Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch, Maricopa County, AZ

 Wednesday, December 22, 2021

    The ROSEATE SPOONBILL was the target bird for our community birders this week. It is uncommon with limited distribution in the U.S., mostly along Florida and Gulf Coast areas plus a few to southwestern Arizona in the Yuma area. For this species to show up in the desert in October 2020 during our Covid Pandemic at the Water Ranch was a gift!  Amazingly, it stayed around for almost a year before moving elsewhere and back. Believed to have blown here off course during a hurricane, the Spoonbill has returned again this season to Gilbert's ponds (that are mostly dry in summer). Most of us had already observed this species in its normal US territory, but few had seen it at Gilbert ponds.

    Six of us took off from the Preserve parking lot at 8 a.m. (46°F) to wander the trails. First stop was Pond 7, then farther east to Pond 1, where we noted and enjoyed a fair number of wintering ducks, geese, egrets, herons and peeps. Continuing farther along the 1-7 trail to the Restroom, and then east again on the trail between Ponds 1 and 2, we checked the ponds through various cut-outs of the reeds. From the overnight camping spot, we could view Pond 2 birds quite well.

    Returning on that same trail, I knew one of the Spoonbill's favorite resting spots, so we checked that out. Sure enough!  On the NW of Pond 2, the ROSEATE SPOONBILL, below, was catching some rest out in the sun -- with an eye on us. Very pale feathering this morning, it may be hiding its rosier colors.

        Heading south on the trail between Ponds 2 and 5, we spotted two LESSER SCAUP on #5, along with RUDDY DUCK, AMERICAN COOT and two CANADA GOOSE before continuing southward. Along the trails, all six of us were pointing out birds: SPOTTED TOWHEE, VERDIN, CACTUS WREN, HOUSE FINCH, SONG SPARROW, ABERT'S TOWHEE, ORANGE-CROWNED and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER.  It wasn't until we were almost finished three hours later, that a pair of NORTHERN CARDINAL showed up.

       Mostly, we were thrilled with all the waterfowl on each of the ponds. Of all of them, my favorite was the WILSON'S SNIPE that were foraging in the open wetlands. Either Judy or Karen spotted them in their camouflaged presence among the dry sticks. Counting seven (7) altogether out in the open was amazing to me. With long bills they find lots of morsels.

Three WILSON'S SNIPE above

Photos of some of our other sightings are below:       AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN RING-NECKED DUCK

Pleased to photograph the "ring" on the duck above, it is rarely apparent when the duck is swimming around. Many birders learn this duck from the markings on its bill, but it is the scientists who stretch out bird skins that name our species. The LESSER SCAUP (below) is similar in appearance but lacks the black saddle on the back and the bill markings of the Ring-necked.

AMERICAN WIGEON (Drake)

MALLARD (Drake)

CANADA GOOSE

GREAT EGRET

    Ringing up a total of 56 species was quite the adventure. Many thanks to all the good spotters including Judy, Karen, Gloria, Georgie and Julie for such a great experience.  

Until next time....and maybe seeing some of you other birders in the field again, this is it.

Check out the list below for full eBird report.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S99280329

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