Northern saw-whet owls (Aegolius acadicus) are one of the most commonly banded bird species in North America. However, little is understood about their local ecology in western North America. Efforts to study saw-whet owls are skewed towards eastern North America, where dozens of banding stations can closely collaborate and study large numbers of migrant owls. In an attempt to bridge the research gap between eastern and western northern saw-whet owl populations, fall migration banding stations were operated in the East Bay of California from 2018-2024, and in northern Sonoma County in 2024. A total of 116 owls were captured over seven seasons, with capture rates relatively low, but skewed towards hatch-year and females. Peak capture dates were difficult to predict and likely vary based on inter-annual regional weather patterns, abundance of prey. The number of outings to capture migrant owls varied between years and likely contributes to the paucity of data. Preliminary results from banding, recapture data, and incidental observations of saw-whet owls in the region indicate that the Bay Area may be an important breeding and overwintering site for the species. This knowledge will help guide land managers to better understand the ecology of this species in the region.