Sunday, March 14, 2004

AV04/04 Indio Hills & Cottonwood Springs 08MAR04

I have to say, up-front, that I feel really bad about those who could not make today's walk, whether they be in Arizona, San Diego, YV, or way North.
Mike Smiley led 19 mostly birders in eight vehicles through the Indio Hills - up to about 1700 feet and briefly on to the lower end of the park at Cottonwood Springs. We were fortunate indeed to have Mark Wheeler with us, and it is fair to say that he was constantly under test as most of us tried to bone up on our flowers; we very much appreciate his help and his relaxed approach to our puzzles. Donna T was most helpful and impressed us by swapping Latin with Mark - but we didn't embarrass her by talking about it.
I recorded 57 Species of plants and 12 birds. It was really quite remarkable with a wonderful variety, ending with carpets of desert dandelion and desert poppy, both with lupine borders, just inside the park..
Forget- me- not (Cryptantha) Sun Cup Primrose Phacelia

Ghost Flower Brown Eyed Primrose Wishbone Plant

Spanish Needle Lupine Rock Daisy

Desert Lavender Cheese Bush Yuma Spurge

Ground Cherry Mustard Hoffmanseggia

Heron’s Bill Brittle Bush Broom

Creosote Smooth Stemmed Fagonia Desert Hibiscus

Indigo Bush Desert Poppy Desert Star

Pringle’s Woolly Daisy Woody Bottle Washer Blazing Star

Desert Dandelion Nipple Cactus Desert Five Spot

Whispering Bells Small Leaf (Rock) Gilia Parachute Plant

Desert Chicory Pygmy Cedar (Desert Fur) Purple Mat

Ocotillo Chia Wand Holdback

Desert Monkey flower Buckwheat Fremont Pincushion

Estephe Pincushion Leafless Milkweed Bladder Pod

Desert Mallow Beaver Tail Cactus Barrel Cactus

Golden Gilia Fiddle Neck Canterbury Bells

Velvet Mat………….aka Turtle Back……….aka Desert Velvet

Chuparosa Desert Sunflower Booth's Primrose

Spiny Herb Brandegea........57



Mocking Bird Costa’s Hummingbird Black Throated Sparrow

Brewer’s Sparrow Phainopepla Turkey Vulture

Say’s Phoebe Red Tail Hawk Raven

Yellow Rump Warbler Verdin Loggerhead Shrike............12

This was our first non-birding outing and seemed to work well. Many thanks for coming - please let me have any suggestions which may help future walks - in particular that on March 30th



Lots of people took lots of digital pictures; I hope we see some prints!....................bb





Barry Parkes
bbparkes@ix.netcom.com