The wide-open vistas, grassy fields, large ponds and oak woodlands of Lema Ranch offer quite a variety of bird species. Winter waterfowl, woodpeckers and sparrows are a particular treat this time of year and if we’re lucky, we might spot a Canvasback or a Merlin!
Meet at 8:00 am at Gate 10 located at the end of Lema Road, just past the maintenance facility. Park on the right-hand side of the road by the maintenance facility. We will walk the paved trails to view all five ponds. There is a bathroom located near Gate 10. Rain cancels the outing. Contact Larry Jordan at webmaster@shastabirdingsociety.org for more information.
There are about 200 species of woodpecker in the world. Twenty-three of those species are native to the United States, but only three are designated “sapsuckers.” These three were originally treated as forms of one species, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. In 1983 they were split into separate species. Lucky for us, even though the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is an eastern bird, we occasionally find them here in Shasta County. This bird was found at Lema Ranch, one of our local birding hotspots. Note the two different types of holes in the bark. The large, rectangular wells must be continually maintained for sap to flow and the bird licks the sap from the hole.
The smaller round holes placed in horizontal rows are probed by the bird inserting it’s beak to retrieve the sap. This Red-breasted Sapsucker probing these small holes with its beak is probably the most often seen here in the northstate.
This Red-breasted Sapsucker was working on the largest trunk of a lilac bush in our yard.
The Red-naped Sapsucker can be a bit harder to find as they don’t have a large presence in California, even though they nest in the far northeastern corner of the state and we found this one nesting in Lassen National Park. This sapsucker has a black stripe along the side of his head, bordered by 2 white stripes and a red nape.
Unlike the Red-breasted Sapsucker, the male Red-naped Sapsucker sports a red neck over a black bib. The female chin and upper throat may be white and lower throat red.
Confusing some folks not familiar with the Williamson’s Sapsucker is the fact that the male and female look like different species. The male is very distinctive with white wing coverts and rump. Two white stripes on the face, one above and one below the eye, contrasting strongly with iridescent black upperparts, head, and breast with a red patch on the chin and upper throat, and a yellow belly.
With a fleeting glimpse the female has been mistaken for a Northern Flicker. She has a brownish head, with heavily barred wings, flanks, and upperparts of white, brown, and black as well as a yellow belly and white rump. This is the female bringing insects to the nest.
Sapsuckers don’t only feed on sap, they also consume berries and large numbers of ants and other insects, especially once young hatch. This is a shot of the nestling.
Also, sapsuckers aren’t the only birds that feed from sap wells …
A pair of yellow-bellied sapsuckers collecting insects at sap wells to feed their young.
This is a no fee area and a very active hotspot this time of the year, especially with all the recent weather events we have had in 2023 so far. We are planning to meet at the Bass Pond Parking Lot at, 22459 Bend Ferry Rd, Red Bluff, CA 96080, at the main entrances to the Wetlands. Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/qQ89aRHfRg7gbHhDA
This half-day event should yield many varieties of waterbirds, raptors, woodpeckers, and many songbirds in this unique and open wetlands area. From the parking lot we will start with a walk on a two-mile loop through several ponds to the south side of the road. If time permits, we will take a short drive to Payne’s Creek Crossing to round out our journey.
Please contact Dan Bye, by text/cell 530 228 9373 or email danbye56@gmail.com for more information.
Join trip leader David Garza for a half day trip to two under-visited locations located a short 1.5-mile drive south of Shingletown. Grace and Nora Lakes are owned and managed by PG&E and access is allowed for recreational use. The water levels are low lately, but we anticipate some waterfowl, forest passerines and woodpeckers around the lakes in the immediate vicinity. The terrain is flat and the hiking is easy. Meet at the gravel parking lot on the west side of Park Maina Drive/Kutras Lake at 8:00 am to carpool/caravan or meet at Grace Lake at 9:00am. You can reach Grace Lake by taking Wilson Hill Road south from Shingletown for approximately 0.9 miles, then turning east on Manton-Ponderosa Way (gravel surfaced) for 2/3 of a mile to Grace Lake. We will hike to Nora Lake and environs from there. Map: https://rb.gy/cm9dl
Please join us on a journey with many trails at this very diverse public land with no fees. Sacramento River bisects 488 acres, at this Recreation Area of riparian forest, flowering grasslands, wetlands, and oak woodlands providing very diverse nature viewing experiences. This location is Tehama Region’s number one eBird’s hotspot. This is great home for many varieties of Sparrows, Warblers, Wrens, Woodpeckers, Waterfowl, Wading Birds, and Shorebirds. Yellow-billed Magpies and Phainopeplas are often found here year-round. Saturday, September 30, 2023, at 7:30am. We will meet at the parking lot south end of Sale Lane at the Sacramento River Discovery Center
