Warbler Walk at the Water Ranch!

Holy Prothonotary, Batman!! A pair of prothonotary passerines are hanging out at Gilbert Water Ranch, along with a number of other warbler species right now! I checked out the area where the prothonotaries were seen today (Tuesday), and also saw orange-crowned, Audubon's, yellow, and hermit warblers. Black-throated greys are present in the area as well. Since some of the ponds are dry and very few ducks, geese, and shorebirds are present now, we are going to focus on the path between ponds 1 and 7 and the nearby Water Sedge campground area in search of warblers on this visit. Once we get our fill of warblers, we'll take a swing around the other ponds on our way back to the parking area to see what else we can pick up. I did note some avocets, egrets, and swallows today. (I am going to post some photos I took today to whet your appetite for this trip!)

The preserve is centrally located in Gilbert near Greenfield and Guadalupe roads, with beautiful paths, nice parks and facilities, and both landscaped ponds and water recharge ponds. Parking is available off Guadalupe either by the library or further east. (It does fill up quickly, though, so don't be late!) This time we will meet on the east end of the playground, by the Dino Dig and restrooms, since it's close to the path we want to take. As usual, bring your binos, bird guides, water, snacks, and maybe sunscreen. The weather should be beautiful, but possibly a little muggy after the rains this week.

Afterwards, we will plan on having lunch at the Wilderness Brewing Company, which is just a few miles away. They have an excellent selection of food and beverages, and are located at 721 N. Arizona Avenue (which is also called Country Club Ave north of Guadalupe).