Lewis's Woodpecker

   
CONTENTS     TOURS & RATES      WHO WE ARE      BIRDING      PHOTOGRAPHY      LINKS      HOME        
           

Salton Sea with Uma and Chander
Dec 22, 2003 
Guide Bob Miller

Imperial Valley and the Salton Sea again! 

73 species (list follows at end of page)
Click on thumbnail pictures for full-sized shots.


Prairie Falcon 		 Our first stop of the morning was to look for the continuing Wandering Tattler and Ruff at the algae farm but they were not continuing for us!  We then walked for Sprague's Pipit and had one bird fly up twice but then lost it and could not get a better look.  The nature of wild birds! 
The Prairie Falcon above put on a good showing even with the sun behind it.  We had nice looks at male and female Ruddy Ground-Doves while on our way down to Brawley for lunch.   This bright male Vermilion Flycatcher is a real show stopper.


Vermilion Flycatcher

Say's Phoebe 		 Say's and Black Phoebe were about as we followed Gila Woodpeckers around for some really nice looks.  Just as we finished lunch I caught sight of the Zone-tailed Hawk over town but it flew left and disappeared faster than Uma and CP could hop over the rail and run to the right!

 

This continuing Lewis's Woodpecker gave a true life bird look as several dozen Gambel's Quail scurried about.  


Lewis's Woodpecker


Mew Gull

We then headed for the Salton Sea and hoped onto the seawall at the south end.  The Reddish Egret was scurrying about at Lack and Lindsey and this Mew Gull was in the same place as a week ago with Robert!  

This Peregrine Falcon was very far off for digiscoping but it just happened to be one of those one shot wonders!  We worked our way around Obsidian Butte as the sun was setting and never did catch up to any of the Yellow-footed Gulls!


Peregrine Falcon 

Salton Sea		 With about 20 minutes of birding light left, something caught my eye in one of the concrete lined canals that suddenly brought our birding to an end.  We rescued a dog from the canal.  He had been in there for quit awhile and the owners had been searching frantically for two days.  The reunion that evening was truly heartwarming.  Thanks Uma and Chander for having big hearts!  I look forward to birding with you again.  Maybe as neighbors!?
Salton Sea, Imperial Valley  Dec 22, 2003

  1. Western Grebe

  2. Clark's Grebe

  3. American White Pelican

  4. Brown Pelican

  5. Double-crested Cormorant

  6. Great Blue Heron

  7. Great Egret

  8. Snowy Egret

  9. Reddish Egret

  10. Cattle Egret

  11. Green Heron

  12. White-faced Ibis

  13. Turkey Vulture

  14. Snow Goose

  15. Ross's Goose

  16. Cinnamon Teal

  17. Northern Shoveler

  18. Northern Pintail

  19. Green -winged Teal

  20. Ruddy Duck

  21. Northern Harrier

  22. Zone-tailed Hawk

  23. Red-tailed Hawk

  24. American Kestrel

  25. Peregrine Falcon

  26. Prairie Falcon

  27. Gambel's Quail

  28. American Coot

  29. Killdeer

  30. Black-necked Stilt

  31. American Avocet

  32. Greater Yellowlegs

  33. Lesser Yellowlegs

  34. Willet

  35. Spotted Sandpiper

  36. Long-billed Curlew

  37. Marbled Godwit

  1. Least Sandpiper

  2. Long-billed Dowitcher

  3. Mew Gull

  4. Ring-billed Gull

  5. California Gull

  6. Herring Gull

  7. Rock Pigeon

  8. Eurasian Collared-Dove

  9. Mourning Dove

  10. Inca Dove

  11. Common Ground-Dove

  12. Ruddy Ground-Dove

  13. Burrowing Owl

  14. Belted Kingfisher

  15. Lewis's Woodpecker

  16. Gila Woodpecker

  17. Northern Flicker

  18. Black Phoebe

  19. Say's Phoebe

  20. Vermilion Flycatcher

  21. Tree Swallow

  22. Western Bluebird

  23. Northern Mockingbird

  24. European Starling

  25. American Pipit

  26. Sprague's Pipit

  27. Phainopepla

  28. Yellow-rumped Warbler

  29. Abert's Towhee

  30. Savannah Sparrow

  31. White-crowned Sparrow

  32. Red-winged Blackbird

  33. Western Meadowlark

  34. Great-tailed Grackle

  35. House Finch

  36. House Sparrow

Photos © Bob Miller