Destinations in chronological order: Midnight -- east of Lincoln in rice field habitats, and marshes, for rails, bitterns, owls. Drive to Auburn and Foresthill and along Mosquito Ridge Road. Owling until dawn. High elevation (4,500' elevation) birds. Return down slope to Foresthill Bridge chaparral birds. Drive to Folsom Lake SRA for oak woodland and open water birds. Drive to Lincoln Sewage Treatment Plant for diving ducks. Continue in agricultural and marshland areas west of Lincoln and Sheridan. Stop at Auburn Water Treatment Plant and vicinity. Then, cross Sierras on I-80 to sagebrush birds at Martis Creek Reservoir. Drive to N. Lake Tahoe vantage points for mergansers, loons, etc. Return to I-80 via Highway 89. Snowing over Donner Summit. Again to Foresthill Bridge and finally, Folsom Lake. Last bird of the trip, Common Poorwill, at 11:30 P.M.
Notable mammal:
A mountain lion crossing Mosquito Ridge Road in the headlights of the vehicle
at about 2:45 A.M. negated the need for No-Doz afterward.
| PLACER CO. Big Day List | approx. # | 1998 Big Day Locations |
| Common Loon | 20 | Folsom Lake (2) and Lake Tahoe (18) |
| Pied-billed Grebe | 10 | multiple locations east of Lincoln |
| Horned Grebe | 8 | Rioso Road and Lincoln Water Treatment Plant |
| Eared Grebe | 10 | Folsom Lake and Lake Tahoe |
| Western Grebe | 30 | Folsom Lake and Lake Tahoe |
| Double-crested Cormorant | 3 | flyovers east of Lincoln |
| American Bittern | 15 | multiple locations east of Lincoln |
| Great Blue Heron | 10 | multiple locations east of Lincoln |
| Great Egret | 10 | multiple locations east of Lincoln |
| Snowy Egret | 1 | Nicolas Road east of Lincoln |
| Green Heron | 2 | east of Lincoln and along Hwy. 65 |
| "Black" Brant | 12 | at Tahoe City, Lake Tahoe (First County Record) |
| Canada Goose | 50 | Martis Creek Res. and Folsom Lake SRA |
| Wood Duck | 20 | Auburn Water Treatment Plants |
| Green-winged Teal | 10 | Dalbey Road east of Lincoln |
| Mallard | 50 | multiple locations east of Lincoln and Martis Creek Res. |
| Northern Pintail | 4 | Dalbey Road east of Lincoln / Martis Creek Res. |
| Cinnamon Teal | 6 | Dalbey Road east of Lincoln / Martis Creek Res. |
| Northern Shoveler | 10 | Lincoln Water Treatment Plants |
| Gadwall | 5 | Dalbey Road east of Lincoln / Martis Creek Res. |
| American Wigeon | 2 | Dalbey Road east of Lincoln |
| Ring-necked Duck | 5 | Martis Creek Res. and Dalbey Road east of Lincoln |
| Common Goldeneye | 1 | Lake Tahoe |
| Bufflehead | 8 | Lincoln and Auburn Water Treatment Plants |
| Hooded Merganser | 10 | Lake Tahoe and Martis Creek Res. |
| Common Merganser | 5 | Folsom Lake / Martis Creek Res. and Lake Tahoe |
| Red-breasted Merganser | 15 | Lake Tahoe |
| Ruddy Duck | 20 | Lincoln and Auburn Water Treatment Plants |
| Turkey Vulture | 20 | multiple locations foothills east of Auburn, Folsom Lake |
| Osprey | 2 | Martis, Folsom Lake |
| Northern Harrier | 5 | East of Lincoln |
| Cooper's Hawk | 3 | foothills east of Auburn, Folsom Lake |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 2 | Hwy. 80 Rocklin. east of Lincoln |
| Swainson's Hawk | 2 | N of Lincoln on Hwy. 65 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 20+ | multiple locations |
| Golden Eagle | 1 | Rioso Road |
| American Kestrel | 10 | multiple locations |
| (Ring-necked Pheasant) | 6 | multiple locations |
| Blue Grouse | 4 | 4-5 at dusk above Highway 89 |
| California Quail | 2 | Lincoln STP |
| Mountain Quail | 10 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Virginia Rail | 2 | Rioso Road |
| Sora | 1 | Dalbey and Rioso Road |
| Common Moorhen | 5 | Rioso Road |
| American Coot | 140 | multiple locations |
| Semipalmated Plover | 15 | Rioso Road and Martis Creek Res. |
| Killdeer | 25 | multiple locations |
| Black-necked Stilt | 30 | multiple locations |
| American Avocet | 1 | Rioso Road |
| Greater Yellowlegs | 3 | multiple locations |
| Whimbrel | 3 | Rioso Road |
| Marbled Godwit * | 1 | Rioso Road (one previous Spring record) |
| Sanderling | 1 | Martis Creek Res. (First County Record) |
| Western Sandpiper | 6 | Rioso Road, Martis Creek Res. |
| Least Sandpiper | 30 | multiple locations |
| Dunlin | 1 | Rioso Road |
| Long-billed Dowitcher | 30 | Rioso Road |
| Common Snipe | 2 | Martis Creek Res. |
| California Gull | 30 | Folsom Lake and Lake Tahoe |
| Caspian Tern | 1 | Folsom Lake |
| Forster's Tern | 1 | Martis Creek Res. |
| (Rock Dove) | 30 | multiple locations |
| Band-tailed Pigeon | 10 | chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge |
| Mourning Dove | 25 | multiple locations |
| Barn Owl | 10 | Agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| Western Screech-Owl | 5 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Great Horned Owl | 4 | Agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| Northern Pygmy-Owl | 3 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Burrowing Owl | 1 | E of Sheridan |
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | 1 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Common Poorwill | 1 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area at Rattlesnake Road |
| White-throated Swift | 15 | Foresthill Bridge |
| Black-chinned Hummingbird | 4 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Anna's Hummingbird | 10 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Rufous Hummingbird | 2 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area/ agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| Belted Kingfisher | 2 | agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| Acorn Woodpecker | 10 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Red-breasted Sapsucker | 2 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Nuttall's Woodpecker | 2 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Downy Woodpecker | 1 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 3 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. and nr. Mt Watkins |
| White-headed Woodpecker | 2 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Northern Flicker | 5 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | 1 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Gray Flycatcher | 1 | chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge |
| Pacific-slope Flycatcher | 2 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Black Phoebe | 3 | agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| Ash-throated Flycatcher | 10 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Western Kingbird | 10 | agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| Loggerhead Shrike | 1 | Dalbey Road |
| Cassin's Vireo | 10 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Hutton's Vireo | 3 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Warbling Vireo | 2 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Steller's Jay | 30 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Western Scrub Jay | 30 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Yellow-billed Magpie | 15 | agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| American Crow | 20 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area / agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| Common Raven | 1 | Martis Creek Reservoir |
| Horned Lark | 2 | Martis Creek Reservoir |
| Tree Swallow | 20 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Violet-green Swallow | 2 | Martis Creek Reservoir |
| North. Rough-winged Swallow | 10 | Martis Creek Reservoir |
| Cliff Swallow | 400+ | Martis Creek Reservoir / chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge |
| Barn Swallow | 8 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. and other locations |
| Mountain Chickadee | 3 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Chestnut-backed Chickadee | 4 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Oak Titmouse | 10+ | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Bushtit | 4 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 3 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 2 | Ophir Road |
| Pygmy Nuthatch | 4 | Lake Tahoe |
| Brown Creeper | 2 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Canyon Wren | 3 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Bewick's Wren | 4 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge |
| House Wren | 5 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Winter Wren | 1 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. at MM 14 |
| Marsh Wren | 10 | agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | 6 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | 2 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | 4 | chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge / Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Western Bluebird | 5 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Mountain Bluebird | 10 | Martis Creek Reservoir |
| Hermit Thrush | 5 | chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge |
| American Robin | 40 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. / multiple locations |
| Wrentit | 20 | chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge / multiple locations |
| Northern Mockingbird | 3 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| California Thrasher | 2 | chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge |
| Cedar Waxwing | 20 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Phainopepla | 2 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| (European Starling) | 20 | multiple locations |
| Orange-crowned Warbler | 30 | Mosquito Ridge Rd./chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge |
| Nashville Warbler | 20 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | 30 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Black-throated Gray Warbler | 10 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Townsend's Warbler | 2 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Hermit Warbler | 10 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| MacGillivray's Warbler | 2 | chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge |
| Common Yellowthroat | 1 | heard agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| Wilson's Warbler | 15 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Western Tanager | 1 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Black-headed Grosbeak | 6 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. / Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Lazuli Bunting | 2 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Spotted Towhee | 20 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area /chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge |
| California Towhee | 5 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Rufous-crowned Sparrow | 4 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Chipping Sparrow | 5 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Brewer's Sparrow | 1 | Martis Creek Reservoir |
| Vesper Sparrow | 2 | Martis Creek Reservoir |
| Lark Sparrow | 10 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Sage (Bell's) Sparrow | 2 | foothills east of Auburn |
| Savannah Sparrow | 4 | Mosquito Ridge Rd and grasslands east of Lincoln |
| Fox Sparrow | 3 | chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge / Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Song Sparrow | 2 | Douglas Blvd. at Barton Road |
| Golden-crowned Sparrow | 5 | chaparral east of Foresthill Bridge |
| White-crowned Sparrow | 10 | Martis Creek Reservoir |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 10 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Red-winged Blackbird | 100+ | agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| Tricolored Blackbird | 10 | agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| Western Meadowlark | 20 | agricultural lands E of Lincoln |
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | 15 | Dalbey Rd |
| Brewer's Blackbird | 20 | Foresthill and Martis Creek Reservoir |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | 10 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Hooded Oriole | 2 | Delmar Road off Sierra College Blvd. |
| Bullock's Oriole | 10 | multiple locations |
| Purple Finch | 2 | Mosquito Ridge Rd. |
| Cassin's Finch | 2 | nr Mt. Watkins |
| House Finch | 10 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| Red Crossbill | 10 | Martis Creek Reservoir |
| Pine Siskin | 2 | nr Mt. Watkins |
| Lesser Goldfinch | 15 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| American Goldfinch | 4 | Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
| (House Sparrow) | 5 | Foresthill Rd at Hwy. 80 |
| \ | ||
| 172 Species | ||
| \ | ||
| \ | ||
| possible Least Bittern | 1 | (heard only) at night Rioso Road marsh (one prior PLA record.) |
| probable Herring Gull | 1 | distant look at large pale gull Folsom Lake State Rec. Area |
Prepared by Bruce Webb
BruWebb@rcsis.com
Granite Bay, CA
(on the west shore of Folsom Lake, Placer
Co.)