Hi Caren and Tweets

As you go down I-5 in the Sacramento Valley in California there are lots of great spots to bird. Sacramento, Delevan and Colusa National Wildlife Refuges are always good. North of Marysville there is the State Gray Lodge State Wildlife area, this can be fabulous this time of year. South of Marysville along the Feather River is National Audubon's Bobelaine Sanctuary 430 acres of riparian, managed by Sacramento Audubon - go to their website (www.sacramentoaudubon.org) for specifics.

In the Sacramento area is the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, 2500 acres of permanent and seasonal wetlands managed by the California Dept of Fish & Game. For a description and directions go to the Central Valley Bird Club website (www.cvbirds.org/CVBirdsSites.htm) and click on Yolo Bypass. Further south is the Cosumnes River Preserve, a cooperative venture between several different groups. It consists of 35,000 acres of riparian along the Cosumnes River, the last uncontrolled river in California. Most of it is not open to the public, but for a description and directions click on its title at the CVBirdsSites site.

All of these sites are great for waterfowl, the valley is good this time of year for raptors, including White-tailed Kites and Ferruginous Hawks in addition to the regular Red-tails, Red-shouldered, Cooper's, Sharp-shinned, Northern Harrier, etc. The area down around the Cosumnes is a major wintering ground for Sandhill Cranes - several thousand are usually in the vicinity.

There is enough great birding at these locations to keep you busy for days. Near Sacramento is the American River Parkway, a 26 mile long preserved area along the American River. At its upper end it connects with the Folsom Lake Recreation Area.

When you bird some of these areas let us know what you see. You have a real treat in store.

Brian H. Bell
Birding & Natural History Guide
Woodinville WA
bell asoc at isomedia dot com
----- Original Message -----
From: carenp
To: Tweets
Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2007 2:09 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] RFI: I5 / 395 corridor to SouthernCal


in a few days, i'm going to take a week and venture forth to visit the parental units who have moved from what is clearly heaven (along the ocean) to what is clearly not heaven (banning / palm springs)... i'm driving, so if someone could take time to point out some of the nicer birding sights along the way (or in the banning area), i'd appreciate it...

i honestly don't recall insanity being part of the family tree before now... :)

thanks
00 caren
http://www.parkgallery.org
george davis creek, north fork




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