Spring Robin and Wildflower Hikes - Robin Nature Study

We took a walk to look for birds as part of the Spring Bird Observation Challenge from last week. It had been raining earlier in the day but we took off for our hike as soon as the clouds parted a little. The walking trail had lots of earthworms wiggling across which is why we saw A LOT of robins. The robins were singing and then hopping along side the trail as we hiked.



I think I was too distracted to capture a good photo but you can see him up there on the branch of the pine.



He did make it into our nature journals though....big fat red belly and all. There is lots of information in the Handbook of Nature Study for the robin. I encourage you to use this information as the basis of a great spring study of birds. There is an official Outdoor Hour Challenge for robins: Red Birds.

Here is an additional printable brochure on American Robins that is excellent: American Robins.



We were lucky to catch this wildflower blooming...



Yellow star tulip.



Part of the trail is lined with Scotch broom....yellow boughs make a beautiful setting. I know it is considered a "noxious" weed and invasive but I will enjoy it as I walk the trail this spring. 



On another section of the trail the Sierra peas are in bloom giving the grass dots of purple and pink.



The California poppies are really blooming now and this section of the trail full of them.I am working on a new blog entry featuring poppies that I will post soon.



We recognized this flower from last year...Blue eyed grass which isn't a grass at all but it is in the iris family.

We spent additional time this week reviewing our spring bird list and updating it for Tweet and See over on Heather's blog, Kingdom Arrows.

Here is our list for April:

1. Canada goose -on the move, although we have some that stay year-round in a marshy area at the edge of town
2. Mourning doves (always a pair)
3. Anna's hummingbirds
4. White-crowned sparrows
5. White-breasted nuthatch
6. Acorn woodpecker
7. California towhee
8. House sparrows
9. Brewer's blackbirds
10. American crow
11. Turkey vultures
12. Red-wing blackbirds
13. Western scrub jays
14. Common ravens
15. Cedar waxwings (saw these yesterday) - heard their high pitch whistle
16. Oak titmouse
17. American robins -counted 47 one day
18. California quail - flock of them
19. Yellow billed magpie - on a day trip, distinctive sound
20. Blue heron - on another day trip
21. Steller's jays
22. Cooper's hawk - we hear this sound a lot in our yard (nest call/alarm call)
23. Red-tail hawk
24. Rock pigeons

I think the most interesting thing about our list is the absence of some of our "regular" feeder birds. It appears that some of them have moved on: House finches, Lesser goldfinches, Spotted towhees, Dark eyed juncos.