Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Public Tour

Yolo Basin Foundation invites members of the community to attend a free, guided tour of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area on the morning of Saturday, October 13. Docents will help visitors identify wildlife and provide information about the Wildlife Area.

October can be an exciting month for birding in the Wildlife Area with fall migration bringing in a wide variety of species. The recent harvests of wild and white rice provides abundant feeding opportunities for seed, grain and insect-eaters. Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) flock these newly exposed crop fields and can be seen perched high on cattails and along the tops of trees. They produce a large range of distinct, metallic calls which fill the wetlands. The glossy black males have bright red and yellow shoulder patches. The females are a more subtle dark brown with crisp streaks.

Participants may want to bring binoculars and water (there is no potable water on site). Docents will have spotting scopes to enhance wildlife viewing. This is a driving tour on gravel roads with several stops and optional, short walks.

Yolo Basin Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding public appreciation and stewardship of wetlands and wildlife in the Yolo Basin through education and innovative partnerships. The Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area is owned and managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Photo credit: Erna Tarara