Coachella Valley Wildbird Center birdwalk

Every first Saturday of the month there is a bird walk held at the Coachella Valley Wildbird Center in Indio. This month's was 3/5/11, and yes, I said Indio. If you want to visit Linda York and her volunteers at the center on the first Saturday or any other day, just take the Golf Center offramp from the I-10, turn south, then take the first left at the bottom of the overpass. You then drive past several industrial buildings, past the water plant, and look for a small driveway that today had a dark blue flag next to it. Over the driveway is a large gate and sign identifying the place, made of telephone poles and reminded me of the gate at Jurassic Park. It feels as if you may have to know the secret password to get in, but you can drive in unmolested. Once inside and you step into the small house where the food prep, teaching and rehab of injured birds occurs, you are greeted warmly by friendly and busy volunteers.

The walks start at 8 a.m. and today there were several people from out of town that were eager to see the birds they rarely or never saw near 'home'. Birds like the Greater Roadrunner and Abert's Towhee that I see commonly, even in my backyard, were life birds for at least two people in the party.


We started on the berm in front of the small headquarters of the wildbird center. There, Elizabeth, our leader, found a Spotted Sandpiper two ponds over and only visible through the scope. I am not sure how she found it, (planting it always seems to be a viable choice in my mind), but there it was bobbing along the waters edge. On the water were many Shovelers, Ruddy Ducks, and Coots.


Soon, Elizabeth moved us along to a large Cottonwood tree in a large field that seemed to attract Abert's Towhee, Yellow-Rumped Warblers and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and Black Capped Gnatcatchers. These are small little birds that move quickly and deep in bushes, so hard to identify. Today the Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher came rather close and near the top of a bush to give at least two of us a good look and I was able to snap a couple shots.


We caught up to the group and soon we were serenaded by many Marsh Wrens and Coots. Marsh Wrens are usually pretty shy as well, calling loudly, but from deep in the reeds by ponds and waterways. Today several were seen flying from one set of reeds to another, calling from the tops of reeds and more. Coots are common, but Moorhens are less so. It was fun to see several pairs of Moorhens strolling around the reeds as well.

(Common Moorhen foraging along the water line)

(One of the many serenading Marsh Wrens on our walk. They are mostly shy and call from deep in the reeds, but sometimes they pop up and sing close enough to get a pic).

During our travels around the ponds we were treated to a Sora sneaking into the reeds, and walking along the waters edge, and later an American Bittern. I got to see a glimpse of the Bittern as it flew into an opening in the reeds and disappeared deep inside. Others had seen it for some time as it did what Bitterns do, stand very still like a reed, but I was able to see it only when it flew.


(Views from towers built in the wetland the York's have built, you can see the cages in the background the Boy Scouts helped put together).

We finished back at the house where we were treated to coffee and freshly baked cinnamon rolls while we tallied up the species we saw. We got a total of 46 species of birds today. I find that with birders, the number of species of birds is a little like the rest of us and money, we always want to see a little bit more.

Several of us have visited the Wildbird Center for a number of years and have watched it grow. For me, I became aware of Linda York and the Center when my boys were in the Boy Scouts, and an Eagle Scout project involved helping them put together several of the large cages they employ today. It was a good project and it has been fun to watch the different birds living in the cages over the years. We have watched the 'wetland' grow as well, fascinated by the management of the facility and how it has become an important location for wintering birds.

You might be a birdnerd if...you travel to Indio for a vacation because it is a central spot for wintering birds.