Colorado
River
July 20,
85 - 103 degrees,
0730-1200
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Henry Detwiler
A morning trip to look for shorebirds along the river, in flooded
fields, and at local sewage lagoons.
59
species
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized shots.
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Osprey
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Starting at
River Mile 31 and 33 (west of Paradise Casino), I looked for
shorebird habitat along the Colorado River. Although low, the
river didn't provide anything of interest to the shorebirds.
Coots, Green Herons, and this Osprey were the standard fare.
Blue Grosbeaks were singing, as were Common Yellowthroats and
Verdins
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The Imperial Dam complex includes the headgate for
the Gila Gravity Canal. There are often peeps on the moss
& algae covering the concrete. Today was no exception,
and the Least & Spotted Sandpipers were feeding in the slime.
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Headworks of the Gila
Gravity Canal
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Spotted Sandpiper
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Just beyond the entrance to the Yuma Proving Ground
(YPG) post is a sandy track leading to their sewage lagoons.
Most of them are dry, but the back three are active, and can be
seen from outside the fence.
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Least Sandpipers and Black-necked Stilts were the common birds here, but
there were also some surprises. Larger than expected flocks of
Cinnamon Teal and Mallards flushed from the last pond. Three Ruddy
Ducks swam about unperturbed.
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Least Sandpiper
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Black-necked Stilt
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The last pond held the best birds. Four Short-billed
Dowitchers, two Wilson's Phalaropes, and a single Avocet were nice
birds to find in this area. Two Western Sandpipers rounded
out the selection.
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A short stop at Betty's Kitchen provided me with four early
Western Tanagers and several additional Tree Swallows, birds I
don't expect to see in Yuma in July.
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White-faced Ibis |
It took me all morning, but I finally located some
flooded fields with shorebirds as I was driving back home. A
single Whimbrel was in one of them, and a large flock of 48
White-faced Ibis was in the other!
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