[EBB Sightings] Back to Eden

Dear Birders:

Yesterday morning I shepherded a small group of adults and kids from a local school for a bird walk at the UC Botanical Garden in Strawberry Canyon.

The sun came out soon after we arrived and almost immediately we found the male and female Hooded Orioles, though we didn't see them feeding fledglings.? We also had good views of a colorful male American Goldfinch, one of the four finches we either saw or heard in the garden.? Up along the road to the highest point in the southeast corner of the Garden we heard the Orange-crowned Warbler singing.? As the earliest of the summer warblers to sing, I was surprised to hear it still vigorously singing this late.? In the far distance we could hear a Swainson's Thrush, a bird that favors stream canyons, damper and more overgrown that the section? of Strawberry Creek that flows through the Garden.? We missed the Winter Wren that the staff often hears singing along Snowberry Creek In the California section.

We heard the Olive-sided Flycatcher on two occasions once with its song and later giving the "pip-pip" call notes.? From its aggressive behavior ("blasting" a California Towhee off its perch), it appears this is a breeding bird.? Good news, if so.

As we enter the second week of June, I would say that bird song is diminishing somewhat.? Still, there are lovely things to listen too.? Can anyone really tire of robin-song?

The next Garden-sponsored bird walk is on Saturday, July 18..? Don't miss it!? The Hooded Orioles may be renesting by then. 

-Phila Rogers