Sacramento Regional Wildlife Viewing

Viewing Locations

1. NIMBUS AND AMERICAN RIVER HATCHERIES
   California Department of Fish and Game
   Rancho Cordova; (916) 358-2884; www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Hatcheries/Nimbus
   Stroll the river trail to discover signs of wildlife. Scan the river's edge for fish, egret and mergansers.
   Catch a glimpse of heron fishing at the pond. Check out the Visitor Center exhibits.
   YEAR-ROUND: young salmon and trout in the raceways
   SPRING: cormorants, hawks, bluebirds
   SUMMER: gulls, kingfisher, osprey
   FALL: salmon spawning, steelhead trout in the raceways, herons, waterfowl, turkey
   WINTER: steelhead spawning, salmon hatching, ducks, vultures, deer, egrets
    
2. AMERICAN RIVER PARKWAY EFFIE YEAW NATURE CENTER
   Sacramento County Parks Recreation and Open Space
   Carmichael; (916) 489-4918; www.sacnaturecenter.net
   Discover nature's richness along trails through oak woodland, lush cottonwoods and wild grape. Sights, sounds and smells of the peaceful nature area offer a restful retreat.
   YEAR-ROUND: magpies, waterfowl, turkeys, deer
   SPRING: wood ducks, hawks, quail, hummingbirds
   SUMMER: swallowtail butterflies, acorn woodpeckers, tree swallows
   FALL: red-tailed hawks, vultures, salmon, gulls, mergansers
   WINTER: owls, songbirds, raccoon, otter Interactive natural and cultural history exhibits, live animals, discovery store and weekend programs.
   Additional Parkway Sites: Discovery Park, Bushy Lake, William Pond, Rossmoor Bar, Sailor Bar
   FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL (916) 875-6672
     
3. FOLSOM LAKE STATE RECREATION AREA
   California Department of Parks and Recreation
   Folsom; (916) 988-0205 ext 273; www.parks.ca.gov
   Wander the trails and enjoy wildlife viewing along the shoreline, in open woodlands and wetlands.
   YEAR-ROUND: deer, kites, turkey, quail, mockingbirds
   SPRING: hummingbirds, orioles, herons, songbirds
   SUMMER: hawks, white pelican, geese, jays
   FALL: geese, bluebirds, woodpeckers, lizards
   WINTER: waterfowl, waxwings, beaver, muskrat
   Picnic areas, hiking trails, camping, boat access, visitor center.
     
4. MATHER REGIONAL PARK
   Sacramento Regional Park, Recreation and Open Space
   Rancho Cordova; (916) 875-6672; www.msa2.saccounty.net/parks
   Wooded lake and creek, grasslands and colorful vernal pools offer intimate viewing.
   YEAR-ROUND: deer, lizards, owls, meadowlarks
   SPRING: wildflowers, amphibians, shorebirds, songbirds
   SUMMER: hawks, pheasant, bluebird, orioles
   FALL: woodpeckers, falcons, magpies, quail
   WINTER: waterfowl, towhees, coyote, jays
    
5. ISENBERG CRANE RESERVE
   California Department of Fish and Game
   Lodi; (916) 358-2353; www.dfg.ca.gov/lands
   Witness awe-inspiring flights of sandhill cranes along Woodbridge Road, west of I-5. All land is
   private except the reserve.
   SPRING: barn owls, herons, orioles, shorebirds
   SUMMER: pelicans, vultures, Swainson’s hawks
   FALL: sandhill cranes, ibis, hawks, shrikes
   WINTER: sandhill cranes, swans, stilts, ducks
   Parking lot 2 1/2 miles west of I-5. Tours to shelter available by reservation.
    
6. COSUMNES RIVER PRESERVE
   The Nature Conservancy / Bureau of Land Management
   Galt; (916) 683-1700; www.cosumnes.org
   Hike through oaks, marsh and willows on established trails. Over 200 bird species use this site for resting or residence. Visit this expanding reserve along a wild and scenic river.
   YEAR-ROUND: herons, hawks, otter, deer, owls
   SPRING: songbirds, turtles, blackbirds
   SUMMER: avocets, bluebirds, pheasant, muskrat
   FALL: sandhill cranes, waterfowl, stilts, finches
   WINTER: sandhill cranes, geese, swans, ducks
   Open daily; visitor center exhibits, special programs, small boat access, restoration opportunities
    
7. STONE LAKES NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
   U.S. National Fish and Wildlife Service
   Elk Grove; (916) 775-4420; www.fws.gov/stonelakes
   Explore a grassland trail along the water’s edge and ramble through the woods. This new urban refuge provides homes for well over a hundred bird species and many resident mammals and reptiles. Get a bird’s eye view from the viewing platform or join a tour.
   YEAR-ROUND: herons, egrets, cinnamon teals, owls
   SPRING: otters, beavers, shrikes, vernal pool flowers, grebes, ibis
   SUMMER: pheasant, hawks, quail, coyote, rabbits
   FALL: ducks, stilts, avocets, pheasant, hawks
   WINTER: white pelicans, sandhill cranes, geese, eagles
   Open second and fourth Saturday of each month.
    
8. LAGUNA CREEK PARKWAY
   Elk Grove Community Service District
   Elk Grove; (916) 685-3917; www.yourcsd.com/parks
   Enjoy year-round trails along cottonwoods and willows.
   YEAR-ROUND: herons, egrets, otter, songbirds
   SPRING: vernal pool flowers, frogs, wrens
   SUMMER: turtles, red-wing blackbird, muskrat, hawks
   FALL: deer, hawks, grebes, magpies
   WINTER: ducks, shorebirds, opossum, kingfisher
   Guided tours held first Saturday of every month.
    
9. VIC FAZIO YOLO WILDLIFE AREA
   California Department of Fish and Game
   Davis; (530) 758-1018; www.yolobasin.org
   The Yolo Bypass, a Globally Important Bird Area, is a partnership wetland restoration project.
   YEAR-ROUND: black crowned night herons, owls, ibis, muskrat
   SPRING: avocets, hawks, orioles, blackbirds
   SUMMER: yellow headed blackbirds, great blue herons, egrets, finches, kites
   FALL: snow geese, shorebirds, kingfisher, raccoon
   WINTER: white pelicans, swans, ducks, bald eagle
   Open daily; weekly tours, auto loop, trails (demonstration marsh at headquarters).
    
10. GRIZZLY ISLAND WILDLIFE AREA
    California Department of Fish and Game
    Suisun City; (707) 425-3828; www.dfg.ca.gov/lands
    This salt/freshwater marsh hosts one of the state’s most diverse groupings of birds – 230 species, and California’s largest population of river otter.
    YEAR-ROUND: tule elk, kites, hawks, otter
    SPRING: tule elk calves, hummingbirds, egrets, yellowthroats, rails
    SUMMER: teals, shorebirds, songbirds, muskrat
    WINTER: waterfowl, prairie and peregrine falcons
    Open daily to the general public February through July. Auto loop, trails.
     
11. GRAY LODGE WILDLIFE AREA
    California Department of Fish and Game
    Gridley; (530) 846-5176; www.dfg.ca.gov/lands
    Situated in the heart of the Pacific Flyway, this spectacular wetland is known for its wintering migratory waterfowl. A million ducks, 200 species of birds and over 200,000 geese winter on this 9,182 acre mosaic of marshes, ponds and woods.
    YEAR-ROUND: herons, teals, egrets, hawks, grebes
    SPRING: avocets, stilts, kingbirds, finches, muskrat
    SUMMER: orioles, pelicans, marsh wrens, coots
    FALL: bitterns, sandhill cranes, ducks, kites, pheasant
    WINTER: ducks, snow geese, ibis, deer, swans
    Open daily; Seasonal weekend tours, self-guided nature trail, auto tour, viewing platform, exhibits
     
12. BOBELAINE AUDUBON SANCTUARY
    Sacramento Audubon Society
    Nicolaus; (916) 481-5332; www.sacramentoaudubon.org
    Enjoy well maintained trails as you meander through lush woodlands by the Feather River.
    YEAR-ROUND: hawks, great horned owls, wood ducks, herons
    SPRING: cormorants, grebes, wood ducks, quail
    SUMMER: egrets, swallows, kingfishers, woodpeckers
    FALL: salmon, osprey, yellow rumped warbler, bald eagle, gulls
    WINTER: herons, kestrel, woodpeckers, owls
    Highway 99 to one mile north of Feather River (south of Yuba City); go east on Laurel Road. Proceed 1/2 mile.