Weather was crispy cool despite the blinding sunshine from the east at Phoenix' Tres Rios Wetlands when 10 birders began birding at 7:30 a.m. The complex of reed-laden ponds, healthy cottonwoods, many brush piles, mesquites and running water provides good habitat for a variety of bird species.

A Great Blue Heron rookery greets visitors near the Hayfield Site parking area. There were several birds settled on their twig nests in the old dead trees.

All three common wintering Teals on the pond were a colorful visual treat. Cinnamon, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teals mingled with the Mallards, Common Moorhens, Pied-billed Grebes, and American Coots.

There were many White-crowned Sparrows and Yellow-rumped Warblers, several bright greenish Orangecrowned Warblers and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet that revealed its red crown. Two large flocks of white egrets flew over.

The list of 43 species seen: Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Turkey Vulture, Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gambel's Quail, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Hummingbird sp., Gila Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Northern Roughwinged Swallow, Verdin, Marsh Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Abert's Towhee, Brewer's Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Mallard, Great-tailed Grackle and House Finch.

Participants were: Clara Mae Ryder, Darlene Gatto, Ian Jeffrey, Marcia Johnson, Jan Harding, Richard Theobald, Robin Wright, Vicki Woods, Chuck Richard and Eleanor Campbell, leader.