Joshua Tree CBC, 12/30/10

Thursday, December 30th, was my son's birthday and another Christmas Bird Count or CBC, this time in Joshua Tree. A good day.

For the uninitiated, Joshua Tree National Park is a high desert environment. It has massive piles of sandstone boulders that are impressive enough, but it also has its' namesake Joshua Trees, and vast fields of "Teddy bear" or "Jumping" cholla. It is probably most famous in recent years for rock climbing. There are several schools that will teach those intrepid enough to use ropes and other equipment to make their way up sheer rock faces. There are miles and miles of hiking trails, as well as a lot of open desert to explore as well. It is always amazing the amounts of wildlife one can find while wandering through the washes and rocks of the National Park. At first glance the place looks deserted, (no pun intended), but walking just a little ways out, or over a hill, down into a wash, and suddenly the place is alive with activity.

I met Bill and Herman who were two of five of us who showed up in the near freezing dawn to count birds in the Park. Seth and Jack(?) were the other team, and they went to 49 Palms campground to find and count birds. Bill drove Herman and I through the Indian Cove area to do the same.

The sky was clear and as we watched the sun climb steadily, we drove to a canyon at the extreme end of the campground. We hiked to and up the wash looking for something to fly out and introduce themselves. Bill talked of a Golden Eagle nest found on the canyon wall farther back in the canyon. We scrambled over rocks and up a wash that still had running water, carrying our binoculars and camera and wearing four layers of clothing. It was a glorious 35 degrees and a steady breeze was blowing, finding the inch or so that separated the top of my pants and the bottom of my jacket, giving me a frozen belt. I fixed this later, but for this initial foray it was amazing how efficient that wind was at finding the chink in my armor.


We didn't find anything bird-wise. We did find frozen pools of water, frozen mud, and a few interesting tracks frozen in the icy mud. After some time, we returned to our car with chattering teeth and shivering everything else. My hopes were as low as the temperature, but determined to see it through.

Then we drove through a campground and started seeing birds. A Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya), was sitting on someone's camp stove on a picnic table. A Black Throated Sparrow, (Amphispiza bilineata), flew past and foraged with it's buddies between two campsites. In amongst the Sparrows was a Black Tailed Gnatcatcher, (Polioptila melanoma), who foraged with them then jumped into the little bushes in his hyperactive way.

(Black Throated Sparrow foraging near a campsite).

(Black Tailed Gnatcatcher)

We were excited to see these little guys and were using our binoculars and concentrating on counting both the number of species and the number of birds we were seeing. At some point we realized a few of the campers were eyeing us with skeptical expressions, and at least one young lady was pausing on her way to the restroom, concerned there were three perverts between her and relief. We tried to assuage their fears by waving and smiling, but I am not sure we were entirely successful. We moved on.

We moved on to what Bill, (a former Ranger at Joshua Tree National Park), called Rattlesnake Canyon. He informed us we were going to hike up the canyon first, then down into the more open desert in our search. I wasn't too concerned about finding the canyon's namesake as it was still hovering near freezing. As we crested the hillside and dropped into the canyon, we saw a small flock of Black Throated Sparrows, and then a larger flock of Gambel's Quail,(Callipepla gambelii). We watch the flock of Quail run up the other side and run in single file up the hillside past the canyon.

(Gambel's Quail running away in single file).


We wandered up the canyon and heard a Ladder-backed Woodpecker,(Picoides scalars). We searched and soon found the Woodpecker sitting on a Yucca stump. I was surprised by this find. This is not the kind of environment I expected to find a woodpecker of any kind, Bill just smiled.

(Herman looking up the canyon, while Bill catches up, I took the high road).

We wandered up and down until Herman, who kept wandering off up hillsides, down into thick brush, the whole time snapping pictures and asking "What's that?", pointed up a little draw. We stopped and scanned the area he was indicating with our binoculars, and found a flock of about 18 Lesser Goldfinches,(Carduelis psaltria), working the hillsides. The flock let us get very close, then actually flew toward us. As we continued on our walk, the flock and another smaller one later on, kept us company as we wandered through the desert.

(House Finch)

(Male Lesser Goldfinch)

It was about here that Bill announced he 'had' a Bighorn Sheep on the ridgeline above us. We looked up and sure enough, there was a big beautiful Bighorn standing and staring directly at us. He was some distance away, but majestic looking. As we watched he worked his way down the rocks toward us. He never got really close, but kept getting closer which was exciting. We didn't have the time to wait for him to come all the way to us, (we had birds to count), so we moved on.

(Bighorn Sheep)

Bill showed us the way as we wandered down the canyon and out into the open desert. Bill told us there was the possibility of finding a LeConte's Thrasher, but we would have to hike to the border of the Park, another three miles or so, and the chances were 50-50 the birds were still there. We decided to make a shorter arc and work our way back to the car. As we walk around a pile of rocks, we see something moving on the sand between bushes. We get closer and sure enough, there is not one but two LeConte's Thrashers,(Toxostoma lecontei)! They not only stayed around for us to verify their identity, but to allow us to take some photographs as well. They seemed to relax as they realized we were only there to watch them, and went about their Thrasher business. These birds are called this because they like to use their beaks and feet to indiscriminately toss debris around under bushes looking for things to eat. One usually hears them before seeing them. I have heard noises in the bushes so loud I swore a cat or raccoon or some other animal was underneath, only to see a Thrasher pop up on a branch. These guys were no different. They were busy scratching and tossing while we froze in the wind and watched. On the way back we saw a Loggerhead Shrike, (Lanius excubitor), on a Yucca, and a Cactus Wren,(Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus), sitting on a Pencil Cholla.

(LeConte's Thrasher)

(Cactus Wren)

After lunch, and finding a Rock Wren,(Salpinctes obsoletus), we drove out of the Park and searched the little community that lived right along the boundary line of the Park. There we found a couple hundred more Gambel's Quail, Starlings, Pigeons and Mourning Doves. We also found Eurasion Collared Doves and more House Finches,(Carpodacus cassinii), and Black Throated Sparrows. Ravens were there as well as in the Park.

We finished the day at the Visitor Center where there is a nice little walk near a man-made pond where an American Kestrel,(Falco sparverius), was sitting on a Palm frond and watching our progress against the chill wind. We found a Phainopepla,(Phainopepla intense), sitting on a Cat's Claw and whistling at us. There was another small flock of Gambel's Quail running through the bush as well. We spent a lot of time near a Palm Tree because there were pellets at the base, as well as white-wash along the tree trunk, indicating this was a roost spot for an owl. As the sun was setting, we knew that at any moment the culprit would step out of the skirt of Palm Tree, stretch and fly into the night. We suspected either a Barn Owl, or Great Horned Owl, but we will not know as the culprit was smarter than we were. He stayed in where it was warmer, while we stood out in the cold looking up the skirts, nearly falling over backwards and breaking our necks.

You might be a birdnerd if...You spend your time looking up skirts for owls.

Happy New Year!!!

(One of two Coyotes we saw on our travels, be seeing you!).

San Jacinto CBC

I did it again. I attended another Christmas Bird Count. This one in San Jacinto. This was supposed to occur last Tuesday, but it was raining too hard to go out and try to find anything, in fact, the rain washed out many of the roads and access to many of the designated areas were not available. So, they postponed the count to today.

It was a gorgeous day. I got to go with Chet McGaugh, a recognized birding and biology expert in four counties. He and Gene Cardiff are great friends and are held in high esteem for their knowledge in this area throughout Southern California. Chet and I spent the day together.



Chet led the way and we began looking and counting at around 7:15 A.M. or so. Almost immediately we see two Red Tailed Hawks, (Buteo jamaicensis), flying from one high rock to another, sitting on the rock and watching us pass by. We saw a Merlin, (Falco columbarius), land on a rock between the two Red-Tails. By 8:15 or so, an adult Bald Eagle,(Haliaeetus leucocephalus), flew right over us. This was already a great day.

As we walked up the fire road into a kind of canyon, we kept hearing gunshots in front of us. We passed several signs saying in English and using the pictograph of a stick figure holding a rifle with a red circle and a line through this figure. Supposedly this is an international sign that depicts no shooting, hunting, or anything to do with a rifle in the area. Yet we heard several gunshots ring out as we cautiously approached. At the top of the road we saw several men off to one side dressed in hunting orange holding shotguns. From the other side walked three more hunters, dressed in hunter neon orange and carrying shotguns. Chet politely admonished them to pay attention to the signs and reminded them that hunting in the area was illegal. The man that appeared to be the father, looked right at us and with a straight face told us they were not shooting, it was someone else. Luckily, I don't have to deal with human crap like this anymore, and we left the issue at that and left. Once again, the worst thing out in the wild were the two legged animals with the biggest brains. Sad.

We went on to look at what was around the horse ranch in the valley. There we saw a Ferruginous Hawk, (Buteo regales), sitting in the field near the ranch. Soon a White Tailed Kite,(Elanus leucurus), landed nearby in the field. Both birds of prey are birds I haven't seen for years. While we watched these two, a flock of Red Winged Blackbirds, (Agelaius phoenixes), flew into three large trees in the ranch near the main house. In amongst the Red Wings, there were five or six Yelllow-headed Blackbirds, (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus), sitting on branches of the tree. Another bird I haven't seen in years.

As we walked through large fields we scared up flocks of American Pipits,(Anthus rubescens), and Western Meadowlarks,(Sturnella neglecta). We were surrounded by their calls. We walked the fields, returned to our cars, drove to another location, and walked some more. We took a break for lunch on the roadway, and watched a Great Egret,(Ardea alba), fly to near our lunch location and begin to hunt the flooded field.

After lunch, we walked along a muddy roadway and up the hillside into a stand of olive trees. Chet told me this was a good place for owls. He told me we should split up and walk through the trees in the hopes of scaring up something the other would see. We did, it didn't work. Nothing scared up. We didn't find any owls hiding in the trees.

We slogged our way back along the flooded roadway and fields. We did see Mountain Bluebirds,(Sialia currucoides), at the edges of the field, in a near riparian area along the irrigation channel. Chet announced it was time to go to the Chicken Ranch, (not the one in Las Vegas).

We drove over to the location and pulled off the side of the road. There was a large puddle in front and a good number of Ringed Billed Gulls, (Larus delawarensis). Now, I would have left it at that, but Chet pulled out his Kowa scope and began to scan the flock. There he pointed out a Thayer's Gull,(Larus thayeri).

Chet then led the way to the ranch proper where large bulldozer's were moving small mountains of chicken manure. Perched all over these mountains were an estimated 2000 gulls and Cattle Egrets, (Bubulcus ibis). Once again, Chet began scanning with his scope. Soon he was oohing and aaahing, and dancing like a small child needed to find a restroom. He looked, stepped away from the scope, and looked again. Then he made a phone call. I asked if he found something good, and he said oooohh yeah. He put the bird in the scope and explained to me what I was looking for, and there it was, a Lesser Black Backed Gull, (Larus fuscus), a much larger and darker gull compared to the many Ring Billed Gulls surrounding it. Chet knew it right away, this was a bird not seen in this Christmas Bird Count before. It was also a lifer for me. In fact, both the Thayer's and Lesser Black Backed gulls were lifers for me. Another good birder arrived and verified the find, and Chet was able to take a couple photos of the bird. My camera would not take a good photo of the bird as it was too far away for the lens I currently have. Later, we also found a Western Gull,(Larus occidentals), that was rare to find at this location, but not a new bird for the count. We spent some time at this place.



We looked at a couple other locations, then decided to go to the Coco's we all agreed to meet. There we met the other participants in the count, including Gene Cardiff and Dori Meyers who worked Lake Perris. After all was said and done, Tom Benson, (a co-compiler with Tony Metcalf), announced we had all seen a total of 154 species this day. This was a CBC record for at least the five years Tom kept the records. Nice day. We all went home with slightly sunburnt faces, a little tired, (having walked anywhere from 4 to 9.5 miles, Chet and I walked nearly 7 miles according to his wrist pedometer), and very satisfied.

You might be a birdnerd if...you walk toward people with guns holding only a pair of binoculars.

Christmas Bird Count 12/26/10

Tis the season!! I know, it is after Christmas, but this is the season for Christmas Bird Counts throughout the country. Here in Southern California there are several in diverse areas, mountains, desert, shores and even a couple in the ocean, (called pelagic trips). The idea is two fold. You get to go out with birding experts and learn more about birds, their behaviors, the sounds they make, ecology, biology, and much more. The other is actually participating in science. It is called citizen science, and volunteers throughout the country go out and actually find and count the birds they see. These counts are compiled and sent to Audubon, which is compiled into a paper that is published each year. This does a few things, it shows patterns of bird species in general, such as the numbers and locations of Red Tailed Hawks, or Bell's Vireos, or Peregrine Falcons. This gives scientists a snapshot of what is happening on a particular day that they can compare to weather patterns, ecology, habitat changes and more. As birds are relatively easy to find, (compared to say, gophers, badgers, and mountain lions), and many are very sensitive to environmental changes, they are a good bellwether of changes and their effects. Therefore, this citizen science is an excellent way to compile accurate information across the country. It is cost effective, a scientist or college (such as Cornell University), does not have to pay assistants or graduate students to travel across the country and count birds, or buy expensive technology and place it all over the country. Now they can get this same information and more from one location, the National Audubon Society.

All the various branches of Audubon sponsor Christmas Bird Counts. This particular count was sponsored by the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society, (www.sbvas.org). If you go to their website there is actually a part you can click on that gives you a list of all the Christmas Bird Counts and the person in charge of each count. You can pick the one you would like to attend, let them know via email, and show up the morning they show. You will be put with others in teams. Each team will then get a location, or set of locations, to go out and count birds. If you are a beginner, don't be intimidated, you will be put together with those more experienced birders who will take you to their favorite locations, as well as point out birds and help with identification tips. Especially if you are a beginner, the Christmas Bird Count is a great way to learn the area and birding.

Years ago, I decided to attend a Christmas Bird Count in Joshua Tree. I asked if my oldest son, Taylor, would like to attend. He was in High School at the time. He agreed and we got up early on the specific day and drove up the hill in darkness. We arrived first at the entrance of the Park and watched the sun rise. One of the first participants to arrive after us was a reporter for the local newspaper. She thought it was a great story for a father-son team to be out birding and contributing to science together. My son allowed the interview and even a photograph to occur, but he was mortified. Hours later it occurred to him that he didn't know anyone in Yucca Valley, so he was probably safe. We spent the day hiking around Joshua Tree, (which is always a good day), watching and counting birds. We meet the other members of the count, (all volunteers), at the local pizza place for the compilation and pizza. Taylor was happy with the pizza and tolerated the banter of us "old" people discussing the events of the day. That is until a reporter for our local paper in Palm Springs showed up and after the initial introductions, thought it was a terrific idea to feature the father-son team who had helped out with the citizen science in Joshua Tree. My son was mortified and on the way home decided he was reasonably safe, as he didn't know anyone who actually read the newspaper at school. Hopefully, no one would see his picture in the paper, and certainly wouldn't read the article.

I still have the articles. I told you that story because I attended the San Bernardino Christmas Bird Count with my now-adult son, Taylor. He could only attend half of the day, because he was driving up the coast to camp in Morro Bay. He got up with me at 4:30 AM and we got ready and drove in two cars to the San Bernardino Natural History museum in San Bernardino. This time he was not afraid of anyone knowing he had gone with me and welcomed the attention.


We met Dori Myers who was already parked in front of the museum at a little after 6:00 AM. I recognized Dori's name from the Western Meadowlark, the newsletter the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society sends out. Her name is all over it, contributing articles, organizing events and helping run the museum. She is very personable, and always busy. She is constantly watching her cell phone, looking into a book, or searching for a pen or pencil. She kept up a constant chatter of birding trips, birding events, singing the praises of Gene Cardiff and the museum. Soon afterward, Gene Cardiff arrived. Gene has been a taxidermist, a teacher, and has recently retired as head of the biology section of the San Bernardino Natural History Museum. Now, for him, retirement means he now goes to the museum only two or three days per week. He still leads birding events all over Southern California. He still teaches, if not traditionally in a classroom, in the outdoor classroom where what he sees dictates the topic of discussion.

If you didn't know better, when you watch the interaction between the two long time friends, you might think them a couple. They banter, they laugh, they argue the familiar arguments that occur between couples daily. You know, "What did you do with my jacket?" "I didn't do anything with it." "Well, where is it?" "I don't know." "Oh, here it is, want a cookie?" Add to that the bird count conversation, "Thirteen Mourning Doves." "What?" "Mourning Doves, thirteen of them." "OK, wait, where's the list? Oh, here it is, how many?" "Thirteen." "OK, got it. Want a cookie?"

As there were only the four of us at the museum, Taylor and I went in his truck, following Gene and Dori in Gene's Honda CRV to the various locations. We were responsible for a fifteen mile circle territory that included the hospital, sewage treatment plant and some horse property near the border of San Bernardino and Riverside counties. We drove past a large paintball area with many wooden barriers built throughout a large flat area across from the county dump.

We had a very large storm that dumped a lot of rain throughout Southern California, (and postponed at least one bird count), during four or five days prior to Christmas. We saw a lot of evidence of this storm with roads to favorite spots for birding being washed out, mud scraped off the roadway, and large puddles. At least one road was still under water.

We ended up parking on the side of the road and looking at a creek bed that had a raging creek running through it. There was plenty of evidence the water level was much higher just a day or two before. We immediately saw a Merlin (Falco columbarius), sitting on a wire in the dark cloudy day. He didn't seem happy, with his feathers fluffed out and dripping from the moisture still diffusing the air. Down the road we saw not one but two Peregrine Falcons,(Falco peregrines), and one was chasing the other up the creek.

We saw many Starlings,(Sturnus vulgaris), which were mimicking other birds calls as well as chattering among themselves. In among these Starlings was a Kingbird. I found it and pointed it out to Gene and Dori. I was proud of myself and knew it was a Kingbird, but misidentified it as a Western Kingbird. They smiled in that teacherly way and said we would have to write a very long report if it was a Western, as they have all left for the winter. This was a Cassin's Kingbird (Tyrannus vociferans). This is a perfect illustration as to why I like to go to these events with an "expert". My confidence in my birding identification skills is still lacking. I am confident in several birds, but warblers and vireos especially, I will defer to others in a heartbeat. This is also why I attend these things, I learn something at each one.

Today, I was birding with two of the elite birders in the surrounding four counties, and was not going to argue with them. I was also in a little bit of heaven just being with them. Dori is excellent at identifying birds by their calls or sounds. I am weak at this skill at best. I hear the sounds, but just don't know what I am listening to. She taught me the call of the Bewick's Wren, White Crowned Sparrow, and more. She would never see the bird, but knew what she was listening to and called it out. This made it difficult to count the birds, but once she would call out a bird, I would look in earnest, and between the four of us we made a good estimate of the number and type of birds.

We moved on to the sewage ponds and had to sign in at the front desk that is behind an automatic gate. Red Tailed Hawks,(Buteo jamaicensis), were everywhere, soaring, sitting on dead snags, on poles, one eating on a cross bar of a power tower. There were several ponds that had water in them, and in the water were many different ducks. We saw Northern Shovelers,(Anas clypeata), Cinnamon Teal,(Anas cyanoptera), American Wigeons,(Anas americana), Gadwall's,(Anas strepera), at least two Buffleheads, (Bucephala alveoli), a male and female pair. We saw Canada Geese,(Branta canadensis), and spent some time looking for the Aleutian or minima variety, to no avail. Of course, there were a bunch of Mallards, (Anas platyrynchos), and I even found a hybrid duck that looked like a large Cinnamon Teal with a Mallard head, and a black cloak. We saw Green-winged Teals, (Anas crecca), and a bunch of Coots, (Fulica americana). We went to each pond and divided up the responsibility of counting the various ducks. Taylor and I got the Shovelers, Gadwalls, Coots, and Mallards. Luckily Taylor had a hand counter as he chose the Coots on one pond and we watched a large flock walk from the roadway and go into the pond. He counted 175 in that one pond.







After our day of wandering through sewage ponds, hillsides behind housing projects, a cemetery, a park, and an open field between two office buildings, we came back to the museum. I then followed Gene and Dori to the local Marie Callendar's where we met up with the other volunteers to compile the birds they found and the numbers they counted. There were 15 of us. Retired teachers, students, and couples were gathered and sharing birding adventures and using the verbal shorthand that people familiar with each other and the topic of conversation engage in. We found, collectively, around 80 species and the actual numbers of birds will be compiled and will be published later in the new year. I said my goodbyes, and drove home, where after a shower I began falling asleep in my chair. Even so, I can't wait until the next one.

You might be a birdnerd if...you schedule your holiday festivities around your birding outings.

My son, Austin, is home from his adventures in Jamaica, serving the Peace Corps. He graduated from USD with a degree in Environmental Sciences last year. He is living with us and working here in the desert until his next adventure in Costa Rica. He will leave for that part of the world near the end of January. In the meantime he is working on us and making us more sustainable at home. He has us storing things in glass jars instead of plastic containers. He has us using plates instead of paper plates. We are using PCB free water bottles instead of buying bottled water. We use a Brita filter, or a filter on our tap water to drink instead of brand named bottled waters. The water is just as good,the containers are sustainable, and easy to clean. We are composting. Our kids make us better.

We have had a planter next to one end of our patio for years. We planted two yucca plants on either side of the 9'x5' slump block planter. Over the years, we have planted various flowers, including tulips, and others in between the yucca's. Over the past five or six years we planted Hummingbird vine, that virtually took over the planter and grew onto our roof and over to the patio cover of our Mother-in-Law's room at the one end of our house. During the winter this vine dies off and I would trim it down to the ground level, thinking it would die. It didn't. Each summer, it came back with a vengeance. You could almost see it growing. It did produce big orange-red flowers the hummingbirds did like, but it took over and covered everything in that corner.

While we did have Mourning Doves nest in this thicket, and of course the Costa's and Anna's hummingbirds spent a lot of time there, it also became home or at least a hiding place for the large rats that are common in the desert. This was not a favorite of my wife.

So, my son came up with the idea to tear out the yuccas and hummingbird vine, and plant a vegetable garden. I suspect some of the impetus for this was that he had a machete he bought in Jamaica that he wanted to use. Mom gave the ok, and he went to work. He used the machete to chop up the vines and a good portion of the yuccas.



I had some old tools, a shovel and an axe, and entered the fray. Soon the axe was sacrificed to the battle, and we had to run to WalMart for new tools. We picked up another shovel, and a new axe. We also bought a file for sharpening the machete and axe. I got the kind of axe that was flat like a sledge hammer on one side, and sharpened on the other side. It was heavier than a normal axe but a kind of multi-purpose tool, a concept I lean toward.



Back at work, we began work on the roots. This was a tough job as the root balls for the yuccas were very large. We used the heavy axe to chop up the root systems and pulled out the roots and dirt down about two to two and one half feet. Then we made a trip to Lowe's and picked up a cloth barrier and some rocks, as well as planting soil. We smoothed out the dirt, put the barrier down, put rock on top, then filled the planter with planting soil.




We made another trip and picked out various vegetable plants, electing to start with plants and work from seeds later should
this experiment work out. We ended up with a couple different kinds of tomatoes, eggplant, cilantro, onions, lettuce, spinach and a couple different colors of bell peppers. So far, so good.




It was a good project because we opened up that area of the patio, got rid of some unruly vines, and have some (hopefully) delicious vegetables on the way. We also made it a family project in that two of my boys were involved in the process and are interested in the outcome, (they will certainly eat the results).

Why am I writing a gardening blog in a Bird Nerd spot? Well, during the couple days it took us to work through the process, I kept hearing a chip-chip in the back yard. For a while I couldn't locate the source, until we took a break and went inside the house for lunch. I stood inside and watched as a small yellow bird landed on our debris pile and made the chip-chip noise I kept hearing. Look at that! It was a Common Yellowthroat, (Geothlypis trichas). It flitted around the debris pile, then over to the planter and thoroughly inspected both. He stuck around for two or three days and inspected each step. Chip-chipping all day as he flitted into and around the debris pile and planter.


Which brings me to my You might be a Birdnerd if... I know in my head that the little bird was probably searching for bugs we unearthed, or for possible nesting materials, or other very practical reasons. However, I couldn't shake the feeling the beautiful little bird was inspecting our handiwork, and making judgement. He has since left, so I am concerned he disapproved. I hope he comes back to see the results.

So, you might be a birdnerd if...you are concerned with the opinions of the local bird life on your gardening handiwork.

Thanksgiving Whitewater Hike

Tis the season! The boys are coming home for the holidays, and we are hiking. Also, it is the season for the Christmas Bird Counts! This year I have the holidays off, and I have a good chance of attending most if not all of the CBC's in my area. I am looking forward to this, and will be posting these adventures as they occur.

This year has been an interesting year for birding as we have seen several rare birds in the Morongo area, including a Dickcissel, and an Ovenbird, (I didn't actually see this bird, but heard a lot about it). So it is possible we will see more new and different birds during the CBC's. One of the trips I hope to make will be to the San Jacinto Wildlife Refuge, and I hope to see a Bald Eagle, and my nemesis bird, a Golden Eagle.

As exciting as the prospects are, it is always exciting and fun to have the boys come home, no matter what the reason. The holidays provide a terrific excuse and reason to get together. We eat, catch up on each others' lives, and hike. I think I have said before that when we go hiking, we never keep track of the miles, we go to see what is there. So, we will take off and soon my oldest son will detour and make some exclamation about a plant he has seen, step off the trail and rub a leaf, or snap off a flower and explain what the plant is known for, or can be made into. We spend some time looking at the plants nearby and discussing what Native peoples used the plant for, and the type of ground it grows in and more. Then we strike off again, and soon we see a bird or flock of birds and we are distracted again until the birds leave us. Then we will see animal tracks or some geological formation that we have to ask Nancy about if she has accompanied as we forget the geological terms. So, many of our hikes may not be very many miles long, but we have been out there for hours.

So, it was that Taylor and I decided to go to Whitewater for our Thanksgiving holiday hike. Austin had to work and Harrison decided to spend time with his girlfriend and other friends by going to lunch with them, (go figure!). Andi stayed home and took a walk of her own.

We chose Whitewater because we hadn't been there in a while, and it was close, which fit in the time frame we had. I have to tell you that I went with some reservations, as I remember being disappointed the last couple times I went there. The conservancy had made some terrific modifications and made great strides in improving the place, but there was relatively few birds and wildlife. We saw a few here and there, but nothing to get very excited about. So, I went with the idea that it would be nice to hike with my son. I took my camera and binoculars almost out of habit.

Boy was I wrong! We got there and Taylor, who puts together training and nature centers with walks and education centers and more, was excited from the get go about how many cars were in the parking lot. There were people milling about the ponds, picnic tables, and in the visitor center. This was good.


We parked and started off. We started on the well marked trail by the north pond, and Taylor immediately stopped and took photos on his phone of the pond, the markings of the trail, and the large rock they used as a signpost with names and mileage listed along the length of the boulder. Listed on the boulder were .5 miles to the Pacific Coast Trail which runs through the Whitewater area, and Anchorage, Alaska, and Mexico. There was an information board next to this as well, with information on the wildlife in the area, and that the area was the intrusion of the southern tip of the Chaparral area in California, very different from the Desert just a couple miles down the road.


For the uninitiated, Whitewater used to be a fish hatchery, and we used to take the boys there so they could fish for trout. It was a pleasant place then with a series of ponds and a fish ladder and more. It sits at the mouth of a very large valley that looks as if it has been a large river in times past. There is still water running down the large washday, but most of it is rock and sand surrounded on the sides by large hills of beautiful geology, showing many colors and formations that are different from the desert formations in the Coachella Valley where we live. You can see for miles. You can hike for miles as well, as it goes and goes and goes.


My impressions were that the place had really grown up. The small bushes and dead trees were now full grown thickets and the dead trees were surrounded by Laurel Sumac and shoots of younger trees and more. There was a goodly amount of water in the area. Water was running in a good sized stream, as well as smaller creeks branching off and flowing down through the rocks and sand of the river bed, and small ponds at various locations. For those of us from the desert, this was a lot of water. As a result there was a good amount of Typha, and Scirpus plants, (Taylor pointed these out to me, I saw Cattails).


We strolled along the well marked trail as Taylor pointed out certain plants and explained what to expect from their blossoms, and what their roots would do and more. He pointed out the "taco plant" or Laurel Sumac, that has leaves that fold up, giving the impression of a taco shell. The growth was head high and thick in parts, especially along the water ways.

It was a beautiful day and cool. There was gurgling water, whispering cattails and other bushes, bright sunshine, absolutely brilliant blue skies, and the calls of birds and ground squirrels. We found a canine footprint in the mud, and Taylor explained that you can tell the difference between canine and feline tracks by making an 'X' through the print. If you can mark an 'X' without touching the pad of the print, it is a canine print. Usually there are nail or claw impressions, (as we saw), as well.

As we strolled along we met other hikers, and one couple were walking while holding Starbuck's cups. Taylor sounded incredulous as he asked them, "Is there a coffee place up there?" indicating farther up the trail. They laughed and the man said there was, while the woman said no there wasn't, but it was a nice walk. We met with a group of three who asked if we were looking for birds, (I guess the bins and camera were clues), and when we said we were, told us of birds they had seen and where. So we left there looking for a California Thrasher, California Towhee, and Scrub Jays.



We turned the corner and while hearing the call of small frogs from the nearby pond, we saw a California Thrasher, (Toxostoma redivivum) dive into the thick brush along the hillside. We walked on and saw a pair of Western Scrub Jays, (Aphelocoma californica), working the wash. Ravens floated with a flock of what I believe were White Throated Swifts, (Aeronautes saxatalis).
We saw movement in the brush and saw a couple California Towhees, (Pipilo crissalis), then a Spotted Towhee, (Pipilo maculates) flashed past us. We heard and saw Bewick's Wrens, (Thryomanes bewickii) as we stepped over the small bridges over waterways.

At one point we decided to cross over the river bed, and walk back toward the visitor center/picnic ground on the other side where there is a fire road along the opposite hillside. As we crossed we saw a paw print in the sand that looked different. Using the 'X' theory, we saw that it was indeed feline, and it was large. So, by deduction we believe it was a mountain lion track and not the smaller bobcat. I know it doesn't make logical sense, but I really did look up and further around for the mountain lion. That is like seeing the deer crossing signs on the roadway and begin looking for deer. I didn't see the lion either.


As we wandered down the fire road, we saw a good sized flock of Bushtits, (Psaltriparus minims), moving from bush to bush and chipping to each other as they moved along the hillside. As we got closer to the visitor center we saw flocks of White Crowned Sparrows, (Zonotrichia leucophrys), and a Lincoln Sparrow, (Melospiza lincolnii) or two. As we approached an ancient stand of trees, Taylor remarked we should see some sort of woodpecker, like a Flicker or two, as he pointed out a hole or two that had been excavated in the trunks or large branches of the trees. Like it was waiting to be called, a red shafted Northern Flicker, (Colaptes auratus) landed on the branch of the tree. While we were admiring this bird, we heard the calls of quail nearby. Soon we saw them scurrying from one brushy hideout to another, then across the road. Unfortunately, I was unable to properly identify them, but believe them to have been Gambel's Quail, (Callipepla gambelii). I have heard there were California Quail in the area, but I didn't get a good enough look to make the determination. The one I saw the best was a female and from what I saw and what I read in the Sibley's, I think we watched and heard Gambel's.


We saw a Phainopepla, (Phainopepla intense), in the dead and dry brush along the pathway. Also, as we walked, talking, looking and listening to the surroundings, Taylor pointed up the canyon and we saw a Cessna airplane sailing very low down the rocky riverbed. I was able to snap a photo as the plane climbed up a little and exited the canyon.


Altogether, a pleasant hike on a gorgeous day, with a lot of wildlife in the area. I was pleasantly impressed with the improvements and the numbers of birds in the area, as well as the signs we saw of other wildlife. I will return here.

As a side story, Taylor and I went to a small art show at Frances Stevens Park in Downtown Palm Springs today, Saturday, and found a terrific wildlife painter. Taylor found me gaping at some other terrific art and told me to follow him because he was going to blow my mind. He did. The pictures were simple, but terrific. She works in watercolor, but the detail in her paintings if phenomenal. Her name was Penelope Krebs, and she lives in Morongo, near the Morongo Preserve. Her website is www.penelopekrebs.com if you want to see some of her work. Taylor bought some of her prints, and I got a business card which is a work of art in itself, a pair of Gambel's Quail with her name underneath. Another pleasant surprise of the weekend.

So, you might be a birdnerd if...you look hike for hours but have no idea how far you have trailed. You can give a detailed list of the birds and wildlife you saw, however.

Big Morongo Preserve

Saturday, 10/9/10, was a perfect example of a retirement day in our household. When I tell people that I am really enjoying retirement, this is the reason why. There are things we need to do to make it perfect, like making enough to pay for our school loans so that Andi can retire with me, but this is the prize we are working for.

It is Saturday morning at about 8:00AM, and I am parking my Honda Insight in the parking lot of the Big Morongo Preserve. Dee Zeller waves greeting as I step out of the car. There are others milling about the parking lot that I don't recognize, but I knew we were all there for the same reason, birds.

My dad told me years ago that everyone wears a uniform. If I were to ask you to visualize a cop or fire fighter, you would most readily think of their respective uniforms. If I ask you to visualize a gang member there may be some differences but most could come up with a particular set of clothing, grooming or lack thereof, and even stances or behaviors.

It is the same with birders. Who else would be in a wooded area as the sun begins to bathe the area in warmth and brilliant light. Who else packs bottles of water, cameras, and most importantly, binoculars on their bodies while wearing sensible shoes. Who else is already looking up in the trees for something flitting about. Who else carries a three pound book in a pocket or shoulder pouch that will help them identify what they see this day. Yes, they were birders. Thus started my day.

Today was no ordinary birding day, (is there one?). Today, we would be led on a birdwalk by Dee Zeller, camp host for the Big Morongo Preserve, (www.bigmorongo.org), then we were to be entertained with a lecture by Chet McGaugh. Chet is an ornithologist who has birded this area for nearly 33 years and has seen many changes in the area as well as the numbers and kinds of birds found here. He works with and has been deeply involved in the San Bernardino Museum and Audubon Society, leading the way on several projects of various sizes over the years. Chet and his lovely wife drove out from their home in Riverside to meet with our group and show us a short history of birding in the Preserve, which he broke down into the various seasons. It was enlightening to see which kinds of birds we could expect at each time of year.

But I have gotten ahead of myself. We started out with a short gathering in the parking lot, and a total of around 40 people of all ages, sizes and shapes gathered to hear the organizer of the event, Seth representing Joshua Tree National Park, give a brief introduction of Dee and what we were to expect. There were several regulars, like Margaret who is very knowledgeable and regularly keeps records of how many and what kinds of birds we see on these walks, today was no exception.

Also there was Bill with his camera and large lens, (envy, envy, envy), ready to document our journey today. Also, Dan, the new dad, was there with his ever-present scope. It turned out this was fortuitous, as without the scope, several of the hikers would not have seen some exciting birds.

Then there were new faces, including a young family with four young girls dressed properly for a hike. There were young women armed with pen and paper to document what we saw during our event. I believe this was a school assignment or perhaps extra credit. There was young couple, and several older couples. These were an odd assortment of people that may not have hung out together, except for their shared interest in birding this morning. How wonderful!

Dee had us start off and between he and Margaret they shared information on the types of plants, some of which were used as food sources by the Native Americans in the area, the birds we saw and the geography and habitats we could see along our hike.

Before we completely left the parking lot, but at the head of a trail, Dan called out that we were seeing something unusual near the more normal California Thrasher,(Toxostoma redivivum), White-Crowned Sparrows, (Zonotrichia leucophrys) and House Finches, (Carpodacus mexicanus). The bird teased us with short glimpses at first, testing the identification skills of Dan and Bill who were trying hard to pish (yeah, I know) the bird out into the open. It worked, the Dickcissel, (Spiza americana), hopped to the top of a small bush, and sat there for a good look at him for nearly 15 minutes. Bill got some photos, and Dan put him in the scope for all to see. Why was this exciting? Dickcissels are an East Coast bird, and we shouldn't see any west of Texas. Why was it here? Well, who knows? It was a young bird, probably first phase, (ornithologists use phases instead of years as birds mature at different rates, such as some gulls take two or three years to mature into the more recognizable plumage), and we had some strong storms recently, so perhaps it was migrating and was blown off course. We were just thrilled we could see him.

The Dickcissel was a first time sighting for many of us, and therefore a "lifer". It was also a first time sighting for Big Morongo Preserve as well. Already an excellent day. Dee commented he was a little disappointed, as he had planned for us to see this bird later in the walk, now his whole build up was for naught. That was his big finale and it came too early. We teased him, asking him if he tied the little bird to the bush, but he wouldn't make a commitment.

Never fear, we continued on and did find a couple other rarities, but nothing quite like the Dickcissel. We found a Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis), and were enlightened as to evidence they leave behind. They drill holes in the bark of Cottonwood trees and Eucalyptus trees, in a straight horizontal line, circling the trunk or branch in concentric circles. We were able to watch two of these guys at work during our walk. We also saw a Western Wood Pewee (Contopus sordidulus) flitting about the thick growth of the riparian habitat we walked through.

There were the usual Western Bluebirds, American Goldfinches(Carduelis tristis), and Yellow rumped warblers(Dendroica coronata). The Yellow rumped warblers were in good numbers and relatively new to the area. They come each year but they were not here earlier in the week. Yellow rumps are affectionately known as "Butter-Butts" in the birding world, and are pretty common at certain times of the year.

An exciting moment during our stroll was a Barn Owl (Tyto alba) flew across the open field for everyone to see. I tried really hard to look for the Ovenbird that (supposedly) has been seen in the area for the past two weeks, but to no avail. That would have been another "lifer" bird for me, but all I saw were warblers, finches, and jays. However, Margaret and I sat in the front yard of the Fishers, otherwise known as Fishers Point, (there is a sign), and we watched the birds enjoy the water feature built by the Fishers. As we watched the finches bathe and fly off, suddenly there was a brilliant yellow head sneaking around the feature. A Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia), was waiting its turn for a drink. It took a quick drink and flew. It disappeared, and we were discussing whether we really saw what we saw, when Bill came over and asked if we saw the Yellow Warbler. This was notable because they aren't supposed to be here for another month or two. A great day!

Then we sat in the little class room in Covington Park and listened to Chet discuss how Big Morongo Preserve is perfectly aligned at the edge of two large deserts, the Mojave and Colorado, and at the low end of the mountainous area, and the high point of the desert. It has a combination of riparian, wetland, open field, and desert habitats. All creatures represented in those climes and habitats are found at Big Morongo, including mountain lions, bobcats, tortoises, bighorn sheep, snakes and lizards, and, of course, various and sundry birds. Great place!

Chet showed us slides of birds he has seen at Big Morongo over the past several years. It was over all too soon at noon.

As we came out of the relative darkness of the room, we were met with several firetrucks and an Air Ambulance flying low overhead. There was a safety fair going on in the park and they landed the helicopter near the skatepark for all the waiting people to peruse. That was the end of birding and home I went.

That was a good enough day, but it was not over. I had tickets for a professional basketball game at Indian Wells. I, and my son, his friend, and our family friend Richard attended this outdoor basketball game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns. The Suns won, and we had a terrific time, great seats and good food. We took another hike to get back to our car, but it was a pleasant night.

I think I am going to like this retirement thing!

You might be a birdnerd...if you get up early on a weekend day and go pishing with your friends in the woods.

Pishing is the sound one makes that is supposed to entice birds to come out to investigate what is making that infernal racket. One makes the sound by placing your tongue in the position to say shhh!, then add "p" in front of this. Thus, pish. I am not sure why this works, but it seemed to today with the Dickcissel. It is just, well, fun to do at any rate.

Big Morongo Preserve

We finally got to go out and see some birds again. I went about two weeks ago, with the intention of taking pictures for the blog, but when I got there I discovered the battery was dead on the camera. It was a nice walk anyway, but disappointing I couldn't take pictures.

So, it worked out better that Nancy, my long-time birding companion and former bicycle patrol partner downtown Palm Springs, called and said she needed a birdnerd fix. My son, Austin, is back from Jamaica where he spent some time in the Peace Corps, so he joined us.

We picked up Nancy at her home and drove up the hill to the high desert. This time I made sure the battery was charged and the lenses on my binos were clean. Once we got there and were properly nerdified, (hiking shorts, hiking boots, old baseball cap from the Long Beach jazz festival I attended with my oldest son, Taylor, binos on a harness over my shoulders, carrying a camera), we struck off on the trails.

On the way we kept seeing LBJ's, (Little Brown Jobbies, a term used by birders when they are not quite sure what just flitted by), and on the lower canyon trail watched a Prairie Falcon(Falco mexicanus) fly in a direct line up the canyon. I missed the shot of it, not even remembering I had the camera until it was too far gone. (So much for my career as a photographer!).

We continued our stroll with Nancy leading and regaling us with the current events from PSPD and her other adventures. We came to a small meadow and saw a beautiful butterfly. Not knowing anything about lepidoptery, I don't know which one this is, but it was pretty and it allowed me to take its photo.


We also saw a Black Throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) giving us a good look.

When we looped around and came back toward Covington Park, we soon saw several Western Bluebirds(Sialia mexicana), and then the signature bird of that area for me, the Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus). It was in the area near the trees, which line one side of the tennis courts, that I have always seen it. It always keeps its distance, but goes about its business with little care for the number of people staring at it through binoculars, as well as the oohs and aaahs from those same people. Once you see this brilliant bird you wonder how in the world you could not see it. Then as you watch it disappears for a few minutes and reappears in all its brilliance.


We stopped in the park near the trees and followed the Vermilion and Bluebirds antics for a while, then Nancy jumped like she had been electrified, and pointed out into the field. I turned and saw the large blur of a Red Tailed Hawk leaping from the ground and heading toward a stand of trees. The Red Tail, (Buteo jamaicensis), is common, but impressive all the same. It is a good sized bird and a raptor, meaning it hunts and eats live creatures like squirrels, gophers, rabbits, even snakes. Nancy happened to have seen it dive down to the ground in an attempt to capture lunch, but it missed. The bird flew into the stand of trees and landed on a branch in the shade and all but disappeared. I ventured as close as I felt I could without disturbing it, (to be honest a barb-wire fence helped make the decision), and snapped a couple photos.


We finished our walk and found ourselves at the Dee and Betty Zeller home. They are the caretakers of the Big Morongo Preserve, and live in a trailer on the grounds. They have several feeders set up with a couple water features and chairs for better close up viewing of birds that dare to come near. Dee and Betty soon joined us and we caught up with some of the features of their lives, (their son is a chef, and will be soon opening a barbecue restaurant near the preserve), while calling out the kinds of birds we were watching. While sitting there we watched a Nuttal's Woodpecker (Picoides nuttalii) feed off the suet feeder, while a Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) drank from the dripping water feature. A Ruby Crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) flitted about the bushes nearby.


The most interesting event of the day was the spotting of two hawks that circled ever upward and farther away. They were a good sized bird, smaller than a Red Tail, but appeared to be larger than a Cooper's Hawk. The wings were broad and thick, with a short tail and relatively broad body. I couldn't get a picture as the bird and the camera were not cooperating. However, from every thing we saw and from pooring over the field guides, I feel rather confident in calling them a pair of Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis). This is something rarely seen in this area, but otherwise a rather common bird. The markings we saw were different than the Red Shouldered Hawk I originally thought it was as there was no red color on the breast and wings like the Red Shouldered, but there were busy stripings on the wings and streaking on the body, as well as a buff or white rump. While I am uncomfortable with making these kinds of claims without a more qualified person, or photograph as evidence, I am about 80% sure that is what these were. Fun stuff!

Dee told us about an Ovenbird they saw the day before on their walk, and where we were likely to find it, but when we went there, we didn't see it. So, my plan is to return with the group, and Austin, on this Wednesday in the hopes of finding it.

So, You might be a birdnerd if... you plan a vacation or an outting particularly to see a specific bird.

Nancy and I went one August, (yes, the hottest month of the year), to see Wood Storks (Mycteria americana). Now, as a defense, Wood Storks are not in our area except for the summer. So, we loaded up in Nancy's Honda Civic, and drove to the Salton Sea to try to find a very ugly bird in high triple digit heat. We drove down to Sonny Bono NWF and spoke to a ranger there, asking about the storks. They were very helpful in telling us where others, (see insanity is contagious), had seen them the day before. With a rough idea as to where we were looking and a fresh water, we took off. We drove Nancy's tiny car on farm roads of dirt and rock for over an hour and found a small irrigation pond attached to a long ditch. There in all its glory, stood a Wood Stork, wading amongst several other types of birds that I can't even remember. I will always remember the Wood Stork though, and break into a sweat just thinking about it.

New computer

It has been a week or so, and I have been lax in blogging. This is partly because we got ourselves a new computer. We have an Apple iMac with a movie screen sized monitor and all kinds of bells and whistles. Hopefully, it will make my blog look better as well.
This is my maiden voyage with the new computer and putting together a blog with pictures. So far it hasn't helped my spelling, but it is really fast.

While I was trying to think of what to put into the blog, I was reminded of a time that my friend Nancy and I took a walk up Mount San Jacinto from the top of the Tram. Especially at this time of year it is such a nice hike. The weather is a good 30 degrees cooler, but still bright and sunny. You literally go from triple digit heat, (today is a cool 104), to low 80's or even the 70's. You go from hot sand under foot with an occasional cactus, to loamy dirt trails, in amongst the tall pine trees and that great Christmas smell. A nice retreat during the summer. Then we who live here can return to the desert floor and get into the pool, a nice day.

Well, Nancy and I ride the Tram to the top, then hike one of the popular trails around a large meadow, where we see Violet-Green Swallows, Blue Jays, and Crows. We are talking and looking, and just generally enjoying our time in the cool mountain air, when a small group of men find us and holding their map ahead of them, ask for directions. They have wandered farther than they had planned and were not sure of the trail they were on. Nancy and I try to be helpful and start to look at their map. It just so happened that a pair of Clark's Nutcrackers landed in a small gully nearby and I saw them. So, in mid-sentence I call out "Clark's Nutcrackers!" and rush off. Nancy takes just a second to explain, "We're birders..." and she is in hot pursuit. We put them in the binoculars and watch as they flash in and out of the scrub brush and fallen tree branches, then fly off. I look up to see four men staring blank faced.

Nancy helps them out and they quickly say their thanks, and wander off, with a couple glances our way. We saw them later near the top where you can look out over the entire valley and they pretended they didn't see us. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time this has happened to me, and probably won't be the last. But I am trying and getting better at controlling my outbursts.

For example, we are sitting with friends in the house the other day. They are nice people and the conversation was fun. However, outside I watch as an Oriole flashes past the back door, and my heart jumps. But, I didn't jump up and charge into the back yard like I wanted to. I sat and nodded and smiled, while I hoped the oriole would return when these people left. They are transient to our area, and we only see them a couple weeks at a time, so it is always fun to see them in their glory when they come to our hummingbird feeders or to fruit I put out for them. (They like oranges or grapefruits).

So, today while I was in the back yard starting up the barbecue, I heard a different bird call, and looked around. I saw my oriole sitting in my palm tree. I was able to see and photograph a Hooded Oriole, (Icterus cucullatus), as he sat long enough for me to start the barbecue, go inside and recover my camera, change lenses, then come out and take some photos. He was very cooperative. I will probably receive a bill later. :)
(This is my most cooperative oriole. He was visiting while I barbecued. Glad I didn't have chicken on the grill this day, could've been ugly.)


While barbecuing I saw three different species of doves at my feeders. So, while the camera was out, and I was waiting for the meat to cook, I took some photos to compare the three birds.
(These are two of the three species of dove that regularly come to visit our feeders. The one on the left is a Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), they are the birds that make that mournful call you probably hear outside. The one on the left is a White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica). Notice the very white feathers on the front of the wings and more red legs.)
(This shows the White-winged Dove with a Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto). Notice the lighter color of the Eurasian Collared-Dove, and the black half-ring around it's neck, or collar. I like the red eyes.)

So, You might be a bird nerd if you are talking to friends and... oh! look an oriole!