Pocket Life
July 2026
By Corky Mau
Feathered Friends
When birds struggle, help is on the way
It’s a bad year for egrets and herons nesting in a Pocket rookery near Matsuyama Elementary School and Waterford Cove apartments.
The birds typically build nests April through August. They started a month earlier this year. Thanks to storms and gusty winds, nests and baby birds are falling out of trees.
Stepping in to help is Sacramento Heron and Egret Rescue. They need more volunteers for rescue and recovery missions.
One Sunday morning, I joined Christy Berger, a wildlife rehabilitator and co-founder of Heron and Egret Rescue, to tour the Pocket rookery.
Under pine trees next to the Matsuyama parking lot, two young snowy egrets and a baby black-crowned night heron were in trouble. Two were barely alive. One limped with a broken leg. I saw a vulture swoop in and grab a dead baby bird.
In two hours, volunteers rescued 11 injured birds. All would be transported to Wildlife Care Association for treatment. Once recovered, the birds would be released into nearby wetlands.
“This rookery is monitored daily,” Berger says. “On weekends, we canvass the area twice a day. In 2018, we rescued over 400 injured birds from here. Unfortunately, we’re on target to surpass this number in 2026. In the months of April and May alone, we rescued 150 birds.”
Birds in the Pocket rookery face injury or death thanks to urban factors: cats and dogs, traffic and cruelty by (despicable) humans.
The rescue group is all-volunteer. Nancy Senlio has given her time for four years. She says, “I’ve learned a lot about handling injured birds and preparing them for safe transport.”
When I visited, Senlio was sharing her knowledge with Barbara Sanders, a rookie rookery volunteer.
“It’s important to educate people on bird habits, how to respect local wildlife and what to do if they find an injured bird,” Berger says. “During the nesting season, it’s illegal to tamper with the nests, eggs, babies and adult birds.
“We’re aware there are some apartment residents who aren’t happy with the noisy birds and poop that’s left behind. But these birds were nesting in the Pocket long before the neighborhood was developed.”
For information, call (916) 542-2473 or visit sacheronsave.org.
JULY FOURTH PARADE
The Pocket Greenhaven July Fourth Parade starts at 10 a.m. and runs from Windbridge Drive and South Land Park Drive to Garcia Bend Park. Road closures begin at 7 a.m. on parade day. Nugget Market, Pocket-Greenhaven Community Association and City Council Member Rick Jennings are sponsors.
SUMMER JAZZ
ACC Senior Services and Councilmember Jennings co-host Jazz in July concerts. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and dinner.
Performances begin at 6 p.m. July 10 is Jeff Minnieweather Quartet at William Land Park. July 17 is Vivian Lee at Garcia Bend. July 24 is Joe Mazzaferro Quartet at Marriott Park. July 31 is Virginia Ayers Dawson at Belle Cooledge Park.
BAKING CAMPS
Through the Looking Glass Cakes baking studio offers summer baking camps for kids ages 9–15 this month. Camps run Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Visit lookingglassbakingstudio.com or call Shanna Spinola at (510) 677-6990.
CLASSIC CARS
Elks Lodge No. 6 presents a Classic Car Show on Saturday, July 18, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Riverside Boulevard lodge. Enjoy live music and stroll among hot rods, vintage trucks and lowriders.
Corky Mau can be reached at corky.sue50@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
