Photo of Dave Quady by Nancy Mueller
A small group of birders met with Dave Quady on a cool Sunday morning last week to search for resident birds in Claremont Canyon and Neotropical migrant birds who have returned to our area to breed.
The fog thinned periodically making for a rather beautiful morning. Dave shared his recommended field guides for local birds, including one he co-authored, and his Merlin app to identify songs and calls.
Kay Loughman, who runs a wildlife in the north hills website, commented that on spring walks we often hear more species than we see. "The birds are courting and defending a territory and don't necessarily want to show themselves, especially if they might be protecting a nest."
In all, 16 species were identified (see below) including a wild turkey in mid-flight. Nancy Mueller, host of the event, said, "It was a big thrill for me to see a turkey flying down Claremont Avenue. I had no idea they could fly."
Wild Turkey, Band-tailed Pigeon, Anna’s Hummingbird, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Steller’s Jay, Common Raven, Wrentit, Bewick’s Wren, American Robin, Lesser Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, Orange-crowned Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, and Black-headed Grosbeak.
