A study of skill and luck. There were numerous migrants on our Tuesday morning walk, but they weren't easy to see. All of you who know MerryLynn Denny know that she is an excellent birder, and that she birds by ear. Two examples from our walk: #1 Carolyn Corvino and I were busy watching four flickers harassing a great horned owl. MerryLynn was looking and listening for migrants. She found a large feeding flock of warblers - yellow, yellow-rumped, orange-crowned, Wilson's and MacGillivray's and watched them for several minutes. She found us and told us about the flock so we hurried over — only to find all the birds gone! #2 Driving out of the parking lot MerryLynn heard a rock wren. Carolyn and I again hurried to the spot, and once again the bird was gone. Skill on MerryLynn's part but also luck at being in the right place at the right time. It takes both to find birds—I had neither that morning! We did see some shorebirds in the mud along the canal—2 greater yellowlegs, a semi-palmated plover, 2 western and 2 least sandpipers, 2 spotted sandpipers and several killdeer. Other nice birds seen were a black-crowned night heron, 2 ruddy ducks and a white pelican. Ginger
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