Backyard surprises

Ok, so I am retired and hanging around the house a lot. I have had the opportunities to do a lot more birding than I have before, such as all the Christmas Bird Counts, outings at the Coachella Valley Wildbird Center, The Living Desert and more. It has been great.

So, while I am puttering around the house I noticed something different at the feeders. This is late April early May, so Spring is ending and all the snowbirds (both literally the migrating birds and the Canadians who come to the desert for winter), have fled to cooler climes. So this time of year we see several birds come through our yards, such as the Black-Headed Grosbeak, and Hooded Orioles. Every year I see a few Brown Headed Cowbirds show up at my feeders. This year I have seen flocks, sometimes fifteen to twenty at a time. Today, in amongst the Brown Headed Cowbirds, I saw something different.

I was sitting with Andi, my lovely wife of nearly 30 years, on our patio talking, when I jumped up and ran to the bedroom, (now, now, this is a family blog!) grabbed my camera and rushed back. There he was, a Bronzed Cowbird, (Molothrus avenues), was feeding at one of my feeders. As you can see from this photo, it is larger, and has a very red eye. It wasn't a life bird like I first thought, but it had been years since I had seen one. I apologized to my wife, but by this time she was very understanding.




The next day or so I walked by an open window at the front of my house and looked over at the golf course that we live across the street from, and saw something exciting. I again rushed for my camera, and out into the golf course I went in my flip-flops and dirty t-shirt.

I stalked my prey and was able to snap some photos of a mother and father Mallard duck,(Anas plantyrhinchus), and their duckling.


But my real prey was much bigger. Literally, two Canada Geese, (Branta canadensis), were herding their three goslings around the pond on the course. I was allowed some photos with promises of some wallet sized for their albums, and share them with you today.

Notice the size of the baby goose compared to the Widgeon, (Anas americana), that is full grown and really should have left for the north a couple weeks ago. Now he is the favorite uncle and helping out the proud parents.

You might be a birdnerd if... you lose all your manners and rush to see a new bird in the middle of a conversation. You might be married to a birdnerd if you understand completely, because it has happened so many times before.

Birdwalk at Living Desert

This is the year for new things. Today I got to do something I did not even know we could do, at least until a couple weeks ago. The Living Desert, a local small zoo that specializes in desert flora and fauna, hosts a morning birdwalk on the third Thursday of each month. They don't hold the walks during the summer, June, July, August and September, as it is too hot for both birds and people. I got to go on this month's walk. Since I started volunteering there at the beginning of this month I have found out several fun things that are going on. The birdwalk was just one event the Living Desert holds, including the upcoming Brew at the Zoo event that features music, dancing, tours, and of course beer and wine. There are campouts called Starry Safari, tours of all kinds, dinner events, concerts and interpretive tours of the park for all ages.

I remember some of the events from when the kids were younger such as the Starry Safari, but that has been some time ago, and they have made many improvements to the park since then. If you haven't been in a while, it is worthwhile checking out.

I looked into volunteering at the Living Desert earlier in the year, but they only have so many training days for their volunteers and the last one for this season was in late March. I attended that and had my interview the following week. Judy Greene is the coordinator for the 500 or so volunteers at the Living Desert, and my interview was with her. At that interview, Ms. Greene told me she only had an opening at the Hummingbird and Butterfly exhibit and would that be ok. For a birdnerd? You kidding?!! Anyway, I told her that would be fine and started the following Saturday.

I walked inside the exhibit and it took my breath away. You have to go through a double door system to get in or out of the exhibit, which helps keep the creatures in while the people come and go. As I entered the second door butterflies of all sizes and colors were floating around a full garden of flowers, small trees, water fountains, and more. Hummingbirds zipped about inside the enclosure. As I walked around inside, there were several small nests, some with eggs, at least one with small birds beaks sticking out. In short, a heavenly place of solitude and life.

I have had a terrific time watching families come into the enclosure. While the kids try to get butterflies to climb onto their fingers and show off to anyone who will look their prizes, the parents marvel at the surroundings and numbers and colors of the floating butterflies. Everyone smiles. You can't help it.

Today though, we met with Judy Greene and Don Hay at the front gates to the zoo, where they introduced themselves and began the walk. They led the way through the park looking and listening to the birds that have come from the wild to visit or make their home in the park. (Don Hay is the guy in the blue shirt and he was our leader with Judy Greene)
(More of our group)

As we wandered around we saw Gambel's Quail, (Callipepla gambelii), Phainopepla, (Phainopepla intense), Lesser Goldfinch, (Carduelis psaltria), and Verdin, (Auriparus flaviceps). They were all busy foraging in the relative peace of the as yet unopened park, (at least to the public). The quail were moving through the large model train exhibit the park has. The model trains are all built and maintained by volunteers and each day there is something new in the elaborate recreations of old towns, mountainsides, lakes and streams they build. As the quail made its way through the small town with wooden buildings, it reminded me of Godzilla in those bad movies terrorizing "cities" in Japan. So I named this one the Godzilla quail, (Callipepla godzillii). We will see if it sticks and makes it to the textbooks. (Quail-zilla terrorizing the small town at the train exhibit)

The thrill of the day for me was by the Bighorn exhibit. There are some good sized Palo Verde trees there, and in those trees, (across from the Hummingbird/Butterfly exhibit), was a Nashville Warbler, (Vermivora ruficapilla). The Sibley guide describes the call as a metallic spink, and this is what we heard while he flitted busily in the thickest portions of the trees, always just out of clear sight. The guides say to look for a white eye-ring, and red on the blue-grey head. I didn't see either one of these markings, but did see the yellow body, grey head and greenish back and wings. I heard the spink as well. This was a lifer for me, so it was exciting and worth the walk. (This was the best shot of the Nashville Warbler)

As we wandered and looked inside the exhibits as well as the gardens between, a Double crested Cormorant, (Phalacrocorax azurites) flew almost directly over us. Later, a pair of Hooded Orioles, (Icterus cucullatus) flew over us as well. They were a male and female pair making their way back north in a leisurely fashion. (One of the "wild" Costa's Hummingbirds spending time at the zoo)
(A female Phainopepla feeding on these beans in one of the gardens between the exhibits)

As we walked we listened to coyotes howling from their pen, recordings of various birds and animals of the world, including the famous Kookaburra bird that makes it way to all the jungle movies from the early Tarzan to modern times. The funny thing is Kookaburra's are Australian and don't live in their jungles either. They are more like a Jay in that they will take your picnic lunch from you while you are still sitting at the table if you are not careful. Don shared some information I thought was interesting, many of the names we associate today with the various birds, Nuttall's woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, and more are names of military leaders that were amateur naturalists as well. He said many would collect samples of flora and fauna and send them to professional naturalists, like John James Audubon whose namesake is the famous society dedicated to saving birds. Mr. Audubon would then honor them by naming the creature after the first person that supplied him with a specimen that hadn't been identified before. Lewis' Woodpecker was "discovered" by Mr. Lewis from the Lewis and Clarke expedition. While many of the birds' names are a description of the bird or habitat it can be found in, like the Orchard Oriole or Spot-Breasted Oriole, many are named after the people who discovered them, and many of them, according to Don Hay, were high ranking military men of the time.

So all in all, it was a very satisfying two hours or so. I got to get into the park again, saw a life bird, saw some old friends in the bird world and got outside early in the morning, a good day.

I don't like posting on the blog without at least one decent picture, so there hasn't been a post for a while. But I have to tell a story to show I haven't been idle. I have gotten onto an email list that keeps me updated on all the birds that have been seen all over Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Many are at least an hours drive from my home. However, stories like seeing 20+ Swainson's Hawks in a tree during a heavy rainstorm, and several Bald Eagles huddled together during a heavy wind are fun to hear.

One story of an unusual bird caught my attention. Someone saw a Dusky Capped Flycatcher, (Myiarchus tuberculifer) in Demuth Park, Palm Springs. The thing that is exciting about this is I can walk to this park. So I did. I stopped by twice going to and from different appointments and looked carrying camera and bins past tennis players, kids playing, and lovers in the park. Didn't see it.

I go onto my patio to do something and hear a call I haven't heard before. I look up and see the Dusky Capped Flycatcher sitting on the wire that brings my cable t.v. to my house. I ran inside to grab my camera and by the time I came out it was gone. I don't know why I work so hard at birding, hiking and all, I should sit on my patio and let them come to me.

You might be a birdnerd if...you wander around a zoo looking at the "wild" birds that aren't in cages. And enjoyed it immensely.

Something new

Well, I did something I have never done before on Friday, March 18th, 2011. A good friend of mine, Amy Scheir was visiting Palm Springs with her partner, Stephanie. Stephanie is a teacher who was in Palm Springs to attend a teaching conference, so Amy had to find something to do during the day while Stephanie learned more about teaching. So, I invited Amy along and I picked her up at the hotel at a little after 7 AM.

I met with Kurt Leushner and a group of mostly faculty from College of the Desert near the Agriculture building at C.O.D., and we left in a car-a-van for a wildflower expedition. Kurt passed out small radios to drivers of their respective cars and down the freeway we went. He called out flowers and birds as we sped along on the radios.

Kurt told us we were going to Joshua Tree, as far as the Visitors Center, then back around toward Mecca, looking for various wildflowers. He led the way with his lovely wife, and two other passengers in his car east bound on the 1-10 freeway. He stopped first at the rest stop past Indio, where we took a short break, and took a look at the ponds behind the rest stop. There were Yellow-rumped Warblers in the trees near the picnic tables, but nothing else truly exciting.

We mounted up and headed further east to our first official stop, the pumping station. Kurt said he liked it there because you pretty much have the place to yourself as no one stops there. Kurt stopped looking for a particular flower, the Ghost Flower, that is supposed to be pretty rare. According to Kurt, three out of four years we don't see these flowers. We were there for a few minutes and Kurt was showing us various flowers and shrubs when Bob, (who rode with Elizabeth, you remember her from leading the birdwalk at the Wildbird Center earlier in the month), called out he had found a Ghost Flower. Kurt confirmed the find and pointed it out it was exactly where it was supposed to be, at the edge of a wash in the sandy area before the rocky bank. This was where we found our first Beavertail Cactus in bloom as well. Kurt showed us how the stamen inside the flower closed up on whatever found its way inside the flower, so that they all shared their pollen with the visitor and not just the chance one the visitor happened to brush up against. I had never seen this in a plant other than carnivorous plants, and found it fascinating.

(Kurt showing us different plants)

(Kurt showing us how the stamen close up on visitors inside the Beavertail Cactus flower)

(Beavertail Cactus flower)

After the Pump Station, we went further east on the I-10 to the Cottonwood Canyon off-ramp toward the east entrance of Joshua Tree. As we turned onto the roadway and headed north into the National Park, (us old-timers still mistakenly call it the Monument), Kurt began to call out flowers he saw growing alongside the roadway until we found a pull out with a trailhead. We parked there and took the little loop where Kurt showed us Chuperosa, our first Monkey Flower, Purple Mat, as well as Bladder Pod and Chia. The interesting thing about the Chia, (no not the pet on t.v.), was that it grew up in a spiky ball that had small flowers that sprouted from the ball. The flowers bloom randomly and at different times in order to prolong their blooming season, all around this spiky ball, not all at once for a short time like some other plants.

(Chia flower)

(Ghost Flower that we didn't find was so rare this year)
We saw Yellow Cups, Yellow Poppy's, Arizona Lupine, Desert Chicory, Brown-eyed Primrose, Silver Cholla, Fiddleneck Desert Dandelion and Dune Sunflower, and more. Kurt was happy to find Fremont Pincushion and Wild Heliotrope or Phacelia as well. He walked us back away from the loop to show us the beautiful blue flowers of the Canterbury Bell that grew along the roadside in the gravel, right where they were supposed to be.

(Canterbury Bell flowers on roadside)

Even though this was supposed to be a so-so year, walking among the tall flowering Ocotillos, looking at all the flower cacti, and small flowers of bright yellow, purples, and blues covering the rocky and sandy soil was exciting and fun for me. I kept snapping photos. Several of the flowers like the Chia, Monkey Flowers, Purple Mat and others were what Kurt called "belly flowers" because to get a good look (or photo) they make you get down on your belly to see them. We also saw more Ghost Flowers here at the stop as well.

(Monkey Flower)

We then moved up to the road and pulled off in a small turnout parking lot. There we found Monkey Flower, Desert Filaree or Storksbill, Spanish Needles Dune Evening Primrose and more. I began walking down a wash area with Julie Bornstein, another attendee, while Kurt, Amy, and a couple others went over a small hill. I was walking and talking to Ms. Bornstein when I spied a Desert Tortoise propped on a rock. The rock was on a spine of sandstone that separated our two groups, one on one side of the hill and us on the other. I left Ms. Bornstein in mid-sentence and climbed the short distance to the tortoise calling for Kurt. My first wild Desert Tortoise, how exciting! I got up close and was looking for the best vantage point to take a good close up picture when I spied a small rattlesnake along the top of the spine of rock, just a couple feet from the tortoise. This was a small Speckled Rattlesnake who was fine until the rest of the group came to investigate, then he got a little nervous and worked his way down into a hole. The tortoise sat still the whole time and we left it alone, content to take pictures. Kurt's wife explained that trying to move or handle the wild tortoise could cause it to panic and expel its stored water, or hurt itself trying to escape. She explained it was best to leave it alone, but this was hard as the tortoise appeared to be in a kind of precarious position on the edge of a rock a foot or two up.

(It may look like I planted this Tortoise for the picture, but I swear this was what I saw while talking to poor Ms. Bornstein)

(The little rattlesnake near the tortoise as he decided it was better under the rocks)

The other dilemma we had was there was a much larger group coming behind us that was led by a Park Ranger. Kurt's wife caught the Ranger and told her about the finds, but the Ranger chose not to disclose this to the group in order to leave the animals in peace.

In all the years I have been hiking in the deserts, these were my first tortoise and rattlesnake to see in the wild. working in Palm Springs I found several rattlesnakes crossing roads, but never on my hikes in their "natural environment" like this one. This was worth the entire day for me. I wonder how many I tromped past in my hikes over the years, oblivious to their presence?

Of course, there were birds as well. We saw Loggerhead Shrikes, Phainopeplas,Black-chinned Sparrows, House finches, and Ravens.

We continued up into the Park to the Visitors Center where we had lunch and got to know each other better. After lunch we headed back down and out of the Park, across the freeway and onto Box Canyon Road toward Mecca.

I really enjoyed this drive as 1) it was new to me and I like the feeling of discovery; 2) the geology was very different, with the canyon we drove through changing from varicolored sandstone to sandy conglomerate of rocks that grew in straight walls on either side of the road. Sandy washes ran alongside the roadway, and every so often an open area would appear and trees or canyons would empty into these open areas and we would stop and fan out looking for new and different flowers and creatures.

It was in one of these wide areas with a couple large trees that we saw a Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher, Verdin, and Anna's Hummingbirds. There was also a pair of Phainopeplas that were battling with a Ladder-Backed Woodpecker for position in a lone tree that surprised me. Elizabeth blithely stated the Ladder-Back was exactly where you would expect to find it, but it was a surprise to me, I didn't expect it. They apparently like dry open areas, and being woodpeckers, like trees as well. This fit the bill, but I didn't expect it when we started up this canyon.

Kurt announced he was looking for a "holy grail" flower called the Five-Spot. While we hiked around Kurt found another rare plant, the Desert Hibiscus in a small canyon off the wash. One of the participants, a math teacher whose name escapes me now, brought Kurt his pocket camera to show him a flower he found and didn't recognize. Kurt's wife and I were following a small Desert Iguana when Kurt began to call us over to him. The math teacher had found the Five Spot flower and we all got a good look, as well as photos.

(Five Spot Flower)

(Desert Hibiscus)


After hiking around and finding all sorts of cool things, we drove through the canyon and found Highway 111 and drove to Coachella, where we stopped and had Date Shakes.

All in all a great day!! I got to see some things I have always wanted to see in the wild, some things I had no idea were out there, and spent the day with a good friend and some new friends. I learned stuff, and spent some time in the wild.

You might be a bird nerd if...You take any and all excuses to get out and see what's out there, even a wildflower outing!

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.

Dipper trip at Tahquitz Creek

(The day after--a heavy storm the night before)
This morning I went to Tahquitz Canyon to try to find the Dipper, (Cinclus mexicanus). I had heard at least one was spending part of the winter in the canyon, working the creek. For those not familiar with Palm Springs and Tahquitz Canyon, now there is a Visitors Center there, and it costs $12 per person to hike the looping trails along the creek. This has only been the past seven or eight years, before that the canyon was open and you could wander in and out from a variety of entrances. It was also uncontrolled and homeless people lived in the canyon, using the resources as I imagine the native Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians did in history.

As you know, Palm Springs is in a desert. It is a terrific place on the leeward side of Mt. San Jacinto so all the weather normally hits the west side of the mountain, leaving the east side dry and protected from the wind. You really can sit in downtown Palm Springs, which is close to the mountain, very comfortably sipping a Starbuck's, then drive a couple minutes north and be in a blinding windstorm. Windy point is aptly named, as a hapless film crew found out years ago when they were trying to set up their equipment to take some shots of inbound Highway 111. The wind kept blowing their cameras down, even with sandbags on the tripods.

I am always impressed by being able to definitely point to a location where the mountain starts and the desert stops. From just a little ways away it appears as if Mt. San Jacinto just lifts vertically out of the ground on the west side of Palm Springs downtown area. As you get closer you realize there are many beautiful canyons that keep their secrets well from those less intrepid or curious. Tahquitz Canyon is one of the more well known of these canyons.

In days past, it was a popular destination for Spring Breaking college kids, who would hike up to the falls for swimming and frolicking. Now it is very controlled, complete with flood control and guided tours so the frolicking is less, but you can learn a lot more about the flora and fauna, as well as the native peoples lore. There is also a lot less graffiti and trash. The tribal rangers make sure the place is safe and pristine.

I have read on several emails sent out on a listserv that there has been a Dipper working the canyon along the creek for several weeks. I decided to try for a picture or two. I hiked up the creekside trail and kept my eyes peeled. I ended up going all the way to the falls before I knew it. We had a pretty good storm by desert standards over the past two days, so there was plenty of water in the creek, and the falls were gorgeous.

Along the way a California Towhee (Pipilo crissalis), came into the sun and perched on a rock sunning himself, allowing me to snap a couple shots. Hummingbirds were plentiful, zooming in and around hikers, scolding them as they zoomed past. The Chuperosa was just blooming all through the canyon and the hummers were busy at every flower. I believe there were Costa's (Calypte costae), and Anna's (Calypte anna) hummingbirds buzzing all through the canyon.



There were Ravens(Corvus corax) in a group of about 10 playing along the canyon walls. A Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), floated above the canyon for a time. As I made my way up the trail Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglots), and Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps) kept me company in and out of the bushes.

I walked all the way up to the falls, then back down, taking little forays off the trail to keep near the creek and scan for the illusive Dipper. I saw a Tribal Ranger taking a group on a guided tour and asked him where the Dipper was last seen. He told me it had been seen near the first crossing of the creek, near the mouth of the canyon, and the visitor center.

(This pair of Mallards were keeping to the foliage at the edge of a pool near the falls)

I made my way back and marveled at the amount of tourists that were hiking the trail. Many wore shirts, sweatshirts, hats and other paraphernalia announcing where they were from. Places like Wisconsin, (they were in shorts and t-shirts), Canada, Texas and more. People of all ages were making their way up and down the canyon. The hummingbirds didn't care. They scolded and zoomed about without care. The towhees spent most of their time on the ground under bushes keeping away from tromping feet. Sparrows and Mockingbirds made their way up the canyon walls one bush at a time away from trail-keeping humans.

(A small falls with the sunlight reflecting off the water)

I made it back to the first crossing and kept to the creek as I made my way slowly toward the Visitor Center. I scanned but didn't see anything resembling a Dipper. Dippers, or Ouzel's as they are known, are peculiar in that they are a small bird that like fast moving creeks. They flit to a rock in the middle of the swift water, then simply dive into the rush of water, disappearing to the bottom of the creek where they feed. Then they pop up on the surface of the water, bob to a rock and step out. Water beads up and is shaken off. They repeat the process, foraging along the creek bottom until sated. Amazing to watch. I saw one years ago in the Kern river and sat mesmerized as the little bird popped first under the water, then up and onto a smooth rock, seemingly unaffected by the swift current.

Today, I found myself standing about fifteen feet above the creek, near the Visitor Center with people streaming to and from the Center, up and down the canyon, believing there were too many people for the little Dipper to be out and about. Then I saw it. It flew right up the middle of the creek toward the crossing. I actually said out loud, "There it is!" and hustled my way through the hikers up the creek. I never got a picture or got to see the little guy do his thing, but I did verify it was there, and I will make another trip to get to see it again.

You might be a bird nerd if... you go up a popular canyon looking for a little dipper.

Surprise Canyon

My sons came home for the holidays and while we were busy with other things, they went out and found a new place to hike. When they told me about their discovery, I thought I knew the area and believed it to be a desert area with little new to offer. I have seen people park and start walking into the desert in this area for years. From the road there doesn't seem to be much up there except more desert. I never took the time to investigate. What a mistake!

Austin talked me into taking the hike with him, so loaded with a water bottle and camera, off we went. I learned from the CBC's to always take my camera. I went to the San Jacinto CBC and left my camera in the car while hiking into an open field with Chet McGaugh. It was a very flat, wet and muddy, open field with one tree. We walk out, taking about a half hour or three quarters of an hour to get to the tree, and sure enough, there were not one, but two White Tailed Kites that flew up and landed on the tree. They sat there for some time, too. Chet got some good pics. I have a fond memory.

So, I took my camera this time. I was so very happy I did. The hike was challenging, but not debilitating. It took longer than we thought, but part of the time was spent looking at the views. It was amazing the changes the canyon went through. From flat desert, to steep canyon, with wide pools in a beautiful little stream with frogs, (yes, frogs!), singing. Bushes were starting to flower, and green shoots were everywhere.


The geology changed from sand to granite, to beautiful volcanic red rock. The hike ended in a box canyon with the largest fig tree I have ever seen growing on one side. Cat's claw filled a good portion of the canyon, but there were enough areas to walk around that it was private and secluded, yet with a view.



A waterfall sneaked over the top of the end wall of the canyon, that started the creek that ran down the canyon. There were frogs singing here as well. Along the way we saw a couple of Phainopepla's, California Towhees, and a Verdin.


I took my camera out and left my water bottle on a large rock next to the creek while I went up into the box canyon for a pic or two. While we were oohing and aaahing, we heard someone calling out. I figured they found the water bottle. I didn't figure to know the person yelling.

As Austin and I stepped back out of the foliage, and down the creek, I saw Michele Mician, the sustainability coordinator for the City of Palm Springs. She was with her friend Tom and she had already put my water bottle into her backpack. She returned the bottle, and we talked for a while before Austin and I headed down the canyon.




Going down was easier, and we met a few nice people of all ages and abilities making their way through the desert. Near the bottom I saw an Ana's Hummingbird. The Hummingbird landed on a bush and sat there while I snapped some photos.


All in all this was a very surprising and fun day. We had it all, nice hike, beautiful scenery, nice people, and birds. Good day.


You might be a birdnerd if you find friends in the strangest places.

Salton Sea CBC 1/2/11

This has already been a good year. I got to start it birding. I took my good (birding) friend Nancy Carr with me and again met up with Chet McGaugh and Bill. We met bright and early in Mecca, at AM/PM. Those were the directions, drive south on Highway 111 until you see the AM/PM, we will meet there.

We stood around in the cold morning air watching the sun rise and watching the sky. Chet ran this one, and handed out responsibilities to groups. Nancy and I followed Bill and a very nice couple, Diane and Bill. Our area included the north side of Salton Sea and into the town of Mecca.

(Chet handing out the responsibilities).

Mecca is a small farming town with a high percentage Hispanic population. While it may not be a nightlife hotspot, many people are familiar with the area as it is a popular spot to stop and get gas, food, and use restrooms for those spending their weekends camping in and around the Salton Sea, off-roading in and near Glamis, and for farmers of everything from sod to bell peppers and hay. It is a great place to bird because many birds love the open field areas to forage for insects and worms, while others such as Barn Owls like to nest or sleep in hay stacks and find plenty to eat with the mice and voles that seem to be attracted to farms. This is a terrific area for Burrowing Owls as well. A birder is almost guaranteed to find a Burrowing Owl in their travels around the Salton Sea.

Nancy and I stayed in my truck and we followed Bill as he lead the way to the north shore of Salton Sea and we began to look around. Diane proved herself adept at finding new and intriguing birds, and usually at a distance. She giggled like a school girl when she found something and it turned out to be something interesting. Like the immature Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus),she saw sitting on a tall palm stump in the distance. I hadn't seen one at Salton Sea before, so this was exciting to me. It was too far to take a photograph that would be worthwhile, so you will just have to take my word for it, it was an eagle.
As we turned away from the eagle we saw a Loggerhead Shrike, ( Lanius ludovicianus), that was barely close enough to photograph, which I got. These are also called "Butcher birds" for their habit of impaling their prey, such things as grasshoppers, small lizards and snakes, on cactus thorns or the barbs of barbed wire fences.

(Bill, Diane and her Bill scoping out the area).

We had a good day of birding but most of what we found, such as the flock of Horned Larks, (Eremphila alpestris), that Diane also found in a field, were too small and too far away for me to get a decent snapshot. They are pretty little birds with feathers on their heads that sweep up in black "horns", thus giving them their name. Among them were Pipits, (Anthus rubescens), and plenty of Rock Pigeons, (Columba livia). We also saw several Phainopepla, (Phainopepla intense), and White tailed Kites, (Elanus leucurus). Other raptors we saw included a Merlin, (Falco columbarius), several American Kestrels, (Falco sparverius), an Osprey, (Pandion haliaetus), two Red Shouldered Hawks, (Buteo lineatus), and several Red Tailed Hawks, (Buteo jamaicensis), including a very dark "morph" or phase hawk. For those uninitiated, Red Tails can be any number of colorations, but all forms have the red tail that names them. Another marking that is tell-tale is dark shoulder "patches' along the leading edges of their wings as they fly. Most also have a "belly band" of darker feathers under a lighter chest, but the darker "morphs" may lose the light chest. These hawks can be found anywhere, and are plentiful, but in a variety of colors, so it gets birders excited and challenges them for proper identification.

(The Loggerhead Shrike).

It was after a pretty good rain, so the areas around the Salton Sea were pretty muddy and it has taken me a week to get my boots, the truck and my clothes properly cleaned. Sometimes the smell around the Sea can be a bit challenging, but in the winter, it is an absolutely awesome place to bird. There are American White Pelicans, (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), by the hundreds. These are larger than the more common Brown Pelicans, (Pelecanus occidentals), and they cooperatively feed. Where the Brown Pelicans will feed individually by diving into the water onto an unsuspecting fish, the White Pelicans gather together in groups of five to twenty or so, swim until they find a school of fish then surround the school. They then swim in an ever-decreasing sized circle, herding the school of fish into the middle of their circle, then they all dip their heads under the water and feed. They also fly at incredible heights when they migrate. They fly high enough the naked eye cannot see them, then they suddenly appear already spiraling down from the heavens, toward the Sea or another body of water. Sometimes it takes several minutes for them to sail down from their heights to the water.

White Faced Ibis, (Plegadis chihi), Avocets, (Recurvirostra americana), Great Egrets, (Ardea alba), Snowy Egrets, (Egretta thula), Cattle Egrets, (Bubulcus ibis), and a Green Heron, (Butorides virescens) were found along our travels as well.

The surprise of the day was for Bill, our leader. He was busy trying to identify some tiny bird at an irrigation pond, when Nancy, who had found an old bent spoon, walked up and held up the spoon with a $20 bill wrapped around it in front of him and asked he wanted to see a Spoon Bill. Ba-dump, bump. Bill tried to collect the specimen, but Nancy was too quick.

(Lesser Yellowlegs foraging in the mud).

All in all it was a good day, (when is birding not a good day?). We didn't see any lifer birds, but we did see plenty of our old friends. We didn't get to the shore of the Sea, but saw some new territory. Salton Sea holds a special place in my heart as I am excited by the sheer numbers of birds that arrive each winter, as well as the variety and numbers of species. Everything from small warblers to the large American White Pelicans come down in numbers. If you have ever stood under a flock of thousands of Snow Geese as they take flight, it is an awesome event, and never to be forgotten.

We didn't stay for the dinner and count afterward, Nancy had to get home in order to get to work on time, (something I no longer have to worry about, ha ha). After some warm handshakes, and heartfelt wishes, we took our leave and drove home, dirty, tired and hungry. What a great start to the year.

(Diane's Bill birding until the last minute of sunshine).

You might be a birdnerd if..you sacrifice your sleep in order to participate in a birding event. (You can sleep next month!).