Friends of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge

10/30/2026

The Visitor Center (and our Nature Store) will be open Sunday, November 1. We have some new merch, and more is on the way. The refuge is looking better every day now, with birds and water coming in. The eagle pair has been seen working on their nest as well.

Screen shot take from our live we**am just now. I'd say there are a few birds at the refuge!!

10/26/2026

The water keeps coming, as do the birds. This is a screen shot from our live we**am just taken.

We continue to need volunteers to work at the Nature Store at the Sac NWR Visitor Center. The work is fun, easy and safe as we use Square as our POS terminal, with no cash involved.

Here is the link to our signupgenius page. I am going to be adding dates in the new year shortly, but we still have some open slots in 2026.

https://www.signupgenius.com/.../10C0545A8A922A1FEC34...

10/16/2026

WE STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS!!

The Friends needs volunteers to help staff the Nature Store at the Visitor Center this coming season. With the hiring of the interns, funded by the Friends and its partners, the VC will be open both weekend days this coming migratory season. We need help staffing the nature store on those days.

The work is fun and easy. We use Square as our point of sale system, and only take cards so there is no cash to deal with. We have made it really simple and logical to process sales. We plan on having a zoom training session prior to Nov. 1. There will be at least one Refuge staff person in the VC at all times when the store is open.

We have created a sign up genius page so you can sign up to work at the store on dates you are available. Hours are 10-4 Saturday and Sunday, but exact timing is up to the individual. The first date we hope to be open is Sunday, November 1.

If you have any questions let me know, and feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested in helping the Refuge and the Friends this season. So far, I have only posted dates in 2026, but we will be adding 2027 dates shortly. If you know you can work a specific date in the new year, let me know and I'll add it immediately.

Thanks for helping us have a great year in the Nature Store!

Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Thank you!

10/13/2026

A few of the eagle pair I saw Saturday...evidently they have been seen around the nest. Fingers crossed!

10/12/2026

Where there is water, there are birds at the Refuge....even this early.

09/23/2026

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!!

The Friends needs volunteers to help staff the Nature Store at the Visitor Center this coming season. With the hiring of the interns, funded by the Friends and its partners, the VC will be open both weekend days this coming migratory season. We need help staffing the nature store on those days.

The work is fun and easy. We use Square as our point of sale system, and only take cards so there is no cash to deal with. We have made it really simple and logical to process sales. If needed we can do brief training. There will be at least one Refuge staff person in the VC at all times.

We have created a sign up genius page so you can sign up to work at the store on dates you are available. Hours are 10-4 Saturday and Sunday, but exact timing is up to the individual. The first date we hope to be open is Sunday, November 1.

If you have any questions let me know, and feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested in helping the Refuge and the Friends this season. So far, I have only posted dates in 2026, but we will be adding 2027 dates shortly. If you know you can work a specific date in the new year, let me know and I'll add it immediately.

Thanks for helping us have a great year in the Nature Store!

Link:

Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Thank you!

09/16/2026

I wanted everyone to see this, our press release regarding the ACE interns you will see at the Refuge this season. One has already started, the other starts in early October. Thanks to all who supported this important project. This will make an enormous difference to the visitor experience all season.

Friends of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, With Support from California Waterfowl Association, California Rice Commission and Individual Donors, Funds Two Seasonal Refuge Interns

Effort led by the Friends group, with support from California Waterfowl Association, California Rice Commission, and dozens of individual donors, will keep the refuge's popular hunt program fully staffed and restore full weekend hours at the Visitor Center for the first time in years

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — [Sept. 16, 2026] — Friends of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge announced today that it has provided the external funding towards two full-time, seasonal A.C.E. (American Conservation Experience) interns to support the refuge through the upcoming migratory bird season, drawing on its own organizational resources with additional support from the California Waterfowl Association, the California Rice Commission, and dozens of individual donors.

The funding represents the largest single disbursement the Friends group has made to date.

One intern, who started September 8, will focus on supporting the refuge's hunt program and other field support services, ensuring the program remains properly staffed and runs smoothly throughout the season.

The second intern, starting in early October, will focus on general visitor services, including staffing the refuge's Visitor Center so it can be open both weekend days throughout the season — restoring weekend hours the refuge hasn't offered in years. Without the additional staffing, the Visitor Center would likely be open just one weekend day a week at most, if at all. The expanded hours will give the public significantly greater access to exhibits, information, and staff assistance during the peak migratory season, when visitor interest in the refuge is at its highest — and will also give visitors weekend access to the popular Friends Nature Store, located inside the Visitor Center. Net revenue from the store goes directly back into supporting the refuge through the Friends group.

While each intern has a primary focus, both will be interchangeable to some degree, shifting to wherever the refuge's immediate needs are on a given day.

"These two positions make a real difference for everyone who visits the refuge this season, whether they're coming to birdwatch, hike, explore the Visitor Center, or take part in our hunt program. We're grateful to our partners for making this possible," said Richard Cohen, President of Friends of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge.

"California Waterfowl is pleased to support additional, much-needed staff for the Sacramento NWR Complex, including for the purposes of facilitating public hunt programs and helping to enhance and maintain managed wetland habitat,” stated Mark Hennelly, Vice President of Advocacy. “We appreciate the working partnership on this important effort with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Rice Commission and Friends of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge.

The A.C.E. internship program places young conservation professionals in hands-on roles at public lands across the country, offering them career-building experience while providing critical staffing support to refuges and parks.

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge is a key stopover for migratory waterfowl along the Pacific Flyway, drawing hundreds of thousands of birds each fall and winter, and welcomes roughly 250,000 visitors annually.

Friends of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge is the official nonprofit partner of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge and a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting the refuge's mission through volunteerism, education, fundraising, and community engagement.

California Waterfowl is a nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands, and the protection of our hunting heritage.

The California Rice Commission (CRC) is a state-authorized organization, representing rice growers and millers in the Sacramento Valley. For decades now, the CRC has partnered with wildlife refuges, non-profits, and conservation groups to assist in managing flooded rice fields as surrogate wetland habitat for the millions of migratory waterfowl, shorebirds and 230 wildlife species connected to California’s rice fields.

Media Contact: Richard Cohen President, Friends of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge [email protected]

09/11/2026

The flood up has begun!! This is a screen grab from our live we**am taken this morning. We will be seeing water coming into the ponds in Colusa, Sac and Llano starting now and over the next several weeks. The flood up, which is timed to maximize food sources for the migratory birds, will take a few months to complete...but the pintails seem to be happy that water is coming!

08/12/2026

For those who have been wondering why there are few to no grebe nests this year...

I chatted with the wildlife biologist at the Refuge, and he explained that this is part of a normal cycle. Pond 2 is normally drained once every 3-5 years. This is done to eliminate the rough fish (carp) that have accumulated, and to promote nutrients that foster the growth of the underwater vegetation that the birds (including grebes) rely on. Pond 2 is scheduled to be drained next spring, so at this point in the cycle, the vegetation the grebes need is not very good...so they have moved elsewhere. The pond will be dry next summer, and then flooded up again in the fall. We should expect the vegetation, and the grebes, to be back in 2028.

06/18/2026

Friends of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Steps Up for Our Visitor Center

As we all know, Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge is one of the crown jewels of California's Central Valley — a vital stopover for millions of migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway, and a place that experiences approximately 250,000 visits each year. Families, wildlife enthusiasts, hunters, photographers, and students come from across the region to experience one of the great natural spectacles in California. But like many federal public lands, the refuge is feeling the effects of significant budget cuts that have reduced staffing and strained operations.

One of the casualties of those cuts is visitor services. Currently, there are zero visitor services resources employed by the Refuge Complex. Visitor Services is a critical role that is fundamental to the day-to-day experience of every person who visits, whether they come to drive the auto tour, hike the trails, hunt, or step inside the visitor center.​

That's where the Friends of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge comes in.​

The Friends of SNWR is funding an intern who will serve as a core member of the refuge's visitor services staff for the entire migratory season. We are partnering with the Refuge and American Conservation Experience (ACE), a nationally respected conservation corps, for this position. This is not a peripheral role. This person will be the face of the refuge for thousands of visitors — staffing the front desk, answering questions in person and by phone, orienting guests to the refuge complex, assisting school groups with field trips, supporting environmental education programs, helping visitors navigate the day pass system, and contributing to interpretive exhibits and outreach. They will also support refuge staff across a wide range of operational needs, from website updates and public safety alerts to volunteer events and special programs.​

The impact will be immediate and tangible. Last migratory season, the visitor center was only able to open on Saturdays. With this position filled, we expect the visitor center to be open both Saturday and Sunday throughout the coming migratory season — doubling weekend access for visitors at the peak time of year. Our nature store, located inside the visitor center, will also be open both days. 100% of the net proceeds from the store go directly back to the refuge — so every purchase is another way to support the place you love. We are also hopeful that this added capacity will allow us to host special events at the visitor center, such as photography seminars, that have not been possible in recent seasons.​

The Refuge Complex will also have an ACE intern dedicated to keeping the hunt program running smoothly. By funding the visitor services position separately, the Friends of SNWR ensure that intern can focus primarily on hunters and hunt operations — rather than being stretched across both roles.​

This is exactly the kind of work the Friends of SNWR was created to do — standing alongside the Refuge Complex and staff when they need us most.​

But we can only do this with your support. We are asking our members, followers, and everyone who values the Refuge Complex to consider donating to the Friends of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. Every contribution — large or small — goes directly toward funding this position and enhancing the refuge experience for all who visit.​

Please donate today via this link: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/3DNCBMYEUK5G8.​

Other payment methods are accepted, please contact us. And if you can't give right now, sharing this post helps us reach more people who care about this special place.​

Thank you for being a Friend of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge.