This month's leader, Harry Rurup, made the following report for the February 4^th Saturday birdwalk at the Nature Center. 

The day was bright and blustery with 16 people attending. There were about 3 ornithology students and one family with a child.  John Gallagher and others helped in spotting a number of good birds.  We saw a total of 22 species:

 SUNDAY, MARCH 13, CANON CITY AREA trip report -

 Yesterday 17 birders gathered for the combined Denver Field
Ornithologists/Arkansas Valley Audubon Society field trip that I led in the
Canon City area (private residences, Tunnel Drive and Temple Canyon Park) .
Everyone enjoyed a lengthy musical serenade from a Curve-billed Thrasher in
a private yard in nearby Brookside. This was mentioned as the highlight of
the day by many since not only did the thrasher sing it's complex and
melodious song for all to hear but he displayed on the top of a spruce tree
providing fantastic views for all. Ironically our stop at this residence
was to look for a Williamson's Sapsucker that I had seen there the day
before but which was gone yesterday. In fact the only other sapsucker I was
able to locate on Saturday, a male Yellow-bellied, was not present Sunday
either--I suspect most have moved out on their migration back to their
breeding grounds.
 
We also missed on Rufous-crowned Sparrow, a species that has been quite iffy
this year. Other highlights included hearing at least two Juniper Titmice
singing, finding two Bushtits in a juniper bush, and watching several
Townsend's Solitaire chasing each other (apparently defending feeding
territory)--all at scenic Temple Canyon Park just west of Canon City. The
weather was gorgeous, sunny and warming to around 60 degrees with only a few
light breezes.

INTRODUCTION TO BIRDING, MARCH 19, trip report submitted by Brandon Percival.  The AVAS group led by Mark Yaeger this morning, found two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in Pueblo City Park.  A male and female, both first seen in trees near the building by the duck pond on the east side of the park.  Later there was one along the Frisbee golf course creek on the west side of the park in the junipers.  I guess there could be three birds, though we saw two at the same time.  The small flock of Pygmy Nuthatches that have been present all winter were still around.

We also saw a Black Phoebe along the Arkansas River below the Park, west of the footbridge.  This is a different bird and area from the birds that have been at Valco Ponds recently.

Ten birders  participated - some new to birding, some old hands and familiar faces who joined to help the new birders.  The weather was cool and the brisk early Spring wind make the outing less than ideal,but Mark reports lots of birds in the Park.

4TH SATURDAY BIRDWALK, MARCH 26, 2011