Date: 8/28/25 11:42 am From: Zane Pickus via groups.io <zanep987...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area updates
Hi all,
I’ve been in correspondence with Garrett Spaan (YBWA manager) and he asked
that I pass along the following regarding public access and hunt season
this fall. Sep 1 is the dove season opener and the wildlife area will be
closed at the hunter check station to public access for that one day. From
Sep 2 through Oct 3, the interior parts of the wildlife area will be
reopened to Parking Lot H (where most of the remaining shorebird habitat
is). There is a new access road from the check station out to Lot H that I
believe will be used for this purpose. Please note that the closed N-S road
out of Lot H will be used for dove hunting and closed to access, so birding
should be kept to the east-west road out to Lot H. Beginning Oct 3 and into
February the wildlife area will be closed at the check station to all
non-hunters for duck season. These dates mean we have over a month of extra
access to the interior parts of the wildlife area compared to historic
years, so I am grateful! I hope this makes sense all makes sense, feel free
to contact me privately if you have specific questions.
In terms of birds, I got word that the LITTLE STINT was still present
yesterday evening in the drying fields east of parking lot C. A couple of
flooded fields near parking lot H have more water and have been fantastic
for yellowlegs and dowitchers. A few BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS and PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS have been picked out of the masses of peeps, and reports of
SOLITARY SANDPIPERS have been scattered throughout the recent weeks. The
FRANKLIN’S GULL out by rice point has not been reported in a week or more.
Fall flood-up for ducks will begin later this week and should provide
additional habitat elsewhere on the wildlife area. Julian Johnson, Emmett
Iverson, and I have been surveying shorebirds out there this fall and have
recorded well over 25,000 birds since mid-July. It’s been amazing to see
how successful the habitat has been.
