Chris Schillig
Special to The Alliance Review
It didn’t take long for a small but dedicated group of birdwatchers and nature aficionados to have a moment.
Just a few dozen steps onto the Mahoning Valley Trail, the group had already seen or heard song sparrows and cardinals.
It was the first of many ornithological sightings during a 90-minute trek in northern Alliance, an appropriate conclusion to a week of Earth Day activities in and around Stark County.
Armed with binoculars and paper checklists from eBird, the group also had close and not-so-close encounters with cowbirds, woodpeckers and bluejays before the morning ended.