Mike SciaccaHe sat there in plain site,...

Mike Sciacca

He sat there in plain site, for all to see, handsome as the crisp,

spring morning in Huntington Beach Central Park.

Even though he was unaware that he was being gawked at, he seemed

to allow all on this trail to take in his regal beauty. He couldn’t

hear or understand the superlatives vocalized about him as he perched

there, proud as a, well, yellow-hooded oriole.

This winged creature was one of many to take flight Sunday during

the first bird walk at the Shipley Nature Center since the city cut

funding in October and closed its doors.

The Friends of the Shipley Nature Center, who have been working to

restore the nature center, organized the event.

A modest flock of 15 gathered to listen to expert birder Lena Yee

Hayashi as she led them along a winding trail through landscape was

dotted with various vegetation and sycamore, willow and coastal live

oak trees.

“The native plants of the area really attract birds -- especially

migratory birds,” said Hayashi, a Huntington Beach resident who is a

board member of the Shipley Nature Center and Sea and Sage Audubon, a

local chapter of the National Audubon Society.

Hayashi also leads walks through Newport’s Back Bay, Irvine

Regional Park and Santiago Oaks Regional Park as well as other areas

of Orange County.

“Our goal with this walk is to educate the community on what the

center has to offer, and part of that is a wonderful and diverse bird

population,” said Stephanie Pacheco, president of the Friends of the

Shipley Nature Center. “We, as volunteers, are working to restore the

center to its native habitat and we are working on various

fund-raising events.”

The Friends of the Shipley Nature Center is a volunteer group

committed to saving and enhancing the Shipley Nature Center, an

18-acre preserve in the greater Huntington Central Park.

The group grew exponentially when the center was on the chopping

block last fall. Before closing its doors, the center served more

than 40,000 visitors each year and held environmental educational

field trips for some 9,000 school-age children each year.

“We are working to bring back the children once again,” Pacheco

said.

The bird walk was part of a larger restoration project with the

goal of reopening the center as a “place of education and responsible

recreation for the community,” she said.

.Bird watchers, some armed with binoculars, walked the trails

under a canopy of cotton candy-like clouds whose background was a

blue sky. Rain had been predicted.

“A bird walk is best when the weather is dry and sunny. The birds

come out when the sun shines,” Hayashi said.

About an hour into the walk, the sun shone through. It was about

that time that the yellowed-hooded oriole flew into full view,

perching on an arched tree branch that stood about 15 feet off the

ground.

He was one of many birds whose presence thrilled those on the

walk. Anna’s and Allen’s hummingbirds also were spotted, as were

downy woodpeckers, American goldfinches, black Phoebes, mallards,

nest bushtits and cowbirds.

As the walkers wound around to Blackbird Pond, a black-crowned

night heron was spotted nesting. As bird watchers peeked through

Hayashi’s telescope for a closer look, a green heron flew across the

pond and landed in lush vegetation.

First-time bird watchers John Martin, 10, and his 8-year-old

brother, Sam, were the youngest on the walk.

“We both have always liked to get outdoors and I’ve been on this

trail before,” said John. “We’re hoping to see a lot of different

birds.”

The two were so excited for the walk, they had gotten up at around

6 a.m., they said, for the 8 a.m. walk.

John and Sam are involved in scouting and help out with chores on

the animal farm at Golden View Elementary School.

“I’m hoping to see a woodpecker on this walk,” Sam said.

He was not disappointed, nor were the others.

* MIKE SCIACCA covers sports and features. He can be reached at

(714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at [email protected].