The main Chinook salmon run begins in October, and hundreds of gulls as well as large numbers of Turkey Vultures arrive to feed on the dying fish. This feast may bring in an occasional Bald Eagle. Ospreys are also often seen in winter along with flocks of Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser and the occasional Barrow’s Goldeneye.
Walk the trails along the river and you may find Spotted Sandpipers, Greater Yellowlegs, Great Blue Herons, and Great Egrets hunting at the water's edge while Wood Ducks and Common Mergansers float along. Black Phoebes, Bushtits, and Acorn Woodpeckers are seen year-round. In the spring and summer Ash-throated Flycatchers, Western Kingbirds and Bullock's and Hooded Orioles are all possibilities.
In the fall and spring, migrating songbirds such as Townsend’s, Hermit, Nashville and Wilson’s Warblers, as well as Bullock’s Orioles, and Black-headed Grosbeak may be spotted. In winter, California, Herring, and Ring-billed Gulls are the most common species. One might also see less common Glaucous-winged, Iceland, or Short-billed Gulls.
This is a large area on the north side of the river across from the Lower Sunrise Area that can easily satisfy a half-day of birding. There is a similar mix of habitats—cottonwood and willow riparian, interior live oak forest, and open areas with gravel tailings—but there is a wider corridor of habitat and numerous trails to get away from the crowds.
Wild Turkeys and black-tailed deer can be seen along the road, while patches of vegetation hold common species such as Anna’s Hummingbird, Bewick’s Wren, and Spotted Towhee. A few large cottonwoods have managed to grow in the otherwise gravelly and hard soil; they have been known to hold raptor nests.
More than 70 acres of riparian woodland adjacent to the Effie Yeaw Nature Center (EYNC) have been preserved as a nature study area within the American River Parkway. Because this birding spot is easy to reach and includes a variety of habitats, it is possible to sight more than 100 species during the course of a year. In the spring, migrating warblers move through the woods. The crowned sparrows return each fall, and winter brings the goldeneyes back to the river.
Riverbend Park has a variety of habitats with trails throughout. You can walk along the American River in search of goldeneyes or sandpipers; search the woods for woodpeckers, sparrows, and wrens; or explore the open areas for raptors soaring in the sky and hummingbirds flitting among the bushes.
Known for its diverse habitats, William B. Pond has fast flowing water where riffles and gravel bars are present, sandy riverbanks, riparian woodlands, a nesting rookery, open areas and woodlands edges, plus a wonderful urban park. All these habitats draw in a great variety of birds making it one of the most popular birding locations along the American River Parkway.
An amazing number of rarities have been found here in the spring and fall: Eastern Wood-Pewee, Red-eyed Vireo, Tennessee Warbler, Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Hooded Warbler, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Throughout the year informal trails provide access to the riparian forest. In the winter this is a good area for sparrows and wrens. During spring and fall migration, look for warblers, vireos and flycatchers in the oaks, willows, and cottonwoods.
In spring, look for migrating warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and grosbeaks. In winter, look for Dark-eyed Junco, crowned sparrows, winter warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Cedar Waxwing, Red-breasted Sapsucker, and Hermit Thrush.
Bank protection levee work, removing all vegetation along the levee from the J Street Bridge to Paradise Bend (Site 2-1) is ongoing. Bird habitat occurs away from the construction area towards the water and to the west. To avoid possible dust and noise, you may wish to plan evening, weekend, or holiday visits.
Birding this area can be especially good in the spring and fall because the riparian habitat around the lake, especially willows and cottonwoods, attracts many migrating warblers, vireos, flycatchers, etc., and from the levee, you are looking down on the area.
The Western Subspecies of Purple Martin is uncommon and declining, but the City of Sacramento is host to a few small breeding colonies that have adapted to nesting in “weep holes” under freeway overpasses.
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. Filled with winter residents, over the years, Townsend’s Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, and Black-and-white Warbler have been found here in the winter.
The large conifers and berry-laden shrubs and trees of William Land Park attract winter flocks of American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dark-eyed Junco, and American Goldfinch. This is a good place to look for wintering Varied Thrush (under the redwoods), Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Townsend’s Warbler, Purple Finch and Pine Siskin.
Reichmuth Park, for its size, is one of the great magnets for migrating landbirds in the Sacramento area. Sixteen warbler species have been recorded here, including all of the West Coast species plus Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Parula, American Redstart, Hooded Warbler, and Canada Warbler.
Public access to Greenhaven Lake has diminished to the point where it's no longer a great birding destination, but worth a check if you're in the area as in fall and winter, large flocks of Common Merganser, Ruddy Duck, gulls, Clark’s Grebe, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Canvasback, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye and other water birds may be found.
Garcia Bend Park is worth a visit in spring and fall to look for migrating landbirds in the riparian growth and Caspian or Forster’s Terns over the river. Marriott Park has large valley oaks that attract migrating warblers, vireos, tanagers and others in spring.
Chorley Park is a small city park that harbors migrating land birds and nesting White-tailed Kite in spring. This area consists of weeds, willows, and cottonwood trees.