Black
Rail Hunt - Yuma Area
May 17, 2003,
and only 87 degrees!
- narrated
by Henry Detwiler
Cher & Bruce came down from Lompoc to hear our Black Rails and see
some of our other Yuma denizens
90
species total
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized shots.
|
We started out at 5:30a.m. and again found the
Great-horned Owl watching over the All-American Canal. At West Pond,
four Black Rails were calling close to the road, along with several
Virginia and Clapper Rails. The near-by desilting ponds
produced a pair each of late Redheads and Ring-necked Ducks, and in West Pond
was a late Common Goldeneye.
|
Cher & Bruce
|
|
Gila Woodpecker at nest hole
|
At Hidden Shores RV Resort we found the Vermilion
Flycatchers, Yellow Warblers, and this Gila Woodpecker nesting in a
palm tree.
|
| Along the Gila Gravity Canal we had a wildfire several
months ago. This Great Blue Heron is resting in a scorched
cottonwood--looks like a fall or winter scene. We stopped
often to look at Ash-throated Flycatchers, more Wilson's &
Yellow Warblers, and anything else we could find. |
Great Blue Heron
|
|
Blue Dasher
|
This striking blue dasher was one of the many dragonflies, damsel
flies, and butterflies that we saw during the course of the
day. |
Sunrise over Yuma |
|
|
Yellow-breasted Chat
(digiscoped picture)
|
Odd squeaks and squawks alerted us to this chat as we were watching the Blue
Dasher, and it finally popped into
view. We heard another one at Betty's Kitchen, but it was
more typical--a ventriloquial voice in the middle of the
bush.
|
|
As we drove down to the edge of Mittry Lake next to the Gila
Gravity Canal, we came upon this young, 3-foot western diamondback
rattlesnake. Farther along, from the Mittry Lake overlook we were treated
to several views of a Last Bittern, a Black-crowned Night Heron,
and two Green Herons.
|
Western Diamondback
|
|
Bullock's Oriole
|
Betty's Kitchen was quite birdy, and we spotted
Hermit, Townsend's, & Wilson's Warblers. A nice treat
was the first two Willow Flycatchers of the year.
|
At Kool Corner this Harris' Hawk was attacked by a very protective
(and aggressive) Western Kingbird, who stooped on the hawk and
even hitched a ride on its back for several seconds.
|
Harris' Hawk
|
|
At the Territorial Prison we saw numerous tanagers & grosbeaks
bathing in pools of irrigation water--it was spectacular! South of town we visited the Burrowing Owls across from the Marine
Corps Air Station, and also found this pair along the Yuma Main
Drain. Other sightings south of town included Ring-necked
Pheasant, Greater Roadrunner, Horned Lark, & Lark
Sparrow. We called it a day at 7:00p.m. -- after
rounding up a nice collection of 90 species. |
|
Burrowing Owls along Main
Drain
|
|
