#BlackBirdersWeek starts this weekend! Lots of good events scheduled and ways to learn about birds and community all next week! The Black AF in STEM Collective (fb)

There have been several great rarities at Sweetwater so far this spring! One of the most exciting was a Grace’s Warbler found by Scott Olmstead. This denizen of montane pine forests was only the second record for Sweetwater and my 205th species for the hotspot! An Eastern Kingbird found by Mark Stevenson is the 4th record for Sweetwater. Another high elevation species, a Spotted Towhee, has been skulking around for about a week and makes at least the 9th record for the wetlands. Three of the previous Spotted Towhee records at Sweetwater were long staying wintering birds, so who knows how long this one will stick around! A Northern Waterthrush has been present since late April and also hides in dense brushy areas. They are almost annual at Sweetwater, but these secretive warblers are more often heard than seen; listen for their sharp metallic chips. Least Bitterns arrived early this year on March 20 and have become less vocal lately, hopefully meaning they are nesting! These tiny, secretive herons only occasionally emerge from dense cattails so carefully scanning the edges of reeds, patience, and luck are all helpful in seeing them. The bimonthly educational workshops at Sweetwater have been filling up quickly! There is still space on the Brand New to Birding workshop on Saturday, June 14. I hope to see you at one of these workshops or on the trails at Sweetwater. -Alex Patia, Sweetwater Wetlands Coordinator (fb)