Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge - November 14,1998 - Six Altacalers met at the Park and Ride and headed to the west side of the Sacramento Valley. We stopped along Highway 162 about five miles before reaching 99 West. The fields along the road were covered with Geese. Predominately they were Snows and Ross's Geese but there were also White-fronted interspersed among the white Geese.

Arriving at the refuge we stopped to check the records for recent sightings and a pause from driving. We picked up Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a Bewick's Wren in the willows around the refuge headquarters. Turkey Vultures were still roosting in the trees waiting for the thermals to entice them heavenward. We started on the tour route, stopping at the first tree line to study the sparrows. We pished in Lincoln's, White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows. Driving along the grasslands we flushed Ringed-necked Pheasants, Western Meadowlarks and Savannah Sparrows. We spotted the first of several Redtails perched in a tree and observed Northern Harriers tilting low over the grasslands and ponds.

Our first pond held Pintail, Northern Shoveler and American Wigeon in small numbers. Continuing down the route we came upon an American Bittern standing out in the open and he stood there for at least five minutes before he deciding we knew where he was and headed for tall rushes. The first large pond we came to had more of the previous waterfowl, but it added Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Green-winged Teal and one of the largest flocks of Cinnamon Teal I have ever seen. Besides waterfowl there were Common Moorhens, Long-billed Dowitchers and Black-necked Stilts.

We next stopped at the viewing Platform and we added almost immediately a delinquent Tree Swallow and Yellow-rumped Warblers. From high on the deck we scanned the ponds to the East where we turned up Eurasian Wigeons, Ring-necked Ducks, and a Belted Kingfisher. By this time we were seeing Thousands of American Wigeon along with Hundreds of Shovelers, Pintails and Mallards. The trees along the route yielded Lesser and American Goldfinches, as well as Northern Flickers and Nuttall's Woodpeckers. We stopped at another pond and while your leader scanned for ducks some of his followers discovered a Golden Eagle sitting on a road running between the ponds. When he took off and headed out over the ponds Thousands of Ducks and Geese went helter-skelter into the air getting out of his way. Later the same Eagle came back over the ponds and scattered Waterfowl in his wake. 63 species were seen on the refuge. After leaving the Refuge your leader and his passenger turned up Greater Yellowlegs and a Short-eared Owl. - Richard Redmond