Nic the Birding Chick

Nic the Birding Chick Let’s Bird! Join me on my adventures in birding!

This Common Nighthawk chilling in the Magee Marsh Boardwalk parking lot was busy resting, but also kept one eye on the c...
05/23/2026

This Common Nighthawk chilling in the Magee Marsh Boardwalk parking lot was busy resting, but also kept one eye on the crowd.

One of my life birds this trip was this Golden-winged Warbler at the visitor’s center. What a beautiful bird!
05/22/2026

One of my life birds this trip was this Golden-winged Warbler at the visitor’s center. What a beautiful bird!

The last day of our trip we got up early and went to Metzger Marsh. First we were greeted with a King Rail in the middl...
05/21/2026

The last day of our trip we got up early and went to Metzger Marsh. First we were greeted with a King Rail in the middle of the road. Then cuckoos. This is a Black-billed Cuckoo that gave the crowd in the parking lot some fantastic looks.

Home from the in American Birding. The back to regular life “depression” has hit. We had so many wonderful moments and ...
05/19/2026

Home from the in American Birding. The back to regular life “depression” has hit. We had so many wonderful moments and birds this trip. Including three life birds. Our last day was amazing! Each year is different and I love that. Already looking forward to, hopefully, doing it again next year. For now, enjoy this beautiful Blackburnian Warbler taken at the Magee Marsh Boardwalk which is one of my favorite warblers.

That upturned bill. Those impossibly blue legs.The American Avocet is pure wetland elegance.In breeding season, they wea...
02/26/2026

That upturned bill. Those impossibly blue legs.

The American Avocet is pure wetland elegance.

In breeding season, they wear a warm cinnamon head and neck. They feed by sweeping that slender bill side to side through shallow water, feeling for insects and tiny crustaceans.

Look for them in Northern California’s lakes, flooded fields, and managed wetlands. Watch the steady scything motion and the soft ripples they leave behind.

Graceful, focused, and fiercer than they look when protecting their young.

If you bird along riparian corridors in Northern California, you often hear them before you see them. That sharp, ringin...
02/23/2026

If you bird along riparian corridors in Northern California, you often hear them before you see them. That sharp, ringing kee aah echoing through the trees.

The Red-shouldered Hawk is stocky and bold, with warm rufous barring and checkered wings. In flight, watch for translucent crescents near the wingtips and a strongly banded tail.

Quick ID tips:
Compact buteo shape
Reddish barred chest
Loud repeated call
Perched near water

Around the American River and our oak woodlands, they favor creeks and wetlands. Water matters to them.

They are mid level predators that help regulate rodents, reptiles, and amphibians. By keeping small mammal populations in check, they support healthier plant communities. Their presence also signals intact riparian habitat, making them a quiet indicator that an ecosystem is functioning well.

Next time you are along the river, pause and listen. That call overhead is part of a balanced, living system.

This is a Savannah Sparrow doing what Savannah Sparrows do best, claiming fence lines and quietly running the meadow.How...
02/16/2026

This is a Savannah Sparrow doing what Savannah Sparrows do best, claiming fence lines and quietly running the meadow.

How do know you’ve found one?

That tiny wash of yellow in front of the eye. If you see that little glow, you’re on the right bird.
Crisp brown streaking across the chest, like careful brush strokes.
Low, open habitat. Pastures. Fields. Marsh edges. Wide sky above them.

They don’t demand attention.

Out here in Northern California grasslands, this species is one of the most reliable voices of open country. If you slow down and scan fence wire, you’ll start spotting them everywhere.

Small bird. Big presence.

Save this so the next “little brown blob” you see gets the ID it deserves.

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