SOARING IN THE DISTANCE: Spend a day at one of California's state or national parks, or in another corner of the many wild spots that dot the map, and you're bound to see something spectacular in the sky above: A wide-of-wing-span raptor riding the currents while keeping a beyond-keen eye on the landscape below (and, yes, that all-important next meal). It's not a sight to take for granted, though we do spy it from time to time, a gorgeous reminder of the avian wonders who dart and soar above our heads. To go in search of such wonders, rather than simply come across them, makes for a memorable outing for bird buffs, as well as those nature lovers who want to know more about hawks and eagles and falcons. But where to find such an outing? Look to the Solano Land Trust, which is leading a hike at Lynch Canyon that's focused on the beautiful...
BIRDS OF PREY: Feathery fliers seen in the past have included "Golden and Bald Eagles, Rough-legged Cooper's, Sharp-shinned and Ferruginous Hawks, Peregrine and Prairie Falcons," as well as "other more common raptors." Both birds who call the area home, as well as those birds that are just passing through or spending the winter in the region, will be a part of the day out. A day, by the way, which arrives a week ahead of Christmas, in case you're longing for a little quietude and wilderness-connection amid the hustle and the bustle of the season. Date? It's Sunday, Dec. 18, and the cost is ten dollars to join (plus put six bucks aside for parking). Will you spy a soarer you've never seen before? Again, a falcon or eagle on the wind is not a sight those on terra firma forget once they've seen it.
