Paloma
Ranch
Oct 8,
2002,
90 degrees,
4:30-5:45PM
- narrated
by Henry Detwiler
A short stop on the way home to Yuma from Luke AFB.
39
species
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized shots.
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Wilson's Snipe
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On my way from Luke AFB to Yuma, I stopped
at the Paloma Ranch Pond, about 3 miles n. of the Paloma exit on
I-8. Song Sparrows and Wilson's Snipes were feeding on the
edges of the pond, and mosquitoes soon began feeding on me.
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Pretty much
the entire eastern side of the pond was covered with ducks,
waders, pelicans, and shorebirds. Lighting was poor for
photography, but I took a number of pictures anyway. I
walked to the edge of the pond from the NE corner. It
smelled of effluent, which probably explained the high number of
flies. |
Great Egret
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Reddish Egret |
My new vantage point allowed me to view the SE corner
of the pond, and I was delighted to see a juvenile Reddish
Egret. And then, as I was snapping pictures of the first one,
another juvenile Reddish Egret walked into view! |
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As I was watching them, a large falcon swooped
over the shorebirds and set them into a frenzied flight. One
of the Reddish Egrets raised the short feathers of its crest,
giving it the appearance of a bad crew cut. That would have
made a nice picture!
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Reddish Egret
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Shorebirds were represented by a number of different
species. The most numerous were Least Sandpipers, followed by
Long-billed Dowitchers and Killdeer. Smaller numbers of Pectoral
Sandpipers, Dunlin, Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs, Wilson's Snipe, an American Avocet, and
two Wilson's Phalaropes rounded out the collection.
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American White Pelicans
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American White
Pelican
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A flock of 24 American
White Pelicans were also taking advantage of the pond. They
were best seen from the dike on the north side of the pond, as
they favored the central part of the pond.
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I made the pelicans nervous, and they flushed as I
got too close. To my surprise one large bird remained--a
Sandhill Crane. They're common at Cibola NWR and along the
Gila River close to Palo Verde, but this was a first (for me) at
the Paloma Ranch.
Swaying salt cedars, bad lighting, and lack of
time prevented me from capturing a decent picture. Perhaps
it will stay until my return next month!
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American White
Pelicans & Sandhill Crane (Sandhill Crane just left of center)
Sandhill Crane
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