These two sites just west of the Sacramento River make for an excellent morning of birding in the spring and fall.
Birding the site: Coming from Sacramento, you will reach the Wood Duck Ponds first. Park on the side of Chicory Loop. Informal trails wind through the riparian tangles around the ponds. Use caution exploring these trails as there have been homeless encampments and trash dumping here. Alternatively, the ponds and woods can be scanned from the side of the road with binoculars or a spotting scope. Dozens of Wood Duck inhabit the ponds year-round. When there is a good pulse of migrants, the woods can be hopping with warblers and other songbirds.
Female and Male Wood Duck, Image by Dana J. Miller-Blair
Babel Sough Road heads west from South River Road, 5.6 miles south of the Wood Duck Ponds. You can park along the east side (river side) of South River Road, just north of Babel Slough Road. The narrow strip of trees on either side of the road holds a disproportionately large number of birds, and the viewing conditions are usually very good, since the strip is narrow enough to keep the birds close to you. This area is excellent for Empidonax flycatchers and has produced rarities including Chestnut-sided Warbler, Ovenbird, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. There is simply no better place to be during migration. Walk the road, looking and listening for birds, but also beware of the infrequent cars. eBird Sightings - Wood Duck Ponds, Babel Slough
It is best to park on South River Road and walk west along Babel Slough Road. Local landowners have been hostile to people parking along Babel Slough Road, probably because they are wary of people dumping trash there. The road runs for over three miles between Jefferson Boulevard and South River Road, but most of the birder coverage has been in the first half-mile west from South River Road. The gravel shoulder on the east side of South River Road just prior to Babel Slough Road is an excellent area to park.
Notice: Please use caution if parking and walking along Babel Slough. The Yolo County Sheriff’s Department issued parking tickets on 3/16/24 to birders parked on the South River Road near Babel Slough.
Directions: From Sacramento, at Interstate 5 and Highway 50, head west on Highway 50. Cross the Sacramento River and exit at Jefferson Boulevard (exit 3) in West Sacramento. After winding under the freeway, head south (left turn) on Jefferson Boulevard for 2.3 miles. Turn left on Linden Road and go 1.2 miles. Turn right on to Village Parkway. Go 0.3 miles and turn left on to Chicory Loop. Drive easterly towards the river for 0.2 mi, and at the top of the levee, turn right to follow the road formerly known as South River Road, and drive south 0.3 mi. Park on the dirt shoulder above Wood Duck Ponds.
To get to Babel Slough Road from here, continue 0.34 miles on Chicory Loop (formerly known as S. River Road), passing a marina, then turn right to come down off the levee and continue on Chicory Loop for another 0.2 mi to Village Parkway. Turn left on Village Parkway and go 1.9 miles to Gregory Road. Turn left and drive 0.3 mi southeast on Gregory Road (As the road curves right, it becomes South River Road.) Drive 2.75 miles to Babel Slough Road.
To go directly to Babel Slough Road from Sacramento, follow the directions to the Jefferson Boulevard exit (above), then head south for 3.6 miles on Jefferson Boulevard, and turn left at Gregory Avenue. After 1.2 miles, bear right on South River Road, and drive 2.75 mi to Babel Sough Road. Park in the gravel shoulder on the east side of South River Road just north of Babel Slough Road.