Date: 4/14/24 12:13 pm From: <dpsiminski...> Subject: [AZNMbirds] Sierra Vista EOP Birding Walk
This morning, seven local birders and two from Oregon attended the birding
walk at the Sierra Vista Environmental Operations Park (EOP). We walked the
dikes and we saw 81 species of birds.
If there was any doubt that spring migration was on, this is the second week
in a row that we have seen over eighty species on the Sunday morning EOP
birding walk. As an example of the spring migrant phenomenon, a few trees in a
large open expanse is very attractive to migrating warblers. In the six pines
near the EOP viewing platform we saw Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler,
Wilson’s Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, and Lucy’s Warbler, plus 15
Common Yellowthroats in the nearby cattail impoundments. Six total warbler
species for the morning.
Six was also the total of migrant shorebirds that we saw: Greater Yellowlegs,
Least Sandpiper, Wilson’s Snipe, Spotted Sandpiper, and a Black-necked Stilt,
plus resident and passage Killdeer.
Two first-of-season Hooded Orioles were also a nice addition to our list.
The bird-of-the-day, however, was an American Bittern flushed from one of the
cattail impoundments. This is only the twelfth record in over twenty years of
Sunday EOP walks and the first since Feb 2023 for this rare winter visitor and
passage migrant.
A close second for the bird-of-the-day was a Barn Owl, an uncommon resident of
the area, but very rarely seen on the EOP walks. This is only the fifth EOP
Sunday birding walk record, and the first since August 2019.
Birding walks behind the locked gates of the Sierra Vista EOP occur every
Sunday morning. For the months of April and May, the walks start at 7:00am.
Meet early at the EOP Bird Viewing Platform to sign in with the guide. Late
arrivals will not have access behind the locked gates. Scopes are useful. A
hat and water are highly recommended.
The EOP is located just east (~ 3 miles) of Sierra Vista on AZ Hwy 90. Look
for the Brua Animal Care Center and the Wildlife Viewing signs on the
northside of Hwy 90. Turn left (north) and proceed to the bird viewing
platform. Note that Google Maps may direct you to the wrong entrance.
