bike trail this afternoon after our great morning outing. As I crossed the river on the Northern Sacramento Bike Trail I was surprised to see a most rare old bird out on a jaunt. Brown by name, with a sparse gray top and dressed in black. This old bird trailed his mate as they made their way back towards downtown in the direction of the capital, trailed by a much younger juvenile bringing up the rear and hoping I would not spot them out in the open. I just smiled and coasted by.

The last few times I've seen a rare bird like this it had a much bigger head (and ego) and was surrounded by guard "birds" while he labored along like he wanted to be somewhere else.

Maybe we'll lure this "jerry brown" bird over to one of our FORB events someday and show him what a great area he has in his backyard too...

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    various contributors

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    October 2011
    September 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Education
    Mushrooms
    Nature
    River
    Swainson
    Wildlife

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.