Many visitors have asked excellent questions about when and why we flood the wetland ponds during the fall and winter at the Preserve. In this video, we’ll inform you on a few of the reasons we flood the ponds and what the timeline looks like from year to year. Every year Preserve staff create a plan for how each pond will be managed.  We adjust that plan frequently based on what grows in each pond

Yellow-Billed Magpie (Pica nuttali) by Emily Anderson What? A yellow-billed magpie is a clamorous bird in the blackbird family. It has a large band of white that wraps from its belly up to its shoulders. They have shimmery-blue backs, wings, and long tails to match. They also have a black head and a yellow beak. Where? The Yellow-billed magpie is only native to California. They are inclusive to an area that stretches about 500 miles

Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) What are Steelhead Trout? Steelhead is a name for rainbow trout that are anadromous (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Anadromous means that the fish migrate from a freshwater river to the ocean, then back up the river to spawn. They are called “Steelhead” because they tend to acquire more silvery markings than other Rainbow trout. They generally live for 4-6 years. Their size is usually 20-30 inches long and about 8 pounds in weight,

Bobcats are beautiful creatures that live in Cosumnes River Preserve and all throughout the state. They are known for their “bobbed” tail and graceful presence. Learn more about the bobcat by reading this article, written by a Preserve volunteer!

In the past 121 years every February has seen at least some rainfall. This year (2020) we experienced the first dry February since 1899. Because of this (and other factors), the vernal pool grasslands have stayed significantly dry and the vernal pools are merely depressions, unfilled. In response to this, we may ask, “What is the point of visiting and/or appreciating the vernal pools if there is no water?” My response to that would be