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Great Egrets are tall, white wading birds with long legs, long necks, and long bills. Great Egrets wade in shallow water to hunt fish, frogs, dragonflies, and other small aquatic animals. They typically stand still and watch for unsuspecting prey then strike with a jab of their sharp bill. Early in the breeding season adults grow long plumes on their backs, which they raise in courtship displays. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, more than 95 percent of the Great Egrets in North America were killed for their plumes but populations quickly recovered after plume hunting was banned around 1910. Great Egrets are year-round residents in the Central Valley, southeastern U.S., the Caribbean, and coastal Mexico. Some birds migrate north and inland across the central U.S. to breed and most migrate south in the winter to the U.S. west coast and throughout Mexico and Central America. Great Egrets winter in our area and have been observed at Four Seasons mostly as flyovers, but they land occasionally and have recently been seen by several people in the field west of the Potrero Gate. ~ Steve Edelman Birding CLUB 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. During our winter field trip to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area in February, we had a lot of fun and spotted 54 bird species, a new record! Folks really enjoyed this trip and were surprised at the beauty of this expansive wetland so close to Four Seasons. We identified eight species of duck plus a variety of sandpipers, hawks, grebes, and songbirds, including a large number of Great Egrets (our Bird of the Month). Afterward we had lunch at George's Market, where we drank beer and ate bratwurst while being entertained by a Marlene Dietrich-like singer. The singer tapped Helene Leonard, a native German and one of the original members of the Birding Club, to sing along. Helene knew all the words — in German! — and was moved to tears of joy. It was wonderful! We meet 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 | APRIL 2020 39 Bird of the Month Helene Leonard singing along with Marlene Dietrich at George's Market after our field trip Great Egret in flight. Photo by Dave Kettering during our winter field trip to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area A pair of Black- necked Stilts at San Jacinto Wildlife Area. Photo by ReNae Stueve, FSBC member and leader of the Photography Club

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