Date: 10/19/25 12:30 pm From: dpsiminski (via aznmbirds Mailing List) <aznmbirds...> Subject: [AZNMbirds] Sierra Vista EOP Sunday Birding Walk
This morning, five local birders attended the birding walk at the Sierra Vista
Environmental Operations Park (EOP). We walked the dikes, and we saw 54
species of birds.
The bird of the day was an adult American Bittern perched apparently hunting
mosquitofish at the edge of the cattails in one of the water-filled
impoundments. American Bitterns are occasionally seen at the EOP and in just
about any season. This is the fourteenth record at the EOP for this species,
always just one bird. The last one was in April 2024.
The highlight of the day was the return for the third consecutive year of the
rare melanistic Northern Harrier. This is the earliest return of the three
years: 10 December in 2023, 10 November in 2024. Only five other melanistic
Northern Harriers have ever been reported in North America. For details of
the two previous years, see Steve Tracy’s 2025 article in Arizona Birds.
(Arizona Birds - Journal of Arizona Field Ornithologists, 2025, Volume 19:
page 48).
Other notable birds for today were a good variety of waders: Great Egret,
Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, American Bittern and White-face Ibis. We also
saw a group of eight Lawrence’s Goldfinches.
Birding walks behind the locked gates of the Sierra Vista EOP occur every
Sunday morning. For the months of October and November, the walks start at
7:00am. Meet early at the EOP Bird Viewing Platform to sign up with the guide.
Late arrivals will not have access behind the locked gates. Scopes are useful.
A hat and water are highly recommended.
The EOP is located just east (~ 3 miles) from Sierra Vista on AZ Hwy 90. Look
for the Brua Animal Care Center and the Wildlife Viewing signs on the
northside of AZ Hwy 90. Turn left (north) and proceed to the bird viewing
platform. Note that Google Maps may direct you to the wrong entrance.
The next EOP Birding Walk is on Sunday, 26 October, at 7:00 am.
