Once again, our group was fortunate with the weather – clear skies, the temperature warming from the mid-50s to the upper 60s and a light ocean breeze. We enjoyed watching American Wigeons, Mallards and one Pied-billed Grebe on the pond, a flock of Ring-billed Gulls, a Common Gallinule (Moorhen) dashing back and forth as it kept trying to chase off the ducks on the shore, a Black-crowned Night-Heron perching in a willow tree, and lots of Red-winged Blackbirds among and near the cattails.

From there, we walked some of the park’s trails that led us through and alongside riparian (streamside) woodlands of just-leafed-out willows and other vegetation, live oak groves, and shrubby chaparral areas. Highlights included such springtime songsters as Common Yellowthroat (Warbler), Orange-crowned Warbler, Plumbeous Vireo, Pacific-Slope Flycatcher, Bewick’s Wren, Wrentit, California Thrasher, Spotted Towhee and Song Sparrow.

We also saw a Raven harassing a Red-tailed Hawk as it circled over the park. Even though this is our nearest birding destination, we were impressed with the total number of birds we were able to identify in less than three hours.