Sacramento Audubon publishes bird guide

Bird enthusiasts who live in the Sacramento area really have it good. Not only does their area feature one of the state's most spectacular array of birds and wildlife, but they also have a great local Audubon chapter. Sacramento Audubon Society recently made things even better by publishing a new, greatly expanded edition of "Birding in the Sacramento Region," a must-have guide for bird enthuasiasts.

The guide covers 77 sites, nearly twice as many as the previous edition, all described by experienced birders familiar with the birding spots. New Google maps allow more precise pinpointing of site locations, and the seperate section on where to find different species is much more detailed.

The nearly 200-page guide also includes information on where to find checklists and guides for other areas of Northern California, how to contact Audubon chapters and other conservation organizations in this part of the state, with addresses and websites, and a rundown on special events throughout the year.

It's ring-bound to withstand heavy use, with a sturdy plastic cover featuring portraits by Dan Brown of Nuttall's Woodpecker, California Thrasher, and Yellow-billed Magpie, all unique to this area.

The book can be purchased for $10 from Sacramento Audubon Society and at the Effie Yeaw Nature Center, and with a slight mark-up from Wild Birds & Gardens at Madison and Fair Oaks, Wildli Birds Unlimited at Loehman's Plaza, and The Naturalist in Davis.