Nic the Birding Chick

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

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.

National Bird Day, but make it underground.Burrowing owls don’t build nests in trees or tuck themselves into reeds. They...
01/05/2026

National Bird Day, but make it underground.

Burrowing owls don’t build nests in trees or tuck themselves into reeds. They raise their families in burrows, often repurposed from ground squirrels, right at eye level with the world. These photos capture a whole story in a few frames. Watchful adults, curious youngsters, and a home that looks quiet until you really pay attention.

Burrowing owls are a reminder that birds live lives far more complex than quick glimpses suggest. They depend on open landscapes, healthy soil, and room to raise the next generation. When grasslands disappear or burrows are destroyed, their entire world goes with it.

On National Bird Day, celebrate the birds that don’t soar overhead but instead invite us to slow down, kneel in the dust, and notice what’s happening right in front of us.

Save this as a reminder that bird conservation starts on the ground, sometimes literally.

California loves the myth of the lone pioneer.Wagons West reminds me how false that story is.The overland trails that le...
01/05/2026

California loves the myth of the lone pioneer.
Wagons West reminds me how false that story is.

The overland trails that led people to California were collective, fragile, and shaped by land that did not bend easily. Survival depended on community, on Indigenous knowledge, and on paying attention to place. Not conquest. Not destiny.

California was not discovered. It was reached. Often at enormous human cost, and that cost was not shared equally.

As a naturalist, I read this history differently. Landscapes remember. Trails, rivers, and valleys still carry the weight of migration, ambition, and loss. When we slow down and really look, the land tells a fuller story than the myth ever did.

Save this if you like your California history rooted in place, not legend.

Peekaboo, but make it vigilant.This burrowing owl was tucked behind a metal culvert on Nader Road, perfectly hidden, exc...
01/03/2026

Peekaboo, but make it vigilant.
This burrowing owl was tucked behind a metal culvert on Nader Road, perfectly hidden, except for those bright yellow eyes tracking my every move. Meanwhile, here I am out in the open, binoculars up, thinking I’m the one doing the observing.

Birding lesson of the day: you’re always being watched, especially by owls who have mastered the art of subtle side eye.

This is a Savannah Sparrow, a grassland classic that rewards slowing down. Look for the soft yellow in front of the eye,...
12/30/2025

This is a Savannah Sparrow, a grassland classic that rewards slowing down. Look for the soft yellow in front of the eye, crisp breast streaking, and pinkish legs. They love open fields, marsh edges, and fence lines, often staying low and dropping back into grass when flushed.

Proof that common doesn’t mean boring.

Save this for your next walk and tell me, have you spotted one yet?

Imagine a timeline where bald eagles never returned to our skies.Where sea turtles never crawled back to shore.Where bla...
12/28/2025

Imagine a timeline where bald eagles never returned to our skies.
Where sea turtles never crawled back to shore.
Where black-footed ferrets, condors, and manatees slipped away without much notice.

That almost happened.

On December 28, 1973, the Endangered Species Act became law. Not flashy. Not perfect. But essential. It drew a line and said extinction is not inevitable, and recovery is worth fighting for.

Because of the ESA, species got breathing room. Time. A second chance.

Today feels like a good day to pause, notice what’s still here, and remember that conservation works.

Save this as a reminder that conservation works and that the ESA is worth saving.

📷 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Address

Sacramento, California
California

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Nic the Birding Chick posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share