Salton Sea, Imperial
Valley, & Laguna Mts.
18-19
Mar 2007
Narrator:
Henry Detwiler
Two days of fine spring birding in the Imperial Valley and the Laguna
Mountains with father-son team Mike and Tyson.
137
species--bird list is at the bottom of the page
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized shots.
SUNDAY
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Mke & Tyson
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Mike, his son Tyson, and I set out for the
Salton Sea at 5:30 am on a cool Sunday morning. Our first stop
was the locally famous Ruddy Ground-Dove breeding site just west of
Calipatria. We were in luck--a bird was calling! Seeing it was
another matter, but after some persistence (and patience) we were
treated to a fine view of a male Ruddy.
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At Wister Waterfowl Management Area we picked up Ladder-backed
Woodpecker and a beautiful Bullock's Oriole.
California & Ring-billed Gulls |
Marbled Godwit
At Red Hill Marina we found a dozen of these long-billed Marbled
Godwits and an assortment of lingering gulls--but no Yellow-footed.
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Along Davis Road we took several side trips on dike roads out to the
Sea. This mature Peregrine Falcon was watching from a tree
skeleton, perhaps interested in the many American Pipits we saw
feeding in the mud. |
Peregrine Falcon
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Bubbling Mudpots |
At the bubbling mudpots we watched carbon dioxide gas oozing out of
the thick grey mud, and saw small volcanoes being formed. All
evidence of the active geothermal vents just below the surface of the
below-sea-level ground.
American Pipit |
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At the corner of Lack and Lindsey we
got an eyeful of teal--Cinnamon, Green-winged, and twelve
Blue-winged. Farther along the shore line we spotted this male
Surf Scoter on the Sea, and then, amazingly, we got this male
White-winged Scoter at Willey Reservoir just south of the Sea. |
Cinnamon Teal
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Surf Scoter |
White-winged Scoter |
MONDAY
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On Monday morning we headed out before daybreak and watched the
sun rise over Fig Lagoon. Soras and Black-crowned
Night-herons were the heroes of the morning. |
Black-crowned Night-Heron
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European "long-billed" Starling |
At Jacumba we found a single Tricolored Blackbird, and then this
odd "long-billed" European Starling. No doubt the king of
the starling heap! Up the hill from the crestline Rest Area
we scored with Wrentit, Rufous-crowned & Black-chinned Sparrow,
Gray Vireo, and California Thrasher. |
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On road to Cuyamaca State Park, Al spotted this fine-looking
Band-tailed Pigeon on the side of the road, so we backtracked and
got it in the scope. Farther down the road we added Western
Bluebird and California Towhee. |
Band-tailed Pigeon |
|
Cassin's Vireo |
Paso Picacho Campground provided us with some fine high-mountain
birds: Pygmy & White-breasted Nuthatch, Nuttall's Woodpecker,
Stellar's Jay, Mountain Chickadee, and this early Cassin's Vireo.
We got back to Yuma in time for dinner - it had been a fine two
days! |
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