Gilbert Riparian Preserve: February 2nd - Friday

Gilbert Riparian Preserve: February 2nd, Friday  (note date change)

Those who are driving down the day of the field trip, will meet at 7:00 a.m. at the Sedona Safeway parking lot. Those folks will then go to the meeting spot in Cottonwood at 7:30 at Walmart parking lot (far Southeast side near to Carl’s Jr fast food right off Hwy 260). All participants will caravan approx. 2.5 hours to Gilbert. Leaders will meet participants in Gilbert at approximately 9:45 – 10:00 a.m. at the Southeast Regional Library parking lot adjacent to the Preserve (map pin location to be provided). Some folks may want to spend the night down in Phoenix area and meet us at the library parking lot. Parking for the Preserve is very limited so we will meet at the Library parking lot, then proceed to the Preserve on foot with optics at approximately 10:00 a.m. (Leaders are already down in Phoenix for Advocacy Day to speak with Legislators.)

We will bird for a minimum of 3.5 hours. Bring snacks, water, binoculars, scope, field guides and camera. There are bathrooms!  It’s entirely likely that we will see more than 65 species of birds: waterfowl, shorebirds, warblers. There is a high likelihood of seeing some cool rarities (Cackling Goose, occasional Northern Parula, American Redstart, Lesser Yellowlegs, and the Streak-backed orioles have been predictable for two months, with a possible Yellow-crowned Night Heron, etc.

Please join our Meetup Group: “Sedona Birders” for more information and any changes in the schedule. In case of inclement weather, watch Northern Arizona Audubon Society (NAAS) website calendar and Meetup group “Birding Flagstaff, Sedona and the Verde Valley” for alternate date. Trip Leader: Grant Pegram:  pegram.g@aol.com (520-423-7697) or Kay Hawklee; khawklee@gmail.com; 432-703-0007.  If you register via the Meetup app, you will get a reminder and notification if bad weather changes the date.