Hudeman Slough Wetlands (Sonoma County)

The Hudeman Slough Wetlands are a small part of the Napa-Sonoma Marshes Complex. The Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area is approximately 15,200 acres of baylands, tidal sloughs and wetland habitat. Many waterfowl species and shorebirds including the California Ridgeway’s Rail can be found here. The Hudeman Slough Wetlands are a hotspot for fall and wintering waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors. Many interesting birds have been reported in the area in the past.

Common Resident and Breeding Birds: You are likely to find Mallard, Gadwall, and Cinnamon Teal throughout the year. Black-Necked Stilts, American Avocets, Double-Crested Cormorants, Pied-billed Grebes along with Great and Snowy Egrets and Great Blue Herons frequent the waterways. Virginia Rails can be regularly heard calling from the marsh edges. In recent years, White-faced Ibis have bred in the area. Tree, Barn, Violet-green and Northern Rough-winged Swallow are often seen feeding above the marsh and reservoirs along with California and Ring-billed Gulls.  Northern Harrier, American Kestrel, White-Tailed Kites, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, Great Horned Owls and Turkey Vultures are some of the raptors that visit the marshes and frequent the Eucalyptus groves. Marsh Wrens, Song and Savanah Sparrows along with Common Yellowthroats are common breeders and year-round residents. Occasional Peregrine Falcons visit in search of shorebirds that they often prey upon.

Migrants: Northern Shoveler, Green-Winged Teal, Northern Pintail, and Cackling Geese are frequent visitors during the winter months. Sora Rails can be heard during migration and often overwinter. Least and Western Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitchers, and Dunlin are likely to be seen during the Fall.  Say’s Phoebes and Loggerhead Shrikes can be found in the grasslands adjacent to the reservoirs. Red-necked Phalaropes and Bonaparte’s Gulls are Fall and Winter visitors respectively that often feed on the reservoirs. Lincoln’s Sparrows over winter annually, and you may be treated to a Merlin streaking by during the day and Short-Eared Owls feeding over the fields at dusk.

Rare Migrants: In some years, Pectoral and Solitary Sandpipers are occasionally found on the shoreline.