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The Canada Goose is a big waterbird with a long black neck, a black head with white cheeks and chinstrap, and a brown back. It is the most widespread North American goose and occurs just about anywhere, from lakes and rivers to lawns and farm fields. Canada Geese breed across Alaska and Canada south to the middle tier of states and they winter throughout the U.S. and locally into Canada and Mexico. Canada Geese feed by dabbling in the water or grazing in fields and large lawns where they feed on grasses, sedges, berries, seeds, and agricultural grains. Two subspecies have adapted to urban environments and graze on domesticated grasses year-round instead of migrating like they used to. Canada Geese mate for life and mate "assortatively" – larger birds choose larger mates. During spring, pairs break out from flocks and establish territories, which they defend by grabbing the intruder's breast or throat and hitting with their wings. Canada Geese move in a V formation, with experienced individuals taking turns leading the flock as they make their famous "honking" call. Sightings of Canada Geese at Four Seasons are always fly overs in winter or migration, such as the flock that was observed during our April 6 bird walk. ~ Steve Edelman Birding CLUB Bird of the Month The Birding Club welcomes beginning and experienced birders to start or hone bird identification skills. Our main activity is a monthly bird walk along Four Seasons' nature trails, which follow native riparian woodlands. We keep a list of all species observed at Four Seasons and take seasonal field trips to nearby birding hot spots. Our March 9 bird walk produced 24 species. This was our best bird walk for viewing nesting birds, including nesting Cooper's Hawks and Anna's Hummingbird. I knew our April 6 bird walk could be our chance to break our previous record of 25 (set three times), but I had no idea we would blow right through the record with an unbelievable final count of 35 species! Many wintering species were still around and many spring migrants had appeared since March. We had two bird walk firsts, a flyover of Canada Geese (our Bird of the Month) and a singing Common Yellowthroat. We also had migrating Black-throated Gray Warbler, singing Yellow Warbler, newly arrived Red-winged Blackbirds in the lower marsh, and four singing Bell's Vireos. We saw all three species of North American goldfinches, including the rare Lawrence's Goldfinch. We meet on the first Saturday of the month at 8 am at the Potrero Creek (Trail A) trailhead at The Lodge parking lot. Email steve.h.edelman@gmail.com for current schedule and information. ~ Steve Edelman FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | MAY 2019 37 We welcomed some new hikers at our March Take A Hike outing. Temperatures were in the 40s at the Oak Glen Preserve. Our trail included many varieties of trees and typical mountain hiking trail foliage. This 1.8 mile easy trail had a 300' elevation gain. The trail included wild chaparral and old growth evergreen conifers, apple orchards, duck and redwing ponds, and a fast flowing stream. We ended with lunch at Apple Annie's in town. We look forward to going back with friends and family to picnic and pick fruit. We hike the third Wednesday of the month at 8 am. Info., lynette.simonson@ gmail.com or (951) 377-0392. ~ Lynette Simonson TAKE A HIKE CLUB Canada Goose in flight Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS L-R: Mary Liebenberg, George Newsome, Steve Edelman, Jerome Liebenberg, Gino Domico, Marty Rotman, Maurene & Howard Ochi, Saw Saw Win in front Singing male Yellow Warbler on Trail B on April 6. Photo by Club member Dave Kettering. Female Anna's Hummingbird on a teacup-size nest on Trail A on March 9. Photo by club member Dave Kettering.

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