Category Archives: birding

#MigrationCelebration, birding, Citizen Science, General Blog, Naturalist, photography, Volunteering

Lots of Hawks Around Today, 12-19-21

I got up around 7:00 AM this morning, -and it was, again, foggy and overcast. Never got above 45º. I decided nonetheless to head out to the Cosumnes River Preserve and Staten Island Road with my dog Esteban.

The gates were closed at the preserve, but I walked past them to the main pond near the boardwalk parking lot. Lots of the usual suspects in the pond: Greater White-Fronted Geese, Black-Necked Stilts, Northern Shovelers, Green-Winged Teals, etc. I was surprised to see a solitary Cackling Goose among the other geese. The other geese weren’t too thrilled that he was around, and although they didn’t actively chase him away, they did poke at him to keep him moving along and away from them.

I also noticed that some of the geese had a blackish tip on their bills, and assumed that those might have been the juveniles (even though they had the white rim around the base of the bill like the adults.) Cornell says: “…1-yr-old geese tend to have fewer ventral markings and more dark toenail and bill nail pigmentation…” So, I was almost right.

Greater White-Fronted Geese, Anser albifrons. Note the black tip on the bills of the younger geese. The older GWF Geese have pinkish bills and dark bars across their bellies.

CLICK HERE for the full album of photos.

Along Desmond and Bruceville Roads were there were hundreds of Coots. Some were in rafts on the water, while others were on the berms eating vegetation. I noted again that when they’re grazing on grasses, they turn their head sideways, so they can use the side of their bill to cut into a larger swath of grass than they could if they used the pointed tip of the bill. (Cornell doesn’t mention this, but both my friend Roxanne and I have witnessed it in the field.) I was hoping to get photos of the Coots’ incredible-looking feet, but no such luck. They kept them hidden in the grass.

I also saw Bufflehead and Gadwall ducks, some more Teals, some Northern Pintails and a few American Wigeons. There were small groups of Herring Gulls gathered on some of the berms, squawking and posturing at one another. And here and there were Great Egrets stalking food in the taller grass.

The big surprise, though, was the number of hawks I saw. I think I counted almost a dozen of them out along the roads, in the tree tops, on the telephone poles, even one down in the water. Hawks don’t have water-proofing on their feathers, so when they get wet, they can get into trouble. The one I saw, landed down in the water, missed catching whatever it was after, and flew back up into a tree, water dripping from it. With the damp air, I figured, it was going to take “forever” for the bird’s feathers to dry out. I felt bad for it.  Most of the hawks I saw were Red-Tailed Hawks, but there were a few Red-Shouldered Hawks mixed in here and there. I also saw some Turkey Vultures, a couple of Kestrels and a White-Tailed Kite.

I then headed over to Staten Island Road. I was worried that the dirt part of the road would have been a muddy mess after the rains, but it was surprisingly dry. Must have good drainage. Along with the usual suspects there, I saw several Sandhill Cranes, a couple of different grebe species, and American White Pelicans (in the extreme distance with Canvasback ducks). Tundra Swans were also in the water.

Here, too, I saw a lot of hawks. I think my mental count of them for the trip was 26. Wow! And I saw more Cackling Geese. A couple of them were huddled near a single Snow Goose.

I was out for about 4 hours and then headed back home.

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Species List:

  1. American Coot, Fulica americana
  2. American Kestrel, Falco sparverius
  3. American White Pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
  4. American Wigeon, Anas americana
  5. Black Phoebe, Sayornis nigricans
  6. Black-Necked Stilt, Himantopus mexicanus
  7. Bufflehead Duck, Bucephala albeola
  8. Bushtit, American Bushtit, Psaltriparus minimus
  9. Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsii
  10. California Ground Squirrel, Otospermophilus beecheyi
  11. Canada Goose, Branta canadensis
  12. Canvasback Duck, Aythya valisineria
  13. Common Goldeneye, Bucephala clangula
  14. Eared Grebe, Podiceps nigricollis
  15. Gadwall Duck, Mareca Strepera
  16. Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias [flyby]
  17. Great Egret, Ardea alba
  18. Greater White-Fronted Goose, Anser albifrons
  19. Greater Yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca
  20. Green-Winged Teal, Anas carolinensis
  21. Herring Gull, Larus argentatus [spot on bill, gray legs, pale eye]
  22. House Finch, Haemorhous mexicanus
  23. Least Sandpiper, Calidris minutilla
  24. Long-Billed Dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus
  25. Mallard Duck, Anas platyrhynchos
  26. Meadow Mushroom, Agaricus californicus [white, collared, pink/dark gills]
  27. Northern Pintail, Anas acuta
  28. Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata
  29. Pied-Billed Grebe, Podilymbus podiceps
  30. Red-Shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus
  31. Red-Tailed Hawk, Western Red-Tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis calurus
  32. Red-Winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus
  33. Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula
  34. Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis
  35. Snow Goose, Chen caerulescens
  36. Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor
  37. Tundra Swan, Cygnus columbianus
  38. Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura
  39. Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta
  40. White Tailed Kite, Elanus leucurus
  41. White-Crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys
#52HikeChallenge, birding, Citizen Science, Firsts, fungi, galls, General Blog, lichen, Naturalist, photography, Volunteering

Fungi in the Fog, 12-17-21

I got up a little before 7:00 this morning, fed and pottied Esteban, and had some breakfast before heading out to Mather Lake Regional Park. I usually don’t go out that late (around 8:00 am), but it was SUPER foggy this morning, and I wanted the sun to come up a little bit more so I could see where I was going.

You can normally see across the lake to the opposite shore. Not so much today.

I hadn’t been to the lake in a while, and I was anxious to see what I might find there. When I got to the park, the fog was still heavy, dragging its belly on the ground in most places, and it was a finger-nipping 37ºF. I was dressed in three layers (my shirt, the vest my naturalist students had given to me, and my hooded jacket), so I was relatively warm…-ish.

The fog makes it difficult to take photos because the camera doesn’t know what to focus on. I like the “diffused” look of some of them, though. The fog would split open periodically to let the sun in, then close up again.

Mostly Mute Swans, Cygnus olor

The first thing I saw was the white bodies of Mute Swans floating on the water, looking otherworldly. They seemed to dominate the lake this morning; I think they’re pairing up for the breeding season and setting down their nesting spots. I saw a couple of them bullying a pair of Canada Geese out of their resting place.

Among the Mute Swan, I saw one Tundra Swan.  I watched it as it flew in, its wing-flap pattern different than that of the Mute Swans. It circled once before landing softly on the water.

With all the moisture in the air, the lichens were wide awake, some of them reproducing, showing off their suction-cup-looking apothecia.

CLICK HERE to see the full album of photos

There were also a few fungi I didn’t expect to see, like Shaggy Mane inkcap mushrooms, Layered Cup fungus, some Brownflesh Bracket,  and a couple of Pungent Slippery Jacks (which were new to me) among others.

I was hoping to see otters, and I saw one, but it was so far away, I couldn’t get any really decent photos of it.  It was swimming back and forth in a tight formation as though searching a specific area for fish. I didn’t see it catch anything, but it was very persistent.

As always, I reported it to the Otter Spotters website.

It also looked to me like the beaver’s den had some new branches piled onto it. I’ve never see the beavers there, but I’ve seen the trees they’ve felled and they seem to maintain their den pretty well.

Beavers den

What surprised me was the number of new Coyote Brush flower galls there were on the bushes (and it looks like they like the female bushes more than the males, but that was just a cursory observation). They usually don’t show up until the spring, but here they were, some bushes covered in them. It was very curious.

Because of the damp and cold, I only walked for a little over 2 hours.  This was hike #91 in my annual hike challenge. I’m pretty sure I’m not going to make my goal of 104 hikes this year but I’m pretty dang close.

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Species List:

  1. Azolla, Water Fern, Azolla filiculoides
  2. Beaver, American, Beaver, Castor canadensis [den]
  3. Brown Parachute Mushroom, Collybiopsis villosipes
  4. Brownflesh Bracket,  Coriolopsis gallica
  5. Callery Pear, Pyrus calleryana
  6. Common Button Lichen, Buellia erubescens [small black dots on wood, by themselves or on a background of white, gray, etc.]
  7. Common Sunburst Lichen, Golden Shield Lichen, Xanthoria parietina [yellow-orange,on wood/trees]
  8. Coyote Brush Bud Gall midge, Rhopalomyia californica
  9. Coyote Brush, Baccharis pilularis
  10. Double-Crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auratus
  11. Elongate Springtail, Order: Entomobryomorpha
  12. European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris
  13. Fremont’s Cottonwood, Populus fremontii
  14. Gold Dust Lichen, Chrysothrix candelaris
  15. Golden-Crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla
  16. Green Shield Lichen, Flavoparmelia caperata
  17. Hoary Rosette Lichen, Physcia aipolia [hoary, brown apothecia]
  18. Hooded Rosette Lichen, Physcia adscendens [hairs/eyelashes on the tips of the lobes]
  19. Horse Mushroom, Agaricus arvensis
  20. Layered Cup, Peziza varia
  21. Magpie Inkcap, Common Inkcap, Coprinopsis picacea
  22. Moss, Wood Bristle-Moss, Lewinskya affinis
  23. Mute Swan, Cygnus olor
  24. Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos
  25. Oak-loving Gymnopus Mushroom, Gymnopus dryophilus [tan-orange with pale gills; cap can be flat or curved up as it ages]
  26. Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus
  27. Pied-Billed Grebe, Podilymbus podiceps
  28. Pin-Cushion Sunburst Lichen, Polycauliona polycarpa [bright orange, apothecia, close, piled]
  29. Poison Oak, Pacific Poison Oak, Western Poison Oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum
  30. Poplar Sunburst Lichen, Xanthomendoza hasseana [sunburst on Cottonwood]
  31. Pungent Slippery Jack, Suillus pungens
  32. River Otter, North American River Otter, Lontra canadensis
  33. Rosy Navel Mushroom, Contumyces rosellus
  34. Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula
  35. Scurfy Twiglet Mushroom, Tubaria furfuracea [small, pale tan/ orange, wide gills]
  36. Shadow Lichen, Family: Physciaceae
  37. Shaggy Mane Inkcap Mushroom, Coprinus comatus
  38. Silky Pink Gill Mushroom, Nolanea sericea (Entoloma sericeum ssp. sericeum) [very dark brown cap with a nipple on top]
  39. Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia
  40. Trembling Crust Fungus, Merulius tremellosus
  41. Tuberous Polypore, Polyporus tuberaster
  42. Tule, Common Tule, Schoenoplectus acutus
  43. Tundra Swan, Cygnus columbianus
  44. White-Crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys
  45. ?? Felty Mouse Ear, Order: Pezizales
#52HikeChallenge, birding, Citizen Science, Firsts, fungi, galls, General Blog, lichen, Naturalist, photography, Volunteering

Looking for Fungi, 12-06-21

I got up around 7:00 this morning and headed over to the American River Bend Park for a walk.  It was a chilly and dampish 46º at the river. I actually do better in cool weather, so I was out for quite a while.

The American River asseen from the River Bend Park trail.

I was hoping to find some birdsnest or coral fungus but struck out on those (might not be wet enough yet). I did find some other fungi, however. I found my first Purple Core (Blewit) of the season. I was a young one and still had a lot of its lavender color. I also found several different kinds of inkcap, some Cavaliers, Sweetbread mushrooms, and Purple- Edged Bonnets (which were new to me).

CLICK HERE for the full album of photos.

At one point, I came across a Great Blue Heron on a rock in the river below the trail, and stopped to get photos of it. It was joined by Turkey Vultures, a Herring Gull, a couple of Double-Crested Cormorants, and a tiny Spotted Sandpiper.

They all played musical chairs among the stones while a Common Goldeneye watch them from the water.  Very cool. I was able to get still shots and a few video snippets.

I also saw a few deer, including a pair of yearling fawns with their mom that passed the road in front of my car as I was leaving the park. The mom was being harassed by a buck who was sniffing after her to see if she was in estrus. When they had all crossed the road and were on the driver’s side of my car, I heard the doe give a low bleat, and her fawns took off in different directions. 

I think the idea that the buck would kill the fawns is a myth, although if mom was in estrus the buck might deliberately chase the fawns away. The fawns I saw were big enough, I think, to fend for themselves, but their mom was still protective of them.

I was out for 4½ hours, so was pretty tired by the time I got home. This was hike #89 of my annual hike challenge.

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Donate $5 to buy me a coffee so I have the fuel I need to keep exploring and bring more of nature to you. Thanks!

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Species List:

  1. Acorn Woodpecker, Melanerpes formicivorus
  2. Audubon’s Warbler, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Setophaga coronata auduboni
  3. Barometer Earthstar, Hygroscopic Earthstar, Astraeus hygrometricus
  4. Bewick’s Wren, Thryomanes bewickii
  5. Blewit Mushroom, Purple Core, Lepista nuda
  6. Bottlebrush Frost Lichen, Physconia detersa
  7. Bracket-Forming Polypore, Perenniporia sp.
  8. Bumpy Rim-Lichen, Lecanora hybocarpa [tan to brown apothecia]
  9. Bushtit, American Bushtit, Psaltriparus minimus
  10. California Buckeye Chestnut Tree, Aesculus californica
  11. California Towhee, Melozone crissalis
  12. Canada Goose, Branta canadensis
  13. Cavalier Mushroom, Melanoleuca sp.
  14. Chocolate Tube Slime Mold, Stemonitis splendens
  15. Columbian Black-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus hemionus columbianus
  16. Common Button Lichen, Buellia erubescens [small black dots on wood, by themselves or on a background of white, gray, etc.
  17. Common Goldeneye, Bucephala clangula
  18. Common Merganser, Mergus merganser
  19. Deer Mushroom, Western Deer Mushroom, Pluteus exilis [heavy, dark cap and white stipe and gills]
  20. Double-Crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auratus
  21. Dryad’s Saddle, Hawk’s Wing, Polyporus squamosus
  22. False Turkey-Tail, Stereum ostrea
  23. Farinose Cartilage Lichen,  Ramalina farinacea [like Oakmoss but very thin branches]
  24. Flocculose Inkcap, Coprinellus flocculosus
  25. Gem-Studded Puffball, Common Puffball, Lycoperdon perlatum
  26. Gold Dust Lichen, Chrysothrix candelaris
  27. Golden-Haired Inkcap Mushroom, Parasola auricoma
  28. Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
  29. Green Shield Lichen, Flavoparmelia caperata
  30. Hare’s Foot Inkcap Mushroom, Coprinopsis lagopus
  31. Herring Gull, Larus argentatus [spot on bill, gray legs, pale eye]
  32. Hoary Rosette Lichen, Physcia aipolia [hoary, brown apothecia]
  33. Hooded Rosette Lichen, Physcia adscendens [hairs/eyelashes on the tips of the lobes]
  34. Interior Live Oak, Quercus wislizeni
  35. London Plane Tree, Platanus × acerifolia
  36. Magpie Inkcap, Common Inkcap, Coprinopsis picacea
  37. Mallard Duck, Anas platyrhynchos
  38. Mealy Pixie Cup, Cladonia chlorophaea
  39. Milk-White Toothed Polypore, Irpex lacteus
  40. Moss, Wood Bristle-Moss, Lewinskya affinis
  41. Oakmoss Lichen, Evernia prunastri [like strap but with soredia]
  42. Pin-Cushion Sunburst Lichen, Polycauliona polycarpa [bright orange, apothecia, close, piled]
  43. Pleated Inkcap Mushroom, Parasola plicatilis
  44. Powder-Edged Speckled Greenshield, Flavopunctelia soredica
  45. Purple-Edge Bonnet Mushroom, Mycena purpureofusca [like little red Marasmius]
  46. Rio Grande Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo intermedia
  47. Rosellinia Fungi, Rosellinia sp. [a plant pathogen, looked like cement; was hard like crampballs]
  48. Shrubby Sunburst Lichen, Polycauliona candelaria
  49. Speckled Greenshield Lichen, Flavopunctelia flaventior
  50. Spotted Sandpiper, Actitis macularius
  51. Strap Lichen, Western Strap Lichen, Ramalina leptocarpha [without soredia]
  52. Stubble Rosegill Mushroom, Volvopluteus gloiocephalus
  53. Sweetbread Mushroom, Clitopilus prunulus
  54. Telegraphweed, Heterotheca grandiflora [soft felted leaves, yellow flowers]
  55. Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura
  56. Two-Horned Gall Wasp, unisexual gall, summer generation,  Dryocosmus dubiosus [small, green or mottled, on back of leaf along the midvein]
  57. Wolf’s Milk Slime Mold, Lycogala epidendrum
  58. ?? Mushroom with brown cap, tan gills and tan/brown stipe
  59. ?? Mushroom with dark brown cap, white gills and twisted stipe
#MigrationCelebration, birding, Citizen Science, galls, General Blog, Naturalist, photography, Volunteering

Four Eagles in One Day, 12-03-21

I got up around 6:00 AM and after feeding Esteban his breakfast and letting him outside for potty, I got myself ready to spend the day out at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge with my friend Roxanne.

It was horribly foggy in Sacramento, so much so that it was hard to see more than a car length or two in front of us. Roxanne did all the driving.(Thank you!) At one point, the fog was so heavy we were following the white line along the edge of the road, and accidentally went onto an off-ramp we didn’t want. Rox caught the error right away and was able to get back onto the freeway without a hitch.  Hah! 

The fog on I5 between Sacramento and Willowsin Glenn County.

The fog persisted for much of our drive, and we were worried that if it was that foggy at the refuge, we wouldn’t see anything.  But as we approached the refuge in Glenn County, we drove out of the fog into sunshine! Yay!

A Great Egret, Ardea alba, stands out among the wetlands.

Right from the parking lot, we were seeing birds: sparrows, Black Phoebes, Marsh Wrens and warblers, along with lots and lots of Red-Winged Blackbirds. We followed some Red-Tailed Hawks around the eucalyptus trees, and along the way found some owl/eagle pellets, Sulphur Shelf fungus, some lerps and eucalyptus galls. 

Nearer to the nature center, we were surprised to see some of the teasel starting to bloom already. The plants are so confused.

Then we came upon the field that usually houses the refuge’s vernal pools in the springtime. Right now, it was full of Killdeer running around and whining at one another. In among them were tiny American Pipits and grumpy looking Brewer’s Blackbirds.

The big surprise, though, was being able to see three Snipes in the golden-yellowed grass. The grass and the birds’ coloring camouflaged them so well, it was sometimes difficult to see them at all.

There were flocks of geese and ducks in the air above us almost all day. We were seeing mostly Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese today, but there were some Greater White-Fronted Geese thrown into the mix as well.

Among the ducks we saw Cinnamon Teals, American Wigeons, Northern Shovelers, and Green-Winged Teals, Northern Pintails, some Ruddy Ducks, Gadwalls, some occasional Buffleheads, Ring-Necked Ducks and Coots.  We got to see a large “vortex” of the Shovelers, and got to see a little bit of the courtship dance of the Gadwalls.

In one of the sloughs, we saw a couple of Common Gallinules.

CLICK HERE for the full album of photos (as soon as Amazon Website Services corrects their downed servers, grrrrrrrrr).

We saw raptors all along the auto tour route, mostly Red-Tailed Hawks, but we also saw an immature Red-Shouldered Hawk, an immature Cooper’s Hawk and… drum roll… FOUR Bald Eagles!

We spotted some of the eagles in what I call “the eagle tree” at a distance at first. The mature eagle’s bright white head made it extra visible.  We ended up seeing the one mature eagle and two immature eagles in the same tree, so we assumed it was probably a mom and her two offspring. These two younger eagles were about 2½ years old (based on their coloring). Further along the route, we saw one more immature eagle who was probably 3 or 3½ years old.       

The eagles don’t get their fully white head and tail until they’re 4 or 5 years old. The beak also changes color as they mature from steely gunmetal gray to bright yellow.

We were also seeing a lot of large mushrooms in the grass and along the berms around the ponds. I think they were all Stubble Rosegills.

We had left the house at 6:30 AM and got home by 3:00 PM. It was a long day folded up in the car, but we saw a lot and laughed a lot, so it was fun and the hours went by quickly.

Buy Me a Coffee!

Donate $5 to buy me a coffee so I have the fuel I need to keep exploring and bring more of nature to you. Thanks!

$5.00

Species List:

  1. American Coot, Fulica americana
  2. American Kestrel, Falco sparverius
  3. American Pipit, Anthus rubescens
  4. American Wigeon, Anas americana
  5. Audubon’s Warbler, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Setophaga coronata auduboni
  6. Azolla, Water Fern, Azolla filiculoides
  7. Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
  8. Black Phoebe, Sayornis nigricans
  9. Black-Necked Stilt, Himantopus mexicanus
  10. Black-Tailed Jackrabbit, Lepus californicus
  11. Brewer’s Blackbird, Euphagus cyanocephalus
  12. Bufflehead Duck, Bucephala albeola
  13. California Bordered Plant Bug, Largus californicus
  14. Cinnamon Teal, Anas cyanoptera
  15. Common Gallinule, Gallinula galeata
  16. Cooper’s Hawk, Acipiter cooperii
  17. Coyote Brush, Baccharis pilularis
  18. Eucalyptus Gall Wasp, Ophelimus maskelli [speckled; flat galls all over the leaf surface]
  19. Gadwall Duck, Mareca Strepera
  20. Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
  21. Great Egret, Ardea alba
  22. Greater White-Fronted Goose, Anser albifrons
  23. Green-Winged Teal, Anas carolinensis
  24. Hare’s Foot Inkcap Mushroom, Coprinopsis lagopus
  25. Interior Sandbar Willow, Salix interior
  26. Killdeer, Charadrius vociferous
  27. Lesser Goldfinch, Spinus psaltria
  28. Long-Billed Curlew, Numenius americanus [in a rice field in the Yolo Bypass area]
  29. Mallard Duck, Anas platyrhynchos
  30. Marsh Wren, Cistothorus palustris
  31. Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura
  32. Narrowleaf Cattail, Typha angustifolia
  33. Narrowleaf Milkweed, Mexican Whorled Milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis
  34. Northern Pintail, Anas acuta
  35. Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata
  36. Pacific Pond Turtle, Western Pond Turtle, Actinemys marorata
  37. Paper Wasp, Black Paper Wasp, European Paper Wasp, Polistes dominula
  38. Paper Wasp, Red Paper wasp, Apache Paper Wasp, Polistes apachus
  39. Pleated Inkcap Mushroom, Parasola plicatilis
  40. Raven, Common Raven, Corvus corax
  41. Red Gum Eucalyptus, River Redgum, Eucalyptus camaldulensis
  42. Red Gum Lerp Psyllid, Glycaspis brimblecombei [on eucalyptus]
  43. Red-Shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus
  44. Red-Tailed Hawk, Western Red-Tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis calurus
  45. Red-Winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus
  46. Ring-Necked Duck, Aythya collaris
  47. Ross’s Goose, Anser rossii
  48. Ruddy Duck, Oxyura jamaicensis
  49. Sacred Datura, Jimsonweed,  Datura wrightii
  50. Salt Grass, Distichlis spicata
  51. Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis
  52. Snow Goose, Chen caerulescens
  53. Sulphur Shelf Fungus, Western Hardwood Sulphur Shelf, Laetiporus gilbertsonii
  54. Swamp Smartweed, Persicaria hydropiperoides [white, single stem]
  55. Tule, Common Tule, Schoenoplectus acutus
  56. Tundra Swan, Cygnus columbianus [in a rice field in the Yolo Bypass area]
  57. Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura
  58. Western Kingbird, Tyrant Flycatcher, Tyrannus verticalis
  59. Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta
  60. White Stubble Rosegill, Volvopluteus gloiocephalusi [white or gray mushroom, slick cap with colored center, pale pink to gills, papery volva]
  61. White-Crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys
  62. Wild Teasel, Dipsacus fullonum
  63. Wilson’s Snipe, Gallinago delicata