The Russian River is virtually a flyway for birds. We watch Nature's parade each morning......as the fish swim toward the sea, the cormorants swoop in to catch their breakfast, the great blue herons follow quickly to find fish by the banks, and then the osprey fly in and make great dives for their meal.

Some highlights: about three dozen newborn mallards and mergansers, a wood duck family coming ashore, and the wake-up call of a black-headed grosbeak.

Other birds on or near the river: western grebe, mallard, tree swallow, cliff swallow, kildeer, green heron, Canada goose, lesser yellowlegs, California towhee, dark-headed junco, turkey vulture, American crow, brewer's blackbird.