Date: 8/28/26 8:40 pm From: Glennah Trochet via groups.io <trochetj...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] more or less recent shorebirds at the Cosumnes River Preserve
Dear Birders,
Owing to the poor economics of growing organic rice this year, very little rice cultivation was done behind the Farm Center gate at the preserve. Consequently, both farmers prepped and flooded fields for birds this season. There has been lots of shorebird habitat behind the gate. Unfortunately, none of this was done on fields viewable by the general public. That is changing just now. Also unfortunately, some medical issues have kept me from checking these areas as often as desirable.
But a week ago I visited and before I got to the Tall Forest, it was apparent that shorebirds were present in good numbers, so I gave a miss to the woodlands. It took nearly four and a half hours to check all the flooded fields. The highlights on the 22nd of August were two semipalmated sandpipers west of the shack and a willet north of Oak Island. Somewhat lesser lights were a semipalmated plover, three short-billed dowitchers and two solitary sandpipers. Here's the list: white-faced ibis- 1850 (almost all gone by sunrise) black-necked stilt- 130 semipalmated plover- 1 killdeer- 25 least sandpiper- 290 semipalmated sandpiper- 2 western sandpiper- 170 peep sp.- 200 Wilson's snipe- 1 short-billed dowitcher- 3 long-billed dowitcher- 2050 solitary sandpiper- 2 lesser yellowlegs- 5 willet- 1 greater yellowlegs- 250 red-necked phalarope- 7 Wilson's phalarope- 1
Incidental passerines detected included a willow flycatcher, several lark sparrows, a yellow warbler and a lazuli bunting, all near the shack. Four river otters were at Garcia's swamp, which looks like it ought to have some Southeastern swamp warbler.
Today I did the same coverage, which took 45 minutes less time because several of the fields dried during the intervening week. Stilts, long-billed dowitchers and greater yellowlegs were present in much higher numbers than a week ago, and there were a few nice things among the common stuff. Here's what I turned up today: white-faced ibis- 1200 (again, gone by sunrise) black-necked stilt- 320 killdeer- 45 marbled godwit- 1 Baird's sandpiper- 2 least sandpiper- 180 western sandpiper- 55 short-billed dowitcher- 3 long-billed dowitcher- 4150 solitary sandpiper- 2 lesser yellowlegs- 6 greater yellowlegs- 450 red-necked phalarope- 14
The godwit conformed to my expectations for that species. It was gone when I drove back by five minutes later. They seldom stick around for long. That, the Baird's sandpipers and the solitary sandpipers were all in the area north of Oak Island.
Incidentals were fewer this morning, just a yellow warbler and three lark sparrows at the shack and a wrentit surprisingly singing from flooded willows at Garcia's swamp. The Savannah sparrows have yet to return to Johnson's pastures, but a loggerhead shrike there was a nice surprise. As was a nice rain shower at 08:15.
The first sandhill cranes might be expected back in about 10 days. So, finally, water is being put out on Pond 1 across from the Visitor Center and on the first pond east of the tracks on the north side of Desmond Road. Water would ordinarily be put out on fields near the boardwalk, too, but repair work to that structure has required delaying that this season.
