San
Diego Natural History Museum "Wild Goose Chase"
Jan
21-22, 2005
Guide- Bob
Miller
An overnight birding trip to the Salton Sea and Imperial Valley.
80
species total
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized shots.
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We met south of Brawley on Friday afternoon and had great looks at
Sandhill Cranes then visited Cattle Call Park where we saw lots of
the desert specialties and also Gray and Vermilion
Flycatchers. We looked for Western Screech-Owl in Brawley but
they proved elusive. After dinner with the group at Calipatria
Inn I went home and had one serenade me to sleep! |
Blackbirds |
Saturday morning we headed out into the agricultural areas for
some fun birding and sightseeing. This tree was loaded with
Yellow-headed and Red-winged Blackbirds. |
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This Lesser Nighthawk has wintered at Finney Lake
for four or five years and can be found on the same limb in the
same position almost every time! No, it is not stuffed! |
Lesser Nighthawk
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Ramer Lake
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White-crowned Sparrows and Abert's Towhee were seen at Ramer Lake. |
| A bite of lunch in Calipatria and we were on to the
Salton Sea. A Peregrine Falcon can usually be seen in these
trees along Garst Road and it was so tucked in this day that most
people going by had no idea it was there! |
Salton Sea
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Garst Road was birdy but exploring the rocks along the beach and
getting scenic pictures proved just as fun.
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Salton Sea
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Salton Sea |
There was lots of Obsidian and Pumice along the side
of Garst. The steam in the background is geothermal energy
being harnessed to make electricity. |
Unit One
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Waterfowl
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| At Unit One of
the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR we had the whole, huge, gigantic
flock of Ross's and Snow Geese come up from the fields, fly right
over our heads and land in the ponds beside us for an absolutely
spectacular end to a great day of birding!! |
Ross's & Snow Geese
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Sky full of white geese
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Sky full of white geese
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