Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex
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Interesting Wildlife Sightings
Wildlife Observation - Facilities - Waterfowl Surveys - Interesting Sightings - Reservation Form - Wildlife ChecklistWhite-tailed kite, photo: Steve Emmons

 

We encourage our visitors to report to us any sightings of rare or unusual animals on our Refuges and the surrounding area. This list is updated monthly, so check back with us soon.

All sightings are on the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge unless otherwise noted. Species identification is performed by the public and can be subject to error.

 

 

 

DATE
  
WILDLIFE OBSERVED
3/4/09   Peregrine Falcon near Logan Creek. Golden Eagle west of viewing platform.
2/28/09   Eurasian Wigeon and Hooded Merganser.
2/24/09  

Drake Blue-Winged Teal, Colusa NWR observation deck.
2/22/09   15+ American White Pelicans loafing on an island on auto tour route.
2/21/09   5 Bald Eagles
2/20/09   Bald Eagle
2/18/09   Mature and immature Bald Eagles in tree, P1.
2/15/09   3rd year Bald Eagle, P1. Peregrine Falcon, P1A:3. American Bittern, T9.1.
2/13/09   Mature Bald Eagle eating a kill, T4:3
2/9/09   Great-horned Owl. Pair of Hooded Mergansers on Colusa tour route 1st pond on the right east of parking lot.
2/4/09   Bald Eagle, N. of VC by Wetlands Walk trail.
2/2/09   pair of Bald Eagles, P1.
2/1/09   Mature Bald Eagle, T10.12. Drake Canvasback, T17.
1/31/09   5 "Blue" Snow Geese and 1 "Blue" Ross's Goose, T5.1 6 immature Bald Eagles, 1 Golden Eagle, and a Merlin.
1/30/09   Peregrine Falcon by dam. 3 mature and 2 immature Bald Eagles, Logan Creek & T4.3.
1/29/09   American Bittern, T5.
1/26/09   American Bittern, T5.
1/25/09   5 Bald Eagles. 2 Perigrine Falcons P1A & T4.3. 4 Hooded Mergansers T 13:1. Blue-winged TealT12.1. 2 Bald Eagles & 1 Golden Eagle, T5. 1 Common Goldeneye P1.A-4
1/24/09   Pair of Blue-winged Teal, P1B. 45 Tundra Swans, T5.1. Peregrine Falcon, P1A.3. 3 mature & 1 immature Bald Eagle, P1.
1/23/09   Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Prairie Falcon, Peregrin Falcon, Blue-winged Teal, and mature Bald Eagle.
1/22/09   2 Bald Eagles, Sac hunting area.
1/21/09   Peregrine Falcon, Dam 1. Immature Bald Eagle. 4 Euraasian Wigeon (3M/1F), Colusa observation deck.
1/20/09   4 Bald Eagles
1/19/09   Cackling Goose x Greater White-fronted Goose hybrid and drake Eurasian Wigeon, Colusa observation deck.
1/18/09   14 Blue Snow Geese, Greater Scaup, 2 pair Blue-winged Teal, Peregrine Falcon, 7-10 Bald Eagles (mature & immature).
1/17/09   Peregrine Falcon, T17.
1/14/09   6 Bald eagles-3 mature 1 1st yr & 2 3rd yr, Peregrine Falcon. 2 pair Blue-winged Teal, P1B. Belted Kingfisher, P1A.1. Blue-winged Teal, Colusa Auto Tour.
1/12/09   Adult male Rough-legged Hawk (pale).
1/10/09   5 Coyots, T13.3. 2 Bald Eagles along Logan Creek.
1/8/09   2 Blue Snow Geese, Bald Eagle; P1A.4. Bald Eagle T8.1. 5 Pelicans.
1/4/09   Blue Ross's Goose, T9.1. Prairie Falcon, T17. 2 Blue Snow Geese, Drake Blue-winged Teal, 2 Bald Eagles; P1B. 3 Blue Snow Geese P2. Cackling Geese and a Striped Skunk.
1/1/09   Pair of Purple Martin
12/30/08   Bald Eagle, T11
12/28/08   Bald Eagle, American Bittern
12/27/08  

Long-billed Curlew, Tundra Swans, 4 Raccoons, Striped Skunk, 2 mature Bald Eagles on morning Waterfowl Wonder Tour. Pair of Hooded Mergansers T 13.1. Western Kingbird on the Wetlands Walk. 2 Blue morph Snow Geese, T5.2
12/26/08   4 mature & 1 immature Bald Eagles, auto tour T9.2 & Logan Creek.
12/23/08   Bald Eagle
12/22/08   Western Kingbird VC parking lot.
12/20/08   River Otters by viewing platform.
12/16/08   Collared Snow Goose, T10:1.
12/15/08   Bald Eagle, P1A.
12/12/08   Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, and White-faced Ibis near the end of the auto tour. ImmatureBald Eagle near the Visitor Center.
12/11/08   Peregrine Falcon at the beginning of auto tour. Immature Bald Eagle near the end of the auto tour.
12/8/08   Peregrine Falcon past the viewing platform.
12/6/08   Prairie Falcon, Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, and Great-horned Owl; near the end of the auto tour. Blue-winged Teal near the viewing platform. American Bittern, T:5.1
12/5/08   3 Common Goldeneye, T-14.2
12/1/08   Orange-crowned Warbler and House Wren at the viewing platform. Blue-winged Teal in the pond behind the viewing platform.
11/30/08   American Bittern T:9.1.
11/29/08   River otter, Golden Eagle feeding P1A.1, Nuttall's Woodpecker T:5.2. American Bittern T:9.1. Bald Eagle and American Turkey on Wetlands Walk.
11/28/08   Immature Bald Eagle eating a white goose P1A.1, 2 Bald Eagles, 2 American Bitterns, Peregrine Falcon, Great-horned Owl, 6 cackling geese on Norman Rd. near checking station.
11/24/08   Hen Blue-winged Teal, 3 Eurasian Wigeons near observation deck at Colusa NWR. Peregrine Falcon at photo blind #1. Blue morph Snow Goose P1A.1
11/23/08   Peregrine Falcon at photo blind #1, River otter T:10.1.
11/22/08   Prairie Falcon P1A.1 (along creek before dam), Peregrine Falcon P1A.3
11/21/08   Bald eagle T:5.1, Peregrine Falcon T:5.2, Aleutian Cackling Goose T:11. Golden Eagle, Blue-winged Teal, 4 River Otters.
11/19/08   American White Pelicans and Long-billed Curlews. Blue collared Ross's Goose near the end of the auto tour. Blue-winged teal near the viewing platform.
11/15/08  

3 Tundra Swans T:5.2
11/7/08   Adult Peregrine Falcon, male Eurasian Wigeon, 75 Sandhill Cranes, 50+ Long-billed Curlews at the Llano Seco viewing platform.
11/6/08   5 deer including young at the beginning of the auto tour. Peregrine Falcon D7 3rd year Bald Eagle A4 on auto tour.
11/5/08   Eurasian Wigeon pair, Cinnamon & Blue-winged Teal hybrid at Colusa NWR near viewing deck.
10/24/08   Golden Eagle near platform
10/7/08   White-tailed Kite at entrance road
10/3/08   Bald Eagle, 300+ Sandhill Cranes roosting & foraging: Llano Seco River Unit
9/25/08   Albine fawn Mule Deer in tract 31
9/13/08   2 Peregrine Falcons harassing a Great-horned Owl, one stooped on owl and drove it to the ground. Near Logan Creek on auto tour.
     
2/13/08   American Bittern eating large fish
2/7/08   Bald Eagles, coyote
2/6/08   Cooper's Hawk (pair) in willows by visitor's center
1/27/08   Lesser Scaup, Pelicans
1/18/08   Golden Eagles (2)
1/12/08   Lesser Scaup, Peregrine Falcon perched on stump in P1
1/11/08   Pair Hooded Mergansers in 6A
1/10/08   Marbled Godwit, Blue-winged Teal (Colusa Auto Tour)
12/28/07   Bald Eagle
12/27/07   otter, Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon X2, Hairy (Downy) Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Great-horned Owl, Black-crowned Night-heron, Tree Swallow
12/23/07   blue morph Ross' Goose-SW corner of tour loop, White-faced Ibis
12/22/07   blue morph Ross' Goose-tract 6/7 in 2nd cell
12/21/07   Hooded Merganser, Wilson's Snipe, 2 Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcon, 1st winter Thayer's Gull
12/13/07   3 Bald Eagles, 2 Peregrine Falcons
12/11/07   2 adult Bald Eagles, 2 Lesser Scaup (female), many Roungh-legged Hawks
12/9/07   Snipe
12/2-12/8/07   Golden and Bald Eagles
12/02/07   Bald Eagle, Prairie Falcon, Red-shouldered Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk
12/01/07   1 Bald Eagle, 2 Peregrine Falcons, 1 Golden Eagle and 1 1st year Thayers Gull (Tract 14.2), Northern Shrike in trees north of platform
11/30/07  

Virginia Rail, Northern Shrike
11/27/07   First year Thayer's gull on north end of auto tour
11/24/07   1 adult and 1 juvenile Peregrine Falcon inbetween platform and pump station, 2 Golden Eagles and 2 Peregrine Falcons, Loggerhead Shrike north of platform, Rough-legged Hawk
11/23/07   Whimbrel, Bald Eagle
11/22/07   Prairie Falcon over Visitor's Center
11/21/07   Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, White-tailed Kite
11/17/07   non-typical huge buck 7 X 9, Golden Eagle
11/16-17/07   Multiple blue Snow Geese and Ross's Geese, Eurasian Wigeons, Peregrine Falcon
11/16/07   Great-horned Owl, Sora-from viewing platform: SW corner of pond, Peregrine Falcon
11/10/07   Golden Eagle, Eurasian Wigeon, Peregrine Falcon, Green-winged Teal, Long-tailed Duck-Blind 45 (hunt area) with flock of Ruddy Ducks
11/4/07   Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Falcon, Audubon's Warbler
11/3/07   Peregrine Falcon, Cooper's Hawk, Eurasian Wigeon, Lincoln's Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, White-tailed Kites, Adult Bald Eagle flyover parking lot
10/22/07  

Golden Eagle over northwest pond near park-n-stretch.

10/9/07

  

2 Greater Scaup1/2 way from platform to N. end of tour route. 2 Redhead-last open pond before NW corner.
10/5/07   2 Large otters in pond east of viewing platform.

 

Sacramento NWR Complex
752 County Rd. 99W, Willows, CA 95988
Phone: (530) 934-2801; Fax: (530) 934-7814
24-hour Information: (530) 934-7774
TTY: (530) 934-7135

Last updated: March 9, 2009