Sierra Foothills Audubon Society

06/18/2026

Summer birding is in full swing, and the early morning chorus is still worth setting an alarm for.

🐦☀️ Join Sierra Foothills Audubon Society for a relaxed bird walk in Grass Valley and discover who’s nesting, feeding fledglings, and making their presence known this June.

We’ll walk up over the hill at Sierra College and back to the Briar Patch—just under two miles at an easy pace with plenty of stops for bird sightings and identification tips. Expect a mix of resident birds, recently fledged youngsters, raptors overhead, and plenty of opportunities to sharpen your birding skills.

Whether you're brand new to birding or you've been carrying binoculars for years, this walk is a great way to connect with local birds and fellow nature enthusiasts. Rudy is always happy to help with identification, birding questions, and sharing what makes our Sierra Foothills birds so fascinating.

📍 Location: Meet in the parking lot of the Briar Patch Market on Sierra College Drive in Grass Valley
📅 Date: Sunday, June 21, 2026
⏰ Time: 8:00–10:30 AM
🎒 What to bring: binoculars, water, sturdy shoes, and a willingness to stop every 50 feet because someone spotted a bird.

Leader: Rudy Darling and various other people
530-272-6504
[email protected]

See link in bio for more information on the SFAS Event Calendar.

06/16/2026

Glow worms? Alien eyes? Tiny lanterns in the dark? ✨👀

Nope—those glowing shapes are the beaks of Tree Swallow nestlings.

This photo was taken inside a nest box, and even though the flash didn't fire, the chicks' bright mouth edges still seem to glow. That's because young swallows have highly visible gape flanges—the colorful edges of their beaks—which can reflect ultraviolet (UV) light. To parent birds, these bright targets help guide food deliveries in the dim confines of a nest cavity.

Nature has a clever solution for feeding a crowd of hungry chicks: make the mouths impossible to miss.

The result? A dark nest box filled with what looks like a cluster of tiny glow worms, all waiting for the next meal to arrive. 🍽

How may beaks can you count?

06/14/2026

🐦☀️ Summer birding is heating up—but the birds are still putting on a show.

Join us for a relaxed Bird Saunter at Auburn Regional Park, where resident birds are busy raising families, fledglings are making their debut, and there’s always something fluttering, calling, or splashing around the pond.

Whether you're brand new to birding, a casual nature lover, or a seasoned birder who can't resist chasing down an unfamiliar chip note, this walk is for you. We'll stroll at an easy pace, looking and listening for woodpeckers, swallows, herons, hawks, songbirds, and whatever surprises the morning brings.

✨ We typically spot around 20 species on this walk, and June is a fantastic time to observe nesting activity and newly fledged young birds.

📍 Auburn Regional Park (meet near the playground by the pond)
🗓 Wednesday, June 17, 2026
⏰ 8:30–10:00 AM
👩‍🏫 Leaders: Kate Brennan & Ann Thomas

Bring binoculars if you have them, water, comfortable walking shoes, and your best "wait... where is it?!" birding skills.

Who knows what we'll find?

06/11/2026

California's own Nuttall's Woodpecker is raising the next generation... one insect (or bite of Bark Butter) at a time. 🪵🐦

Captured in Nevada County, this male Nuttall's Woodpecker is feeding his recently fledged son, a common sight during the weeks after young birds leave the nest. While the youngster may be out of the nest cavity, he's still relying on Dad's meal delivery service while learning how to forage on his own.

Nuttall's Woodpeckers are dedicated parents from start to finish. Both males and females share incubation duties, taking turns warming the eggs. After hatching, both parents brood the chicks, defend the nest, and make endless food runs to satisfy a nest full of hungry mouths. Even after fledging, young birds continue receiving meals and guidance while they learn to find insects hidden beneath bark and in tree crevices.

And here's a fun California birding fact: Nuttall's Woodpeckers are considered nearly endemic to California, meaning almost their entire range is found within the Golden State. Outside of a small portion of northern Baja California, these charismatic woodpeckers are essentially a California specialty!

Look closely and you'll notice both birds sport red crown feathers—a clue that this youngster is a young male following in Dad's footsteps.

Parenting: the only job where "independent" still means "can I have another snack?" 😅

Have you spotted a Nuttall's Woodpecker family in your neighborhood this nesting season?

06/07/2026

UPDATE: Sometimes nature surprises us. 🐦

After recently sharing photos of Western Bluebirds and Ash-throated Flycatchers nesting inside steel cattle guard support tubes, I was asked to provide an update.💙

Three Western Bluebird babies are presumed fledged from tube 1. In tube 2, two more babies just hatched and are hungry. In tube 3, the Ash-throated Flycatcher is continuing to incubate her five eggs.

These fledglings and babies remind us why preserving habitat, protecting old trees, and maintaining nest box trails matters so much. When suitable nesting sites are available, birds don't have to gamble on risky alternatives.

We're celebrating these little success stories today while continuing to work toward a future where cavity-nesting birds have safer places to call home.

Have you ever discovered a bird nest in an unexpected place? Tell us about it in the comments! 👇

📸 SFAS Comms Chair and Nest Box Trail Monitor, Michell 🐦💙

06/03/2026

🌺 Want to make your yard a hummingbird hotspot? Plant the menu.

These Hummingbirds aren't just visiting flowers—they're fueling up at some of California's best native nectar stations. Kate Brennan captured these tiny aerial athletes among Red-flowering Currant, California Fuchsia, and Salvia - three plants that hummingbirds absolutely love.

And speaking of nectar lovers... swipe to the last photo to see a couple of Acorn Woodpeckers crashing the hummingbird buffet. They're a good reminder that feeders often support more than just hummingbirds!

Native plants do more than provide nectar. They support insects that hummingbirds feed to their young, offer shelter, and create habitat that keeps birds returning year after year.

Looking for hummingbird-friendly plants for your yard or patio?

❤️ Red-flowering Currant blooms early and provides an important food source when little else is flowering.
🧡 California Fuchsia delivers brilliant late-summer color just when many other flowers have finished blooming.
🩷 Salvia are prolific nectar producers, making them a highly rewarding food source.

Whether you're planting natives, maintaining a feeder, or simply enjoying the visitors, you're helping create habitat right in your own backyard, porch, or balcony. And as the weather warms up, remember to keep feeders clean and fresh for all the birds stopping by.

🌿 🌿 Birders and gardeners, we'd love to hear from you! Which native plant brings the most hummingbirds to your yard: Manzanita, California Fuchsia, Red-flowering Currant, or something else? Share your favorites in the comments—you might inspire a fellow bird lover's next garden project!

📸 Photos by Kate Brennan

06/02/2026

Maybe we're a little biased, but what a great shot🖤🩶🤍

Have you seen a Black Phoebe today? 🖤 These familiar flycatchers are often spotted near rivers, streams, and yards across California. You might see them return to the same perch again and again—flying out to catch insects midair before landing back in place, a behavior known as sallying.

06/02/2026

These Hummingbirds were photographed enjoying some favorite nectar sources: Anna’s sharing a sip at a feeder and a hummer checking out Salvia (photos by Michell Follett) and Anna's at a Manzanita and Yerba Santa (photos by Rudy Darling).

Native and hummingbird-friendly plants provide a reliable food source while adding beauty to your yard, patio, or balcony.

No garden? No problem.

Many hummingbird favorites thrive in containers, including:
🌺 Salvia
🌸 California Fuchsia
🌿 Yerba Santa
🌷 Penstemon

A few well-placed pots can create a hummingbird pit stop right outside your window.

Whether you're planting natives, maintaining a feeder, or both, you're helping support the incredible birds that bring so much life and energy to our local landscapes.

What's blooming in your yard that's attracting hummingbirds right now?