Birding In The Region
In winter, hundreds of thousands of waterfowl fill the Central Valley. Fall and spring are busy migration months for passerines and shorebirds. Summer residents, including the Swainson’s Hawk, are distributed throughout the lowland areas of the county.
- Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
- Auto tour loop and hiking trails. Ponds and marshes with patches of grassland and riparian. Excellent for waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors. Take I-80 east from Davis (approximately six miles) to the East Chiles Road Exit. After exiting onto East Chiles Road (also called 32B) turn left (east) and go about 0.2 miles to a gravel access road on the right, which climbs to the top of the levee. Turn left past the gate on top of the levee and drive down into the Wildlife Area.
- City of Davis Wetlands
- Opened in 2000, this City of Davis water management facility has proved enormously successful in attracting shorebirds, gulls and waterfowl. Located at the east end of Road 28H which is off of Road 102, north of Davis. Please note that the City of Davis Wetlands are open to the public during the hours of 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM Monday-Sunday during most of the year, but are only open on Mondays during the hunting season.
- Rayhouse Road and Cache Creek
- Northwestern tip of Yolo County. Go north on Highway 16 through the Capay Valley (you will be basically paralleling Cache Creek once you pass Esparto) past Rumsey to the Lower Cache Creek Canyon Regional Park. Turn left into the park and take Rayhouse Road (also called County Road 40) to the top of the ridge. Good for chaparral and riparian species. Rayhouse Road is one of the best owling locations in Yolo County and Lower Cache Creek Canyon Regional Park is reliable for Bald Eagle during the winter months.
- Longspur Corner
- Excellent in winter for raptors. Located at the intersection of Roads 16 and 90B s in the Dunnigan Hills. Three species of longspur have been sighted here recently and Burrowing Owls are resident. Be sure to check nearby plowed fields in winter for Mountain Plovers.
- Lake Solano
- Good year-round for waterfowl, nesting ospreys, and passerines. Lake Solano is approximately four miles west of Winters off of Highway 128. Take a left on Pleasants Valley Road and explore the Lake Solano County Park or continue to Putah Creek Road, turn right and proceed east for approximately one mile to a parking area just west of the Lake Solano Diversion Dam.
- Lake Berryessa and Canyons
- Lake Berryessa, a reservoir held in place by the Monticello Dam just above Lake Solano, has grebes and loons in winter and nesting Peregrine Falcons and White-throated Swifts in summer. Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve (located just east of Monticello Dam off of Highway 128) is a UC Natural Reserve with a well-marked trail leading up into Mountain Quail country. Golden eagles are resident.
- Reichmuth Park, Sacramento
- Excellent for migrating landbirds, woodpeckers and a possibility for vagrant warblers. Wood Ducks are resident. Travel south from Sacramento along Interstate 5. Take the 43rd Avenue Exit and turn left at the light at the bottom of the ramp. Stay in the rightmost lane and turn right onto Gloria Avenue. Reichmuth Park will be on your left and there is parking near the restrooms or along the street. The nature area is behind the tennis courts.