Friends of Lakes Folsom and Natoma (FOLFAN)

11/08/2026

A big shoutout to Kathy Kayner for her wonderful presentation, “Bald Eagle Interpretive Program (FOLFAN),” at Friday’s seminar for the Renaissance Society at Sac State. The participants truly enjoyed it, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Kathy’s depth of knowledge and genuine passion for the Lake Natoma bald eagles, “Mama and Papa,” came through beautifully. What a wonderful way to build excitement as we look forward to another nesting season!

11/04/2026

On a cloudy morning I went out to find Mama & Papa hard at work on their new nest. It appeared Mama was in the nest moving sticks around and occasionally laying down while Papa was out gathering sticks and branches.

Watching both Eagles pick up and try to move the sticks in the nest clearly shows how serious they are to have this nest ready for the 2027 Nesting Season.

After bringing in nesting materials, Papa flew downstream either to gather more material or to take a break. In the last picture, Mama is watching him fly away as she laid down in her nest.

Nest location will not be disclosed.

10/31/2026

Check out the latest information from our State Park partners!

Folsom Lake SRA November 2026 Newsletter ⛅ - https://mailchi.mp/parks/folsom-lake-sra-november-2026-newsletter

10/26/2026

It appears our Eagles have another nest that they are building!! I saw that they had started this nest last July but never saw them in the nest. It appears that this could be a very good nest for them to raise Eaglets. The tree looks pretty good and in fact it reminds me of the nest tree that fell during a rain storm this past January. Fortunately, it appears to be sturdy and not leaning. Time will tell how this tree handles the El Niño storms that are forecasted to hit Northern California this winter.

It was nice to see Mama in the nest and working on trying to place a large branch. She did not stay in the nest for long and eventually dropped out and flew downstream. Hopefully Mama and Papa are enjoying the Chinook Salmon that are coming in to spawn!!

Nest location will not be disclosed.

10/22/2026

We recently went back to an elementary school to do a Bald Eagle Presentation for two 2nd grade classes.

As always, we start by introducing the students to the wildlife that share the territory with our Eagles. When I brought up a photo of a Red Eared Slider Turtle, I mentioned that it was not native to California. It is native to the southern United States and Northern Mexico. The teacher gave a brief lesson about some wildlife being invasive and the impacts on wildlife that are native to California.

As usual, the students learned a lot about our Eagles and found it interesting that the Eaglets can be considered full grown about three months after hatching. After they got to pet the mature Eagle, they all received the FOLFAN Bald Eagle brochure. They immediately opened the brochure and began reading. I could tell they were fascinated with the information as they asked a few questions about what they read.

Our next presentation will be for 100 students ranging from kindergarteners as well as first and second graders. I cannot wait!!

I want to thank Jodi King for taking photos of the students petting the mature Eagle and Alan Friedman for helping to bring in the taxidermy Eagles and passing out the brochures!!

10/18/2026

🦅 How big is your eagle wingspan? Kids had fun at the FOLFAN booth during the Folsom Powerhouse Electricity Fair measuring their own “eagle wingspan” and discovering just how impressive these magnificent birds really are! Thank you to all the parents who let us showcase their adorable children during this fun and educational family event! It was a great day and we hope you will join us next year!

10/17/2026

Today FOLFAN is at the Electricity Fair at the Folsom Powerhouse. Especially for children and families, come out and have fun learning about science, technology, enginering, and math!

10/10/2026

Join SMUD and California State Parks on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the historic Folsom Powerhouse for a free community event. FOLFAN will host a booth and a coloring station for kids. We look forward to seeing you there!

09/30/2026

Calling All Artists! Just a reminder that there’s still time to enter FOLFAN’s Poster Art Contest! Show us your creativity and your love for nature, wildlife, and the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area.
📅 Deadline: October 15
So grab your pencils, paints, or favorite art supplies and get creative! We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

09/28/2026

Inspired by the GARCU cleanup, new FOLFAN board member Mark Sogge and his wife, Cordi, took it upon themselves to pick up trash along a stretch of Main Avenue running through the park. Take a look at what they accomplished in just over an hour! Let’s hope this motivates more FOLFAN members and fans to pitch in and help keep our park a welcoming place for everyone!