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Birding CLUB This article marks five years since the Four Seasons Birding Club began with its first article in the February 2017 edition of the Breeze. Since then, the Club has documented a total of 116 bird species sighted within Four Seasons. The first official bird walk was on May 6, 2017, and we have since conducted 54 monthly bird walks. In response to COVID, our bird walk protocol was modified starting in April 2020 to include all bird species seen at Four Seasons all day. Now we meet at 8 am at the Trail A trailhead and walk Trails A and B, then everyone (whether or not on the morning group walk) bird watches on their own, on the trails and in their yards, and at the end of the day we combine everyone's individual sightings for our final species count for the day. Of the 116 species we've identified at Four Seasons over the past five years, 94 species have been seen during at least one bird walk and the other 22 species have been sighted only by individual residents birding on their own. Three species have been seen on all 54 bird walks and are considered the most common and conspicuous birds of Four Seasons: Lesser Goldfinch, Spotted Towhee, and Song Sparrow. April is the birdiest month at Four Seasons. Our first April bird walk was in 2018 when we set a new record of 25 species (see graph). That record was duplicated during the winter bird walks of December 2018 and January 2019 but was not exceeded until April 2019 when we set a new record of 34 species. That record stood until the following April when we tallied a total of 43 species on April 4, 2020. We came close to that record with 41 species in April 2021 and we'll try to break that record in April 2022! Our bird walks are designed to help beginning birders identify the birds of Four Seasons by sight and by sound. We also provide tips on equipment (binoculars) and identification guides (both books and apps). The increasing number of birds that we have identified since the beginning of the Birding Club reflects the increasing bird identification skills of our members. If you are bird-curious, send me an email and you will be added to the club's email list. ~ Steve Edelman, steve.h.edelman@gmail.com FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | FEBRUARY 2022 39 Left: Species totals for the 54 bird walks conducted to date. Our April bird walks produce the highest species counts Lesser Goldfinches at a nyjer seed feeder at Four Seasons. The bird with a black cap in the upper right is an adult male, the others are adult females or immatures. Lesser Goldfinch is probably the most abundant bird species at Four Seasons and has been sighted during all 54 of the Birding Club's bird walks. Photo by Club member Gerrie Karczynski The Spotted Towhee is one of the most abundant and conspicuous birds at Four Seasons. It has been sighted during all 54 of the Birding Club's bird walks. Photo by club member John Hansen

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