Randi Joy's Page

If you are visiting Oak Park on Oak Street between Hazel and Auburn-Folsom Road, walk the network of dirt paths through the riparian zone rather than the cement path. In the canopy, you will hear a symphony of American robins, the typewriter chatter of Oregon juncos, and European starling whistles. As you walk through the oaks, away from the creek, you'll see woodpeckers. I saw a flock of acorn, downy, and maybe hairy woodpeckers in a single grove. One was chasing another in flight, with a… Continue

Some people local to this area may not know that there is a free parking lot leading to a small network of biking and hiking trails around Lake Natoma in Folsom. I didn't until today. Take Folsom Blvd. (from Sacramento) past Blue Ravine Road and turn left on Parkshore. There's always nice birding at L. Natoma. Sometimes I see an osprey hunting. I once saw a hooded merganser. Today I saw a great egret up close, a flock of gulls, a female robin, a black phoebe, and heard a towhee (I think--I'm… Continue