Common Loon
Photo by George Wall

We had great weather and a good turn out for our trip to the Gila River and Estrella Ponds. We walked the trails to the river first and saw most of the desert birds as we walked down to the river. The White-crowned Sparrows were back in force! Two Black-necked Stilts stood in the water as a Belted Kingfisher was flying up and down patrolling his territory. At the ponds the Coots were having lunch on goldfish. We found a Common Loon, a great bird, on the second pond. 

Birders: Marilyn McMahon, Sally Pachulski, Carol Sharplin, Betty Roberts, Rosemary Zanter, Carolyn Modeen, Vera Markham, Tom Lazzelle, Marshall Esty, Bob Cirillo, Gary Baum and Dan Bohlmann, Donna Smith, Leaders. 

The 32 Birds: Common Loon, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, American Wigeon, Mallard, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Cooper's Hawk, American Kestrel, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Mourning Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Gila Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Verdin, Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Abert's Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, House Finch and House Sparrow.