Sacramento goes to the backyard birds on Wednesday May 11th. Dr. Ed Pandolfino will present information and photography to help urban dwellers understand the diversity and bird ecosystems of Sacramento. He will discuss how to attract birds to your backyard and give basic tips on how to identify the most common species likely to visit. He also has suggestions for neighborhood walks that showcase the variety of birds in our canopy. Dr. Pandolfino is Vice-president of Western Field Ornithologists and is on the board of Sierra Foothills Audubon Society. He is a Northern California editor for the magazine North American Birds and is on the editorial committee of the Central Valley Bird Club

Charming birdhouses add so much character to a home’s outdoor landscape. I noticed this firsthand early June while touring the Yolo County Red Cross Heart of the Home Kitchen Tour and the Pence Gallery of Davis Garden Tour. The homeowners created focal points in their yards using their birdhouse designs. Birdhouses serve as garden art and lodging. Creating shelter for our feathered visitors supports the songbird population so that they may thrive and reproduce. Even a novice bird-watcher like me can appreciate a bird’s place in nature – its plumage and flight fascinate. My favorites are the hummingbirds and bluebirds. At this moment, however, switching gears from the hustle and bustle of m

In my previous article, I introduced the annual Martin Luther King, Jr, Day of Service. This year, people all over the country took part in more than 12,000 service projects that were organized locally by your friends and neighbors. As for my part, I spent the day the way I'd like to spend any holiday: outside in nature. Only this time I did it with a trash bag in hand. I joined a great group of people and cleaned up the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area wetlands. You know, that area next to the causeway that’s flooded with water and teeming with migratory birds during the winter months. I often see the birds from the freeway, but was unaware of how accessible the area is to visitors. All you hav