Seven birders went along on a field trip to the Page Springs Fish Hatchery near Cornville in Yavapai County. The weather was absolutely beautiful although, it did get very warm by late morning. Highlights of the trip were good views of Common Black-hawk, Bushtit, Summer Tanager, and both Hooded and Bullock’s Oriole. We were also able to study several Yellow-rumped Warblers and distinguish between the Myrtle and Audubon’s subspecies. Another interesting sighting was an adult Red-tailed Hawk carrying a large snake and possibly trying to either attract a mate or trying to teach a juvenile Redtail to hunt.

A total of 45 species were seen and/or heard between the two locations including: Greatblue Heron, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Cinnamon Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Common Merganser, Turkey Vulture, Cooper’s Hawk, Common Black-hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gambel’s Quail, White-winged Dove, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Anna’s Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Ladder- backed Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Western Kingbird, Common Raven, Verdin, Bushtit, Bewick’s Wren, American Robin, European Starling, Phainopepla, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler (both Myrtle and Audubon’s), Lucy’s Warbler, Common Yellow-throat (heard only), Summer Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Abert’s Towhee, Lark Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Brown-headed Cowbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bullock’s Oriole, Hooded Oriole, and House Finch.

Birders in attendance included: Rich Schooler (leader), Carol Schooler, Donna Smith, Barb Meding, Cheri Laude, Paul Soame and Len Boeder.