Trip Report by Thomas Plath

Ten participants braved the poor weather of light rain and enjoyed a productive morning birding at the sanctuary. At the parking lot the resident pair of Sandhill Cranes and their two grown chicks greeted us. The wintering adult Black-crowned Night-Heron was buried deep in its usual hideout near the entrance. Great looks of common, wintering seed-eating birds were had at the numerous feeding stations and a careful search of the Douglas-fir and Holly bordering the east dyke produced a roosting Great Horned Owl and to the delight of many, a roosting Northern Saw-whet Owl. Continuing on a small bird flock gave us nice looks at a Bewick’s Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a couple of Brown Creepers. A few Purple Finches were observed feeding quietly on cherries, a favorite food during winter. A Virginia Rail was heard “grunting” from the marsh. The rain picked up as we walked along the west dyke so the group headed to the parking lot, finishing a successful morning of birding.