Chris Conard
Sacramento, California
--please excuse this brief message sent with my phone
On Sun, Dec 7, 2025, 1:24 PM Chris Conard via groups.io <conardc=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> The bird was spotted at least three times this morning along Rio Bravo
> Circle, mostly near the entrance to Larchmont Park.
> https://maps.app.goo.gl/CZMDcMngcmT94qvY9?g_st=ac >
>
> Chris Conard
> Sacramento, California
> --please excuse this brief message sent with my phone
> Chris Conard
> Sacramento, California
> --please excuse this brief message sent with my phone
>
>
Date: 12/9/25 3:30 pm From: Nathan Parmeter via groups.io <nathanparmeter...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] Eastern Merced County CBC Call for Volunteers
Hello all Central Valley birders,
We're still welcoming participants to assist in the annual Eastern Merced County CBC next Wednesday, December 17. Everyone is welcome to join regardless of birding experience! If interested, please fill out the survey linked here: https://ucmerced.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b8f3DugCXGsXdwW. If you have any questions, feel free to reply to this email.
Nathan ParmeterSilver Spring, MD (formerly Fresno, CA)
Chris Conard Sacramento, California --please excuse this brief message sent with my phone Chris Conard Sacramento, California --please excuse this brief message sent with my phone
Date: 12/6/25 10:00 pm From: Bruce Deuel via groups.io <lewisia1980...> Subject: Re: [centralvalleybirds] Apparent Pine Warbler on levee between Larchmont and Mayhew Drain. American River Parkway.
Pine Warbler has white rear underparts, Prairie has yellow in that area.
Cheers,
Bruce Deuel
Red Bluff
On Sat, Dec 6, 2025 at 9:18 PM Scott via groups.io <shoppe01=
<surewest.net...> wrote:
> Looks like a Prairie Warbler.
>
> On Sat, 6 Dec 2025 09:11:13 -0800, "Chris Conard via groups.io" <conardc=
> <gmail.com...> wrote:
>
> 38.570200,-121.357530
> In pine above tallow tree in break between condos. I may have glimpsed it
> near the Mayhew Drain bridge with Bushtits yesterday afternoon.
>
>
>
> Chris Conard
> Sacramento, California
> --please excuse this brief message sent with my phone
>
>
>
Date: 12/6/25 9:18 pm From: Scott via groups.io <shoppe01...> Subject: Re: [centralvalleybirds] Apparent Pine Warbler on levee between Larchmont and Mayhew Drain. American River Parkway.
Looks like a Prairie Warbler.
On Sat, 6 Dec 2025 09:11:13 -0800, "Chris Conard via groups.io" <conardc...> wrote:
38.570200,-121.357530
In pine above tallow tree in break between condos. I may have glimpsed it near the Mayhew Drain bridge with Bushtits yesterday afternoon.
Chris Conard
Sacramento, California
--please excuse this brief message sent with my phone
Date: 12/6/25 6:11 pm From: Chris Conard via groups.io <conardc...> Subject: Re: [centralvalleybirds] Apparent Pine Warbler on levee between Larchmont and Mayhew Drain. American River Parkway.
Hi folks,
There's been some questioning of the ID based on my blurry back-of-camera
record shot. I was just trying to get the word out ASAP and was in the
middle of a survey.
On Sat, Dec 6, 2025 at 9:09 AM Chris Conard <conardc...> wrote:
> 38.570200,-121.357530
> In pine above tallow tree in break between condos. I may have glimpsed it
> near the Mayhew Drain bridge with Bushtits yesterday afternoon.
>
>
>
> Chris Conard
> Sacramento, California
> --please excuse this brief message sent with my phone
>
Date: 12/6/25 9:14 am From: Chris Conard via groups.io <conardc...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] Apparent Pine Warbler on levee between Larchmont and Mayhew Drain. American River Parkway.
38.570200,-121.357530 In pine above tallow tree in break between condos. I may have glimpsed it near the Mayhew Drain bridge with Bushtits yesterday afternoon.
Chris Conard Sacramento, California --please excuse this brief message sent with my phone
Date: 11/30/25 10:36 pm From: Sherman Island CBC Admin via groups.io <shermanislandcbc...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] 2025-2026 Sherman Island Christmas Bird Count 12/28
Hi all,
The 2025-2026 Sherman Island Christmas Bird Count will take place this year on Sunday December 28th 2025. The count covers multiple delta islands (including Sherman, Ryer, Twitchell, Bradford, Bethel, and Jersey) as well as regions around Rio Vista, the Montezuma Hills Wind Farm, and Robinson and Flannery Roads. All ages and skill levels are welcome.
If you are interested in participating in the count please contact me at <shermanislandcbc...>
Date: 11/29/25 8:34 pm From: Glennah Trochet via groups.io <trochetj...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] Cosumnes birds the last few days
Dear Birders,
On Thanksgiving morning, before family arrived for the late afternoon meal, I visited behind the Farm Center gate once again. I mostly walked ditch banks and field margins, something I haven't done in a while. I also visited the lower part of Wood Duck Slough and the adjacent Tall Forest. Sandhill cranes were many fewer than recently, and white-fronts were also down but just slightly. There were a few highlights: bald eagle- 1 slate colored fox sparrow- 1 white-throated sparrow- 1 *pugetensis* white-crowned sparrow- 1 Townsend's warbler- 2
If this were spring or summer I might have confirmed breeding for American crow, as one was "carrying food." I saw one carrying a crayfish for about 600 yards.
Yesterday I took my older daughter and her spouse down to the same places mostly. We had much better luck with the cranes, which for them were the second biggest treat. Third best was an adult bald eagle with a fish along Wood Duck Slough. Best was a river otter that finally consented to offer good looks.
Today I joined Chris Conard on his monthly survey at Orr Ranch. We had a good day despite how quiet the birds were. By the end of the survey we had turned up most of the scarce specialty birds of the oak forests of the preserve: Hutton's vireo- 2 wrentit- 3 Pacific wren- 1 varied thrush- 3 white-throated sparrow- 2 Townsend's warbler- 2 western tanager- 1
We missed golden-crowned kinglet, and the long-eared owls were not at their most regular known roosting site.
Date: 11/29/25 11:55 am From: Dan Kopp via groups.io <rey_ality...> Subject: Re: [centralvalleybirds] Harris's Hawk behind my home on 11/29/2025 at 1115
Folks,
I was able to see jesses in the images when I got home; sorry for the false alarm.
Dan Kopp
Sacramento
________________________________
From: Dan Kopp <rey_ality...>
Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2025 11:51 AM
To: Cvbirds <centralvalleybirds...>
Subject: Harris's Hawk behind my home on 11/29/2025 at 1115
Folks,
There was a perched Harriss's Hawk behind my home at 8295 La Riviera Dr.
I didn't see any jesses but I was busy taking photos. It took off headed toward the river/Oak Meadow Park/Glenbrook Park Access/Watt Ave. the last I saw it.
eBird Checklist - 29 Nov 2025 - American River Parkway behind condo (between Howe and Watt) - 35 species (+2 other taxa)<https://ebird.org/checklist/S286674302>
Date: 11/29/25 11:51 am From: Dan Kopp via groups.io <rey_ality...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] Harris's Hawk behind my home on 11/29/2025 at 1115
Folks,
There was a perched Harriss's Hawk behind my home at 8295 La Riviera Dr.
I didn't see any jesses but I was busy taking photos. It took off headed toward the river/Oak Meadow Park/Glenbrook Park Access/Watt Ave. the last I saw it.
eBird Checklist - 29 Nov 2025 - American River Parkway behind condo (between Howe and Watt) - 35 species (+2 other taxa)<https://ebird.org/checklist/S286674302>
Date: 11/19/25 3:21 pm From: Laura Lush via groups.io <llush...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] Peace Valley (Sutter Buttes/Gray Lodge) CBC on Tues. 12/16/2025
The Peace Valley CBC, which includes properties in the Sutter Buttes, the roads surrounding the Buttes, and Gray Lodge Wildlife Area needs more counters! We are open to all levels, and beginners are welcomed. Experienced counters would be greatly appreciated. Our count is Tuesday, December 16, 2025. Optional morning breakfast at our central meeting point and follow-up dinner - both in Live Oak. Hiking and walking/auto routes available and determined closer to count date. Please contact me, Laura Lush, at <lushinthebuttes...> or <llush...> for further information. Thank you, Laura Lush Browns Valley, CA, Yuba County (our count is mostly in Sutter County)
Date: 11/19/25 2:25 pm From: Glennah Trochet via groups.io <trochetj...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] northern parula, etc., in Tall Forest at Cosumnes
Dear Birders,
For a change I had a pretty outstanding day at Cosumnes. A female/imm. northern parula was on the east side of Wood Duck Slough this morning in a nice mixed flock built around bushtits. It also included a couple of Townsend's warblers and a couple of orange-crowned warblers, plus assorted residents and several Audubon's warblers.
Elsewhere I had two more Townsend's warblers, three varied thrushes, a western tanager and a handful of singing fox sparrows. Not singing was an interesting fox sparrow seen too briefly, but it had lively reddish striping on the back. I couldn't entice it to sit up a second time.
Recent birds behind the Farm Center gate that I couldn't find today included golden-crowned kinglet and white-throated sparrow.
The recent rains have water poised to come onto the floodplain, but that hasn't happened yet. It's sitting in a couple of the levee breaches, but it's not flowing.
Date: 11/17/25 5:58 pm From: Clifford Hawley via groups.io <yellowhammerCA...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] CVBC Youth Scholarships- now accepting applications for Summer 2026 Camps
Hi Central Valley birders,
Many youth birding camps have kicked off registration and we are happy to
announce that the Central Valley Bird Club is now accepting applications
for the David Yee Youth Scholarships which covers up to $2,000 of the
tuition and camp fees for birding camps during the Summer 2026 camp season.
If you are a young birder 12-18 years old check out this great opportunity.
If you know a young birder that needs a scholarship to camp, please pass
along this information.
Thanks to the generous support of our members as well as contributions from
Yolo and Altacal Bird Alliances, and Sacramento and Sierra Foothills
Audubon societies we've been able to send a lot of kids to camp over the
years.
Applications are due to me by December 15th, 2025. If you have any
questions, please contact me at <yellowhammerCA...>
If you aren’t a young birder but you’d like to support the scholarship fund
please visit our website and use the donate button in the upper right.
CVBirds.org
Thanks and good birding,
Cliff Hawley
Youth Scholarship Coordinator
Sacramento, CA
--
"For, what are the voices of birds...
But words, our words,
Only so much more sweet?"
Robert Browning
Date: 11/16/25 8:45 pm From: Chris Conard via groups.io <conardc...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] Leucistic Bald Eagle at Michigan Bar, Sacramento
Hi folks,
I made a short visit to Michigan Bar this morning and was surprised to see a leucistic Bald Eagle eating a salmon downstream from the bridge. Some distant photos are here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S284819241
Also, I saw my first Lewis's Woodpecker along Michigan Bar Rd in 2025. Fair numbers have been in the Coast Range, but they seem scarce around the low foothills on the east side of the Valley in the Sacramento area for the second winter in a row (so far).
Date: 11/15/25 5:03 pm From: Zane Pickus via groups.io <zanep987...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] Yolo County SAGEBRUSH SPARROW
Hi all,
This afternoon Julian Johnson and I spent a few hours cruising county roads
in southern Yolo County in search of sparrows, raptors, etc. While driving
along County Road 152 we were shocked and thrilled to find a beautiful
SAGEBRUSH SPARROW. It proceeded to put on a show off and on for the next
two hours for a handful of Yolo County birders who chased it. To our
knowledge, this represents a second county record and the first chaseable
individual. The bird spent most of its time moving around the weedy ditch
on the north side of the road, here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/1kGjGoXouxa2me2YA?g_st=i&utm_campaign=ac-im
Obviously this species complex presents a difficult identification
challenge when differentiating from “canescens” Bell’s Sparrow, but this
bird seems good for a clear cut Sagebrush with an extremely pale malar,
extensive streaking in the back, and long primary extension. Excellent
photos were obtained by Julian and others and will be posted on eBird
later.
Emmett Iverson notes that this bird, Yolo’s prior record in November 2017,
and his recent bird in Sacramento County all came on the days following
large rainstorms. Perhaps this is coincidence or maybe there is something
to this correlation. Good luck to those who search tomorrow.
Date: 11/15/25 3:28 pm From: Nathan Parmeter via groups.io <nathanparmeter...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] 2025 Eastern Merced County CBC
Hello all Central Valley birders,
The annual Eastern Merced County CBC (formerly the Lake Yosemite CBC) will be held on Wednesday, December 17. Everyone is welcome to attend. Please reply if you're interested in attending or if you have any questions.
Nathan ParmeterSilver Spring, MD (formerly Fresno, CA)
Date: 11/14/25 7:50 pm From: Glennah Trochet via groups.io <trochetj...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] Cosumnes birds this week
Dear Birders,
Last Saturday I passed the baton to the new leaders of the Tall Forest bird survey. I have known for some time that my hearing is much poorer than it was just a couple of years ago, and I needed to let go of the reins after leading the monthly surveys there for just over 30 years. Konshau Duman and Lynette Williams Duman have taken charge. I found it both gratifying to see how readily they detected things and dismaying to learn firsthand how many birds I am not hearing anymore. The survey data should now better reflect the numbers and variety of birds actually along the route and be more comparable to my own surveys of some years ago. They wanted to start at 6:45 a.m., so I got in about 45 minutes of birding before meeting them at the gate. I picked up some owls and yellow-billed magpies we didn't subsequently get. But they picked up some things I would have missed for sure. I haven't seen their list, but we had a flyover long-billed curlew, a cattle egret, a horned lark overhead, a couple of golden-crowned kinglets, a varied thrush, a purple finch, about 10 orange-crowned warblers, a Townsend's warbler and an intergrade myrtle x Audubon's yellow-rumped warbler. I may well have failed to recall something else of interest.
On Sunday I guided a group from the Lodi Sandhill Crane Festival behind the Farm Center gate. We did something like the survey route done the previous day. We, too, had a golden-crowned kinglet, a few varied thrushes, and a couple of Townsend's warblers. Many on the outing were thrilled to have confiding cranes at close range from the vehicle windows on the meandering drive back to the gate at midday.
On Monday I returned behind the gate and visited wooded areas we didn't get to the previous two days, namely the southern Tall Forest east of Wood Duck Slough and the Bottoms west of the Tall Forest. There were a few highlights, but the birding was slow overall. Warbler Woods had a varied thrush. East of Wood Duck Slough were a white-throated sparrow and a western tanager. A Townsend's warbler was in the Bottoms.
On Wednesday I started at the TNC Barn ponds and then walked the River Walk trail. The barn ponds were very birdy. I arrived in time for the going-to-roost flight of night-herons, and not long after that, still way before sunrise, a peregrine falcon flew low over the ponds. A bulging crop suggested that it had already caught breakfast! A flock of 38 snow geese was my first encounter this season with more than one or two. A flock of 13 tundra swans was my FOS. Both sora and Virginia rails were vocal, and an American bittern (no longer an easy bird at the preserve) flushed from the edge of one of the ponds. Shorebirds included the winter seven, plus one, that being a lesser yellowlegs. The River Walk was disappointing, though I did see a drake blue-winged teal on the northernmost pond adjacent to the railroad tracks, heard a varied thrush near trail marker #15 and found a slate-colored junco among a flock of 30-35 Oregons on the south side of the riparian at the bottom of the constructed wetlands pond array.
This morning I visited the Love Shack (no mapies), Wood Duck Slough out to the river at Tall Forest Landing, and the eastern Bottoms, cleaning up some of the trails in advance of the CVBS next week. My route was not direct, since I thought I heard poachers shooting among the geese northwest of the Tall Forest. By the time I got over there there was nothing to see. Since Wednesday, the numbers of greater white-fronted geese have doubled to about 12,000 and among them was a single Ross's goose (my FOS). I heard a fly-over long-billed curlew and a Townsend's warbler along Wood Duck Slough, and a varied thrush near Tall Forest Landing. Except for the stretch around the pump station on the slough, birding was pretty slow. I ran into only one small bushtit flock all morning.
Date: 11/14/25 1:37 pm From: Chris Conard via groups.io <conardc...> Subject: Re: [centralvalleybirds] Stilt Sandpiper at Sac Sewer EchoWater Facility (aka SRWTP)
Hi folks,
It looks like the initial message didn't post. Anyhow, a group of about 15
of us failed to find the Stilt Sandpiper today despite a careful search.
Take care,
Chris
On Thu, Nov 13, 2025 at 6:21 PM Chris Conard <conardc...> wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> This afternoon, 13 Nov 2025, in a quick attempt to get a little birding in
> before going home on this stormy day, I saw a Stilt Sandpiper at the
> EchoWater Facility (formerly known as Sac Regional WTP and that which the
> Bufferlands buffers): https://ebird.org/checklist/S284341085 > There is no regular public access to this site, but I will be available to
> take people to try to see the bird tomorrow midday--I have offsite
> appointments early and late in the day. If it sticks, Saturday in the early
> afternoon might work too.
>
> My window of availability tomorrow is from 11 am until 2 pm and I could
> take in a couple different groups, assuming the bird sticks. Saturday
> around 1 pm to 2 pm would also work.
> This is species number 249 for the property.
>
> Contact me if you're interested:
> Conardc at gmail dot com
> I'll provide directions and other details.
>
> Chris Conard
> Sacramento
>
