Salton
Sea - Imperial Valley
Jan 11,
2002
-Bob
Miller
A pre-planning and scouting trip, with Anna Hoffman, for the San Diego Natural History
Museums President's Circle field trip . The page
for that field trip is Feb. 2, 2002 or click
here.
92
species (list follows at end
of page)
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized shots.
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American Wigeon
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We met bright and early and set out to plan our route
for the upcoming field trip. Anna had never birded the area before
so she was in for a real treat. Our first stop was the New River
Wetlands which were teeming with wildlife.
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We birded our way north, to the Salton Sea and across Obsidian Butte,
where we picked up the rarity of the day, this obliging Thayer's
Gull in the company of Ring-billed and California Gulls.
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Ring-billed, Thayer's,
California Gulls
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Pied-billed Grebe
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At the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR we walked out Rock Hill trail to
the sea and the ponds. This Pied-billed Grebe did something most
unusual, it actually sat still long enough for me to get the scope
on it and snap a pic!
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American White Pelicans
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The feeding
antics of the American White Pelicans was fun to watch! They would
move along in a tight group and, in unison, would all dip their
heads under. They would then fly a few feet and start the process
again. The pond on the other side of the sea wall held thousands
of waterfowl, geese and shore birds.
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American White Pelicans
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American White Pelicans sunset
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The sunset was truly spectacular as the Chocolate Mountains took
on a rosy glow and the calm sea was rippled by wildlife. The
sounds of birds filling the air. It was a great day and a
great new friendship.
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Salton Sea sunset |
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