Big Day Route Suggestions

RAILS, OWLS AND NIGHTJARS - Part I:

Start at Laird Slough, 3:30 A.M., 1/2 mile east of the town of Grayson on the San Joaquin River. Don't spend more than 20 minutes here. Play rail and owl tapes. Should get Sora and Virginia Rail as well as Barn, Great Horned and possible Western Screech-Owls. Move ahead to Del Puerto Canyon (west on Grayson Rd. left on Hwy 133, right on Rogers Rd. and right on Sperry Rd, go under I5 to start up Del Puerto Canyon). Look for Burrowing Owls along the first 2 miles. Stop briefly at mile 3.6 if you don't already have Barn Owl. At mile 13.4, play a tape or whistle for Northern Pygmy-Owl, Western Screech-Owl and listen for Common Poorwill. If unsuccessful here, try anywhere along the next couple of miles. Listen briefly at Frank Raines Park for turkeys. Try to be at the top of the canyon by sunrise.

The upper part of the canyon (miles 17-22) seem to be better for migrating songbirds, especially flycatchers. Work you way down, stopping at convenient pull outs to listen and look for migrants. Also, pay close attention to chaparral areas for Sage Sparrow, California Thrasher, Wrentit and in the scattered oaks and junipers look for Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Be sure to stop at mile 19.6 and look and listen carefully for Steller's Jay and Hairy Woodpecker. We have never encountered Steller's Jay below mile 18, so this is your best shot. Hairy Woodpeckers also get pretty scare when you get below mile 15. Along the cliffs near mile 19.5, listen for Canyon Wren. Sage Sparrow thin out below mile 13, so look carefully for them in the chaparral areas. Rarely, Black-chinned Sparrows will be found in the higher chaparral areas, above mile 17. Yellow-breasted Chats frequently nest along the willows between mile 18 and 15. (Keep track of time as you should be out of the canyon by 11:30!) Mile 13.4 (pygmy-owl stop earlier) is a good spot to climb up a little to get Sage Sparrow. As you can think of it, you may want to do a pygmy-owl toot every once in awhile before you get below mile 13. Mile 10.4 is good for Canyon Wren. Rufous-crowned Sparrows should be found in the brushy/rocky hillsides all the way along the canyon. Spend some time at the Tobacco Tree areas along the road between mile 5 and 3. Costa's, Black-chinned, Anna's and Rufous Hummingbirds may be around. (Be on the lookout for Calliope Hummingbirds, we only have one record in the county.) You should plan on being out of the canyon by 11:30 or 12:00 at the latest. Your totals by now should be in the low 70's.