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Bird of the Month Blue Grosbeaks are stocky songbirds with a large triangular bill. Adult males are blue with a black mask and chestnut wingbars; females are primarily cinnamon- brown (no blue). They feed mostly on insects, but also eat other invertebrates and the seeds of wild and cultivated grains. Blue Grosbeaks are year-round residents in central Mexico and the west coast of Central America. In winter, part of the population migrates to both coasts of southern and central Mexico and across all Central America. In summer, part of the population migrates to northern Mexico and the southern half of the United States. Males arrive on the breeding grounds first to seek out nesting sites in overgrown fields and other areas with a mix of grass, forbs, shrubs, and a few trees. In the arid Southwest, Blue Grosbeaks nest in the shrubby growth along watercourses, such as the habitat along Potrero Creek. They breed in other riparian habitats in SoCal and establishment of a new breeding population of Blue Grosbeaks at Four Seasons would be a major milestone in the restoration of the Potrero Creek riparian habitat. The male Blue Grosbeak seen on Trail B on May 30 was the 112th bird species that the club has documented at Four Seasons and could be the vanguard of a new breeding population. ~ Steve Edelman Birding CLUB Our spring field trip to Big Morongo Canyon Preserve on May 23 was a lot of fun! Our group of nearly 20 birders saw a total of 40 species, including a family of Great Horned Owls, colorful Western Tanagers, blue and orange Lazuli Buntings, and strikingly red Vermillion Flycatchers. A highlight for many was a Calliope Hummingbird, which was migrating from its wintering areas south of the border to its breeding areas in western mountains. The big surprise of May was a male Blue Grosbeak I saw on Trail B on May 30, a Four Seasons first record and species #112! The group bird walk on June 5 produced a total of 18 species of birds and a coyote. All the birds were resident or migrant breeders (no winter birds or pass-through migrants). The highlight was a Cooper's Hawk with at least three downy chicks in the nest on Trail B. Additional birding during the day by Tina Canon, Barbara and Tom Wasco, and me yielded eight additional species, bringing the total for the day to 26 species. ~ Steve Edelman, steve.h.edelman@gmail.com FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JULY 2021 35 Top left: Male Calliope Hummingbird, North America's smallest bird. It can be distinguished from other hummers by its streaked purple throat. Photo by club member Kathryn McGiffen during our May field trip to Big Morongo Canyon Preserve Left: The Birding Club on Trail B during our June bird walk Male Blue Grosbeak. Photo by Bill Bouton, animalia.bio

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