Adventure awaited the 18 birders at every stop along the 100 mile field trip route to Painted Rock Dam near Gila Bend. The adventure began at Wildlife World Zoo where Blackcrowned Night Heron, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Green Heron, Mourning Dove and Great-tailed Grackle began the bird list of 54.

Travel along uncrowded roads through farm fields uncovered American Kestrel, Whitecrowned Sparrow, Burrowing Owl, Western Meadowlark, Eurasian Collared Dove, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-winged Blackbird, White-faced Ibis above in V-formation, and European Starling.

At the Gila Bend water treatment ponds a friendly worker allowed the birders inside the fence so they could get close to Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Snow Goose, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Eared Grebe, Marsh Wren, Least Sandpiper, Ruddy Duck, Bufflehead, Ring-necked Duck, Killdeer, American Coot, Black Phoebe, American Robin and Yellow-rumped Warbler. 

The Paloma Ranch settlement housed Vermilion Flycatcher (one a male juvenile in transition plumage), Common Raven, Abert's Towhee, Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco, Cooper's Hawk, House Sparrow, Northern Mockingbird, Say's Phoebe, Rock Pigeon, and House Finch.

Lunch time found the group at the Petroglyph Site which most birders had never explored before. There a multitude of ancient rock scrapings on an array of desert varnished rocks (petroglyphs) created a memorable experience of history. A lively Rock Wren guarded it's space.

Painted Rock Dam area, the final birding site, revealed a large flock of White Pelicans at rest on the open river water, some Double-crested Cormorants, Shoveler, Canvasback and Pintail. Those who walked beyond the gate that barred vehicular traffic reported seeing Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Greater Yellow-legs, Verdin and Canyon Wren.

Harris' Hawk and Loggerhead Shrike were also seen enroute.

Participants were: Carol Maroney, Ian Jeffrey, Chuck Kangas, Tim Cullison, Gerry Horton, Barb Meding, Martin Gutowski, Vera Markham, Donna Smith, Betty Roberts, Carolyn Modeen, Carol and Rich Schooler, Marilyn McMahon, Liz Morris, Chuck Richard, Marion Bound and Eleanor Campbell, leader.