On December 10, 2004, a group of 13 people birded Estrella Park and nearby sites. The weather was very accommodating and we shared a very good day. Participants were: George Wall, Marshall Esty, Liz Morris, George Drew, Dick Fogle, Chuck and Loretta Richards, Carol Maroney, Carolyn Modeen, Tim Cullison, Barb Meding, Cathy and Jack Thompson.

No doubt the highlight of the day was seeing a pair of Crissal Thrashers tearing up the ground 30 yards away from us and out in the open. The markings were very easy to identify since they were in so plain view.

The following 54 species were seen:

Mallard, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, Common Goldeneye, Gadwall, American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Common Moorhen, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, White-faced Ibis, Black-necked Stilt, Long-billed Dowitcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, Osprey, Belted Kingfisher, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Gambel’s Quail, Curve-billed Thrasher, Crissal Thrasher (a pair!) Abert’s Towhee, Gila Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Greater Roadrunner, Loggerhead Shrike, Great-tailed Grackle, Costa’s Hummingbird, Rock Wren, Say’s Phoebe, Black Phoebe, Yellowrumped Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Verdin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, White-crowned Sparrow, House Sparrow, European Starling and Killdeer (heard).