Staten Island and Cosumnes River Preserve

Leader: Maureen Lahiff, MLahiff@aol.com, 510.484.6529

Date: Friday, November 28, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm

Description: It’s about 2 hours from Oakland and Berkeley to these Central Valley sites in the Delta.  
  
The Nature Conservancy manages the farmlands on Staten Island for the wintering Sandhill Cranes.  Cackling Geese and Tundra Swans on the flooded fields are likely, along with a variety of shorebirds, waterbirds and raptors, and a few cool landbirds like American Pipit and possibly Horned Larks.  White-faced  Ibis  may be about. Cosumnes River Preserve has a great variety of wintering ducks (including Ring-necked Ducks and the teal trifecta) and is a fairly reliable place for Wilson’s Snipe and Virginia Rail (both more likely if it’s cloudy).

Detailed driving directions and carpooling information will be sent to those who register.

Bring snacks, lunch, water, layers for cold, cloudy and rainy weather, and sun protection in case the day is fair and warm.  “Walkie talkie” hand-held radios will be helpful on Staten Island.  Scopes are welcome and appreciated.

The birding at Staten Island is pull over, get out of our cars, and look.  At Cosumnes, the universally-accessible Wetlands Walk Trail is a paved trail of about a  mile along the ponds and then 0.5 miles on a boardwalk. (These are one-way distances.)

The trip is timed so people can be back in the Bay Area before sunset.

However, an optional third stop along Woodbridge Road is possible, especially if we didn’t get good looks at Sandhill Cranes on Staten Island. 

Just past the intersection of CA-12 and I-5, there’s a Flying J Truck Stop with the usual gas stations, Denny’s, and rest rooms.  At exit 493 from I-5 at W Walnut Grove Road, there is a gas station and a Subway.

Only heavy, steady rain will cancel, in which case an alternative date in January will be offered.

Limit: 18 Participants Max

We’ll meet at Staten Island at 9:30 am, near the information sign-board and the chemical toilet. 

Take highway 12 east from 160 after you pass Brannan Island. After an optional stop for amenities at the intersection of CA-12 and I-5, take I-5 north to exit 493 forThornton/Walnut Grove.  Unless  you enjoy driving on winding, narrow roads, don’t let your device take you north on highway 160 past the intersection with route 12.

The short URL for the intersection of W Walnut Grove Road and Staten Island Road is

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/CVjX3R5bu3s 

Cost: $45 nonmember / $36 member

Registration for this event will open at 1 pm on Tuesday, October 21, and close at 11 pm on Thursday, November 27.