Gilbert Water Ranch continues to be one of the better birding sites in the Greater Phoenix area.  This trip was no exception and the weather was great as well.  We were fortunate to end up parking close to the Harris's Sparrow site, so we were able to get excellent views of the sparrow before the Saturday foot traffic sent him hiding.  The Streaked-backed Oriole was not to be found, although we looked at his likely location several times.

There were 54 birds seen or heard on the trip and they were;  Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Green Heron, Turkey Vulture,  American Wigeon, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Ring-neck Duck, Lesser Scaup, Rudy Duck, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Amerian Kestrel, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Marbled Godwit, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Common Snipe, Morning Dove, Inca Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Anna's Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Gila Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Verdin, Marsh Wren (H), Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Northern Mockingbird, American Pipit, Yellow-rumped Qarbler, Abert's Towhee, Black-throated Sparrow (H), Song Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, House Finch, Lesser Godlfinch, House Sparrow.

Those on the trip were: Dan Bohlmann, Dick Fogle, Ian Jeffrey, Marty Fackelman, Shirley Fackelman, Darlene Gatto, Marshal Esty, Marilyn McMahon, Donna Smith, Vera Markham, Katherine Siemann, Marcia Grina, Anne Durning, Barb Meding, Marge Popp, Chuck and Loretta Richards.