Shorebirds and gulls must have known that sixteen adventurous members of Birders Anonymous and Sonoran Audubon Society were coming to see them. A great variety of waders and fish-eaters scurried and swooped as the group invaded the beaches and estuaries at the Sea of Cortez in Rocky Point (Puerto Peñasco), Mexico. There were numerous Marbled Godwits, Long-billed Curlews, Whimbrels, and Willets which gave the crew a good chance to study bill size and feeding habits. Heermann’s Gull of various ages, Western Gull, California Gull, massive Yellow-footed Gull, and delicate Bonaparte’s Gull challenged the birders to identify them. It was exciting to spot a shape and size not seen before, scope it (with member’s excellent, powerful spotting scopes) and then check the field marks with the multitude of illustrations at hand.

Ken Larsen and Dick Fogle led the group to the areas of Sandy Beach with its volcanic outcroppings, to the rugged coast at Cholla Bay, to new sewage treatment ponds teeming with ducks, as well as the uncrowded beaches and estuaries. Both birds and birders battled strong breezes at times which did not deter the quest.

A Reddish Egret did its distinctive feeding “dance” spreading its wings in a quiet bend of water in the shrubs. Forster’s Terns dived repeatedly for fish. The wind brought Storm-petrels close to shore. One immature Tricolored Heron, one Brown Booby, and several little Snowy Plovers were added to the list of specialties.

Birds in non-breeding plumage challenged the birders to identify them—Black-bellied Plovers and Red Knots are not black or red at this time of year. During the four day trip 94 species were seen including those observed going to and from Mexico. The entire bird list is: Common Loon, Eared Grebe, Semipalmated Plover, Western Grebe, Black Storm-Petrel, Leach’s (White-rumped) Storm-Petrel, Brown Booby, Double-crested Cormorant, Neotropic Cormorant, Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Reddish Egret, Tricolored Heron, Snowy Egret, Turkey Vulture, Ruddy Duck, Northern Pintail, Redhead, Northern Shoveler, Lesser Scaup, Redbreasted Merganser, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, American Kestrel, Gambel’s Quail, American Coot, American Oystercatcher, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Black-bellied Plover, Snowy Plover, Killdeer, Marbled Godwit, Long-billed Curlew, Greater Yellowlegs, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Black Turnstone, Red Knot, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Dunlin, Heermann’s Gull, Ring-billed Gull, California Gull, Western Gull, Herring Gull, Yellow-footed Gull, Franklin’s Gull, Bonaparte’s Gull, Caspian Tern, Royal Tern, Forster’s Tern, Least Tern, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Burrowing Owl, Costa’s Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Gila Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Say’s Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Tree Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Loggerhead Shrike, Phainopepla, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Marsh Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Chihuahuan Raven, Lark Bunting, White-crowned Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Brewer’s Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Cassin’s

Participants were: Helayn Aranguena, Eleanor Campbell, Dick and Anne Fogle, Maryann Hovan, Chuck and Phyllis Kangas, Ken and Rosita Larsen, Carol Maroney, Jane McNeill, Chuck and Loretta Richards, Donna Smith, George and Maria Wall.