Image Up Advertising & Design

Allen's Hummingbirds are rufous and green overall, virtually identical to the Rufous Hummingbird, except that the adult Allen's has green, not rufous, on the back. During the breeding season, males entice females and defend territories with elaborate flights; in the "pendulum" display, males fly up to 100 feet and speed downward, pulling out of the dive right in front of the female. Males mate with multiple females, which are left to build the nest and raise the young on their own. Allen's Hummingbird is a year-round resident in coastal SoCal, where we're at the eastern edge of its range. Part of the population migrates north in spring to breed along a coastal strip from Southern California up the coast to Southern Oregon and part of the population migrates south in fall to winter in central Mexico. The male observed by the Birding Club on March 7 was perched in the open, definitely looking for love! During our virtual bird walk on April 4, Genie and Bill Cooper had adult male Allen's and Rufous Hummingbirds at their feeder, contributing to the unprecedented 43 species seen that day. ~ 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 (FS) and take seasonal field trips to nearby birding hot spots. Our bird walk on March 7 produced 28 species, a new record for a non-April bird walk, highlighted by an adult male Allen's Hummingbird, a FS first record (our Bird of the Month)! This started a run of FS first records: Chipping Sparrow on March 13, Western Kingbird on March 28, and Purple Finch on April 4. The club has now documented 96 bird species at FS! Because the pandemic prevented us from getting together for the April 4 bird walk, we had a virtual bird walk! Everyone birded individually, in their yards and on the trails, then we combined our lists at the end of the day. There were a lot of birds around and having many people scouring FS for birds produced a staggering 43 species within the boundaries of FS in a single day! We normally 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 | MAY 2020 35 Bird of the Month FSBC on March 7, our last pre-pandemic bird walk Spotted Towhee, one of only three species seen on every Club Bird Walk. Photo by Club member John Hansen during a mid- March stroll in Four Seasons while keeping social distance Just in case: Check with your club contact to confirm meeting place, date, and time. Adult male Allen's Hummingbird. Note the green back, which separates it from the more widespread Rufous Hummingbird. Photo by Dave Kettering during the Birding Club's March 7 Bird Walk

• Cover