Eleven people dressed warmly, with binoculars, smiling at the camera, lagoon and trees behind.

words by Steve Whitman

In the early morning of October 26, 11 birders met COS trip leader Wayne Ryan at West Ridge Nature Park, which is adjacent to Rosehill Cemetery on the city’s north side. The group observed 20 species of birds and some exciting raptor action.

When the group met at the entrance to the park off Western Avenue, Wayne and about 20 American Robins greeted everyone. During introductions, the robins delighted the group by zipping around the ground, trees, and shrubs and displaying their varied vocalizations. Wayne described West Ridge’s landscape and history and the birds we could expect to see on this late-fall migration morning.

Two birds against yellowing leaves and bare branches. Bird on left is flying upwards, wings and tail spread wide, sun highlighting its red breast. Bird on right in a black silhouette, facing left. — American Robin (left) and Red-winged Blackbird. *Photo by Olivia C-K, West Ridge Nature Park, Oct. 26, 2025.*

From the entrance, Wayne led the group towards the south side of the park’s pond. Along the way, one of the park’s human-habituated deer was observed just a few feet from the path drinking from a streamlet between the grasses. Familiar Mallards and Canada Geese waded in the pond. Song Sparrows and American Goldfinches weighed down goldenrod stalks near the shore.

Small bird in close-up, facing left, with short, thick black beak, black eye, black bands on its wings and tail, otherwise buffy gold, with golden throat and above the beak, perched on flowering grass. — American Goldfinch. *Photo by Olivia C-K, West Ridge Nature Park, Oct. 26, 2025.*

The group traveled south towards the restored woodland and Wayne alerted us to the high-pitched calls of kinglets nearby. With a little help from Wayne and a lot of patience, each birder was able to observe and enjoy the frenetically flying Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets.

Yellow-rumped Warblers gave good looks in the woodland. When we reached a clearing, someone yelled “Hawk!” Just above the trees, a Cooper’s Hawk was being chased by an American Kestrel. Thoroughly thrilled, the birders discussed the smaller raptor’s tenacity.

The trail looped back on the east side of the pond, and at another clearing, another raptor was spotted. Its flight was swift and it had a bluish back and dark underside. Must be a Merlin!

Later, Wayne turned his back to answer a question from the group and was startled by a deer buck who lifted his head from munching on the grass between the wildflower stalks, his antlers a mere 5 feet from the trip leader. Wayne stayed calm, as did the deer.

Red-tailed Hawk. Photo by Olivia C-K, West Ridge Nature Park, Oct. 26, 2025.

Past the viewing platform at the north end of the pond, yet another raptor flew in, and this time, it perched directly above the group. Through the obscuring branches,Wayne could identify it as a Red-tailed Hawk. After observing it for a couple of minutes, the large raptor took off towards the south end of the park.

Back at the entrance, while Wayne and the birders reflected on the morning's action, a Red-bellied Woodpecker conspicuously foraged on a dead tree before the group parted.

Field trip recap: West Ridge Nature Walk