North of Sacramento

Ferrari Ranch Ponds are a series of smaller ponds, bordered by a paved bike trail, located on the west side of Hwy 65 in Lincoln. This site is sometimes confused with the eBird site, Ferrari Pond. Ferrari Pond is located in a private retirement community that discourages non-resident use. Ferrari Ranch Ponds are located in the Lincoln Crossing neighborhood and completely open to the public - part of the 32 miles of paved bike trails that run through Lincoln. The best time to bird Ferrari Ranch Ponds is late fall to early spring. Avoid it in the summers, when the ponds dry out and temperatures easily reach into the 100s.

Birding the Site: Start at Nathan Dubin Park. This park is often crowded with families but has good restrooms. Park along the street, past the soccer fields. Many birders simply walk a mile or so in either direction from the park, along the bike trail, and then backtrack to their cars. However, with a little knowledge of the neighborhood, you can easily turn this walk into a loop.

From the park, head north along the bike path. The fields behind the park and to the north are good for a variety of blackbirds, sparrows, and raptors. Be sure to check the neighborhood bird feeders and the vines along the fences as you walk. You’ll pass a small pond that often hosts egrets, wrens, and mallards.

Just ahead, is Ferrari Ranch Road. Cross the road and the path continues. Scan the trees for Red-tailed Hawk and keep your ears alert for California Quail. The ponds on the northern side of Ferrari Ranch Road host Cinnamon and Blue-winged teal in the early spring and were home for a breeding pair of Hooded Merganser in the summer of 2020. You may need to cross Sorrento Parkway to find these birds. 

If you’d like a shorter walk, turn right on Sorrento and cross Ferrari Ranch Road. Take the bike path that runs through the neighborhood to and across Caledon Circle. Cedar Waxwings and Western Bluebirds are often seen in the trees along this path. This bike path will lead you back to the path that runs behind Nathan Dubin Park. Turn right to head toward Nathan Dubin or left for a little more birding.

If you’re up for a longer walk, continue across Sorrento Pkwy, checking the water on your left. You can either double back to Sorrento or follow the path all the way to the freeway overpass. Northern-rough-winged Swallow and Cliff Swallow are seasonally observed at the overpass. Downy Woodpecker occasionally shows up in the trees in the water, and various waterfowl swim among the grasses. Once you reach the overpass, you’ll double back slightly and cut through the neighborhood at the second road off the bike path, Flora Court. (The first road, Courtyards Loop, leads into a gated community.) Follow Flora until you reach Ferrari Ranch Rd, turn left and cross Ferrari Ranch at the crosswalk. This takes you to the corner of Caledon and Ferrari Ranch. Follow Caledon to Brentford Circle (the stop sign). Turn left, crossing Caledon Circle. You’ll meet up with the bike path again after about a ¼ of a mile. You can cross Brentford Circle and follow the bike trail back to Nathan Dubin Park or turn left and head down to another freeway overpass, where White-throated Swift are often seen darting in and out of the weep holes and nesting swallows are found in season. Now head back the way you came, crossing Brentford Circle. You’ll pass several small ponds and waterways that often have herons, Pied-billed Grebe, Common Gallinule, Marsh Wren, Common Yellow-throat, and more blackbirds, sparrows, and swallows. In spring, check for Cliff Swallow under Brentford Circle (you’ll cross it twice). In the winter, the field next to the school often has American Pipit and Western Meadowlark.

It is the random avian visitors that make regular birding of this location fun. For several weeks in 2020, a pair of Common Goldeneye and a pair of Bufflehead called one of the larger ponds home. Pelican occasionally visit the larger ponds. As you continue back to the park, watch for Northern Harrier, White-tailed Kite, Red-shouldered, Cooper’s, Swainson’s, and Red-tailed hawks, and the occasional Bald Eagle soaring over the fields behind the ponds. In late winter of 2021, large flocks of Snow Goose and Great-white Fronted Goose were observed for several weeks. In the spring and summer, Great-tailed Grackle are reliably found in the pond closest to the park. eBird Sightings

Directions: From Sacramento take Interstate 80 west to Highway 65 north. It is about 10 miles to Lincoln. Take exit 315 for Ferrari Ranch Road, turning left. Take Ferrari Ranch Road until it dead ends into Caledon Circle. Turn left on to Caledon Circle, then right on Fenwick Lane. Nathan Dubin Park will be in front of you. Park anywhere along the roads around the park. The bike path is behind the soccer fields and basketball court.

Mary Forrestal