After a coffee stop a McDonalds at Scottsdale Pavilions, five intrepid birders – Chuck Kangas, Tom Lazzelle, Vera Markham, Ann McDermott and Dick Fogle (Leader) – checked out the ponds. Numerous water birds were sighted including a Hooded Merganser, Eared Grebe and many Black-necked Stilts.

We then proceeded west on Indian Bend Road to the large pond south of the golf course only to find that large earth-movers had bladed down half of the trees and habitat. Consequently, little bird life was seen there.

At the main McCormick Ranch Lake, a good mix of birds including ducks, geese, herons and egrets were seen. The pond on the north side of the street where we have seem some rare birds had also been torn up.

The 36 species of birds seen were: Greater White-fronted Goose, Canada Goose, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Gambel’s Quail, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Belted Kingfisher, Gila Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Say’s Phoebe, Verdin, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, White-crowned Sparrow, Great-tailed Grackle, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch and House Sparrow.

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