Between the months of March and July each year a variety of birds converge on this neighborhood to breed, nest and raise their young. Behind the Wyndham Garden Sacramento Airport apartment complex there’s the River Birch Park site and large pond. In the trees around the pond the birds set up housekeeping. There are mostly Black-Crowned Night Herons that roost here, and Snowy Egrets take over the small island in the middle of the pond. There’s a paved path around the pond that makes access and photography rather easy.
Egg of a Black-Crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax 
A bonded pair of Black-Crowned Night Herons, Nycticorax nycticorax. It’s probably the male on the nest with the female overhead. 
Black-Crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, sporting its pink legs. 
Black-Crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax 
When we first got there, I found it difficult to distinguish the nests and the birds, but my eye was soon able to pick them out. 
• Easy to Locate? Yes
• Pet Friendly? Not really.
• Easy to Walk? Yes.
• Is there a Fee? No
• Are there Restrooms? No
• Is there Accessible Parking? Sort of.
• Other Notes: You’ll need to park on the street outside the apartment complex parking lot, or in one of the two “courtesy” spots in the parking lot nearest the street. Do NOT park in any of the numbered spaces in the lot.
See my FLICKR account for more albums of photos taken at this location
The rookery here is tracked by volunteers of the Sacramento Heron and Egret Rescue group. They may also be able to provide you access to the apartment complex grounds if you join in on one of their volunteer days. CLICK HERE for more information.
How to Get to the Rookery
From Sacramento:
- Take I-5 North toward Redding
- Take EXIT 524 for Arena Blvd.
- Use the right two lanes to turn RIGHT onto Arena Blvd.
- Use the left two lanes to turn LEFT onto Truxel Road
- Turn RIGHT onto Terracina Drive
- The complex and park are on your right.
Wyndham Garden Sacramento Airport apartments, 2298 Terracina Drive, Natomas, CA 95834
