Eighteen birders, led by Chuck Kangas, were treated to a variety of birding habitats on a perfect sunny day . The focus, Jackie Meck Lake, is a body of open water at the confluence of the Agua Fria and Gila Rivers just north of Estrella Mt. Park near Buckeye and Avondale. It's on private land so with permission of the owner and the key to locked gates the group was able to enjoy a site not previously seen before.

Birding started at golf course ponds on Palm Valley Blvd. in Litchfield where Redheads, Canvasbacks, and Ring-necked Ducks were prevalent and an Osprey soared above on a breakfast hunt.

At the "lake" area a Great Blue Heron rookery supported many of the big birds as well as Snowy and Great Egrets. A nonchalant Beaver stole the scene as he wandered up from a marsh and sauntered along the dirt hummocks right beside the group. There were many Pied-billed Grebes, Belted Kingfisher, Greater Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, Black Phoebe, and a well-camouflaged Great Horned Owl spotted by one eagle-eyed Sam.

At the next stop, a wildlife area next to Phoenix International Raceway, there were at least 40 Black-crowned Night Herons trying to hide in the reeds, Green Herons, Double-crested Cormorants, and a flock of American White Pelicans swooped over. Some of the group stopped at El Mirage Pond enroute home and saw a large flock of Black-necked Stilts, American Avocet, and Long-billed Dowitchers.

All of them didn’t see the Black Vulture that was with some Turkey Vultures. Of course, unlike the picture, it was flying.

There were 50 bird species seen. In addition to those mentioned were:
Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Gambel's Quail, American Coot, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Anna's Hummingbird, Gila Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Say's Phoebe, Verdin, Marsh Wren, Cactus Wren (heard), Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Northern Mockingbird, American Pipit, European Starling, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Great-tailed Grackle, Abert's Towhee, Rock Pigeon, Common Raven, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, American Wigeon, House Finch, and House Sparrow.

Participants were: George Wall, Jeanne Kirsch, Sam Stearman, Eleanor Campbell, Bob McCall, Kira Kremer, Donna Smith, Larry & Audrey Schander, John Gottfried, Ian Jeffrey, Olin & Sharon James, Kathy & Jerry Hobbs, Anne Durning, David Domokos, and Dennis Brunelli. eotropic Cormorants seen not in breeding plumage looked like the photo.