By John Hansen
Special to the Express
Yolo Audubon Society will two field trips on Halloween weekend. Beautiful fall weather and an abundance of overwintering birds make this a good time to explore new areas. There will be some walking on uneven terrain or wet ground but for the most part it is flat.
The events are free and open to the public, with no reservations required, and no experience is necessary. All trip participants should be vaccinated. Federal, state, and local health guidelines will be followed.
Sharon Kirkpatrick will lead a trip to Lake Solano County Park on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 8 a.m. until early afternoon. Lake Solano is located west of Winters; Putah Creek runs between Yolo and Solano counties and is dammed to form a lake in this area. Participants will be looking for resident species as well as those that come to spend the winter in the area. The oak woodland, riparian habitat and creek can result in bird sightings that include Osprey, Phainopepla, Wood Duck and hopefully several species of woodpeckers. There could be some surprises like Pileated Woodpecker, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker and Bald Eagle.
Ed Whisler will lead his annual trip to the Davis Cemetery on Sunday, Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. Come look for birds and friendly goblins on this Halloween weekend. The 28-acre cemetery is a National Wildlife Federation certified wildlife habitat. Many species of birds are attracted to this suburban woodland and the historic swale; the cemetery is well known for a large flock of Wild Turkeys. Several species of raptors are regular in the area, including the White-tailed Kite, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, and Barn Owl. Western Bluebirds, Nuttall’s Woodpeckers, Red-breasted Sapsuckers, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Yellow-rumped Warblers also winter at the cemetery.
For more information on the trips and meet-up instructions, access the websites at yoloaudubon.org or yoloaudubon.facebook.com.
Yolo Audubon, a chapter of the National Audubon Society, is a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster an appreciation of birds and conservation in Yolo County. The group is offering live and virtual events in an effort to educate and inform the public about birds and birdwatching.
