It was a beautiful morning as 11 of us (Dan Bohlmann, Judith Burke, Joy Dolhancyk, Doris Hill, Carol Anne Kinney, Vera Markham, Chuck and Loretta Richards, Betty Roberts, Donna Smith {Leader}, and George Wall) made our way to the Colorado River. We crossed the border into California at Parker in order to take advantage of the parks on that side of the river. It was at one of the roadside parks where we had lunch while observing Buffleheads and Canvasback Ducks on the Colorado.

After lunch, we drove over to Parker Dam where we were treated with a flock of Common Goldeneye plying the water beneath the dam. It was a sight to behold. We then journeyed on to the Bill Williams Wild Life Refuge for a quick stop in order to meet our host for Saturday, Ranger Kathleen Blair. After talking with her and getting our Saturday morning meeting time straight, we drove on to Lake Havasu where we checked in to the Island Inn Hotel. It was nothing fancy, but the price was right. We then decided to check out some birding sites before going to the Barley Brothers Brewery for dinner. This restaurant and brewery is highly toted in the area and the food, service and atmosphere lived up to its reputation.

The next morning after a  quick breakfast, we drove over to the Bill Williams WFR and got a nice briefing about the refuge from Ranger Blair. We then all drove to various spots to bird and some got their feet wet literally and physically as some of the group hiked down the Bill Williams River while others birded the high ground. At other spots overlooking the lake and river we were treated to Clark’s and Western Grebes and the surprises of the day were a Red-breasted Merganser and a Barrow’s Goldeneye. It was a fun day. The group did their own thing for dinner.

The next morning after a great breakfast, we checked out a few more birding spots, with little success, before heading back home.

Here’s the list of the 56 birds that were seen or heard: Pied-billed Grebe, Western Grebe, Clark’s Grebe, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Mallard, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Gambel’s Quail, American Coot, Ringbilled Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Anna’s Hummingbird, Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Phainopepla, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren (h), Bewick’s Wren (h), Northern Mockingbird, American Robin, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Verdin, Common Raven, European Starling, House Sparrow, House Finch, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Abert’s Towhee, Song Sparrow (h), White-crowned Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird and Greattailed Grackle.