Mark Elliott was joined by 17 enthusiastic adults and two children for our Hostetler Park/Devil's Lake Bird Watching Clinic. The weather was perfect and the birds a delight! We started the morning watching a flock of Mallards on D River when a beautiful Green Heron flew by right in front of us! We were disappointed that it didn't stop to allow better looks, but it was a treat to see!

Belted Kingfishers entertained us throughout the walk, chasing one another or perched for nice looks. There were dozens of Cedar Waxwings - and a flock of seven Great Egrets flew overhead in a vee formation. At the lake, a pair of Caspian Terns flew over, a pair of Double-crested Cormorants were swimming and diving, while a small flock of California Gulls splashed nearby.

We were just getting ready to leave the lake when someone spotted an Osprey "swimming" in the water. While we watched, it used its powerful wings to lift itself out of the water, looped around and, while we watched, dove with a crash into the lake. It again struggled briefly, then flew up out of the water - but once again, without its prey. It dove a 3rd time, also unsuccessfully, then flew away.

Sightings of the day:
Mallard ~ Common Merganser ~ Rock Pigeon
Anna's Hummingbird ~ Western Gull ~ California Gull
Caspian Tern ~ Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret ~ Green Heron ~ Great Blue Heron
Osprey ~ Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker ~ Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay ~ American Crow ~ Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee ~ Chestnut-backed Chickadee
swallow sp. (dozens circling up in the high clouds)
Wrentit ~ Red-breasted Nuthatch ~ Bewick's Wren
European Starling ~ American Robin ~ Cedar Waxwing
Dark-eyed Junco ~ Song Sparrow ~ Spotted Towhee
Brewer's Blackbird ~ Red-winged Blackbird