If you have only a few hours to spare for birding on a winter weekend morning, you might want to visit East Lawn Cemetery on Folsom Boulevard in East Sacramento. This park-like setting has mowed lawns and tall evergreen and deciduous trees such as palm, oak, maple, pine and magnolia. Dense shrubbery lines the west boundary with a few thickets scattered throughout the cemetery. The wonderful old trees make the area a pleasant place to take a walk.
Townsend’s Warbler, Image by Daniel Lee Brown
Birding the site: Always found in winter are Bushtit, Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Robin, Northern Flicker, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Anna’s Hummingbird, Dark-eyed Junco, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, House Finch and, of course, American Crow and California Scrub Jay. Northern Mockingbird and Black Phoebe also “hang out” in the area and often American and Lesser Goldfinches can be found. Red-tailed Hawk may be seen soaring overhead or perching on top of one of the tall evergreen trees. By listening carefully, one can usually track down a small flock of Golden-crowned Kinglet and an occasional Brown Creeper. One or two Red-breasted Nuthatch also winter here, as do a few Red-breasted Sapsucker. Now and then, a vagrant warbler or Varied Thrush will appear. Over the years, Townsend’s Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, and Black-and-white Warbler have been found in winter. eBird Sightings
To learn more about the accessibility of this location visit Accessible Birding.
Directions: The entrance is on Folsom Boulevard at 43rd Street. From Sacramento City, take Highway 50 east to 34th Street exit (2.3 miles east of Interstate 5). Turn left at 34th Street and go 0.6 mile to Folsom Boulevard. Turn right and go 0.7 mile to the cemetery entrance. Summer hours are 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. During the winter, the hours are from 8 a.m. until dusk. This area is usually rather quiet on the weekends. Weekdays are often noisy with grounds-keeping activities.
Mary Beth Metcalf