Monday, October 25, 2004

AV04/40 Salton Sea 24th October 2004

After an early start, eleven birders arrived at Wister a little before 8.30am in fine and cool weather. We promptly found a male American Redstart on the Nature Trail and went on to see a total of 69 species.

House Sparrow Common Raven Red-winged Blackbird
N. Mockingbird American Redstart Abert's Towhee
Great-tailed Grackle Ring-billed Gull Great Egret
Snowy Egret Pied-billed Grebe American Coot
Cinnamon Teal White Pelican Ruddy Duck
White-face Ibis Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove
N Harrier Ruby-crowned Kinglet Black Phoebe
Killdeer Black-crowned Night Heron Common Yellowthroat
Osprey Clapper Rail White-crowned Sparrow
Verdin Marsh Wren Ladderback Woodpecker
Yellow-rump Warbler Brown-headed Cowbird Starling
House Finch American Kestrel Least Sandpiper
Burrowing Owl Greater Yellowlegs Western Sandpiper
Long-billed Curlew Say's Phoebe W Meadowlark
Green Heron Great-blue Heron Turkey Vulture
Loggerhead Shrike American Bittern Avocet
Stilt Sandpiper Peregrine Falcon Red-tailed Hawk
Double-crested Cormorant Common Roadrunner N Shoveler
Widgeon N Pintail Red-shafted Flicker
Yellow-headed Blackbird Brown Pelican Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow Cattle Egret Western Grebe
Common Tern Common Moorhen Clarke's Grebe
Spotted Sandpiper Common Ground Dove

After lunching at the Sonny Bono Centre we visited the Finney-Ramer Unit, a first for some of us; interesting but nothing worthy of note.

We headed home up 111 after a very full day of birding and a satisfying specie count, with the Redstart and the Stilt Sandpiper of particular note.

Good Birding...............bb

Barry Parkes
bbparkes@ix.netcom.com
bigmorongobirders@earthlink.net

Friday, October 22, 2004

AV04/39 Big Morongo Canyon Preserve Oct 16th & 20th 2004

An interesting morning for nine birders on Saturday - and Linda & Sharon are back! We competed for birding space with Gene Cardiff who had a class, and who managed to find a Yellow-shafted Flicker. We ourselves found a Black-throated Grey Warbler, which sent Gene scrambling, and our semi-permanent Barn Owl and Red-naped Sapsucker. The Red- and White-breasted Nuthatches were seen and we had a count of 30+ species.

Today was a different ball-game; we had eight birders, only one of which, Dave, was sensible enough to spend most of his time in his car or at the feeders. We seven, including Michael en route to New Zealand, covered the Kiosk, the Park, the Meadow (waterlogged in part) and the Nature Centre in pouring rain. As always we had a good morning, with the Barn Owl and Nuthatches still there, and found 19 species. The Preserve driveway was flooded, as were large parts of Morongo Valley, and Dee and Betty were sensible to be 'out of town'!

Over the last few days we had reports from visitors of a Purple Finch and an American Redstart.

A reminder for Sunday and the Salton Sea. Meet at Big Morongo at 6.15am, T/A truckstop (Burns Bros) at 7am, and bring a picnic and water. Call me with problems, 328 6750, cell 333 2366.

Good Birding...........bb

Barry Parkes
bbparkes@ix.netcom.com
bigmorongobirders@earthlink.net

Thursday, October 14, 2004

AV04/38 Saturday Walks & Big Morongo Canyon 13th October 2004

Our new Saturday Walks began quietly on the 9th, with six birders and a preponderance of leaders, but no harm in that. We had a pleasant morning, including a visit from Barbara, and expect to see attendance rising as the season moves along.

Wednesday 13th October saw fourteen birders ready to welcome Karma and Mark, back from Spokane, for a good morning's birding. We had around 35 species, saw the end of the Flycatchers, save for the Phoebe's, no Summer Tanager (but we had one Western). We did have Cedar Waxwings, Loggerhead Shrike and Phainopepla, together with Red- and White-breasted Nuthatches - quite a treat! We also saw Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush - a first for MrsM this season, and Pine Siskins, which she regularly spots. The Barn Owl continues to wait for us in the park and trying to see it, without falling over backwards, is an on-going challenge. Altogether a fine morning, which was followed by a small intimate lunch for fourteen at the new Roadhouse (on it's opening day). At 11.30 opening time there were forty people waiting outside; the staff and the menu were the same, only the venue was changed!

Sunday 24th October we plan a Salton Sea trip. Car-pool at Big Morongo at 6.15am and at TA truckstop (aka Burns Bros) at Dillon and I10 at 7am. We plan to go directly to Wister (Davis Road) and explore from there; bring a picnic and water and plan for a fairly full day. We will have scopes (ours and I expect Ken Wright's) and it should be a good day - and not too warm.

Call me with queries at 760 328 6750, cell 333 2366............good birding.

Barry Parkes
bbparkes@ix.netcom.com
bigmorongobirders@earthlink.net

Sunday, October 03, 2004

AV04/36 Malki Museum & Big Morongo Canyon Preserve Oct 5/6 2004

Five Big Morongo Birders had a very pleasant visit to the Malki Museum, followed by a gourmet taco lunch at the Fields Road lunch stop, and it was rewarding to see MrsM finally manage to join one of her own outings! We hope to arrange a repeat outing in the Spring and tie it in to a tour of the canyons for wildflowers.

Yesterday we had thirteen birders at the Preserve, including a welcome short visit of Cam and Dave, and we spent three hours in rather too warm weather. In addition to seeing three Bobcats and four Mule Deer, we saw a remarkable 50 species of birds. We saw two Barn Owls, one of which was flushed from his cottonwood perch by screaming Scrubs, Red-naped Sapsucker, Red- and White-breasted Nuthatches, increasing numbers of Red-shafted Flickers, and after a long absence a Phainopepla! We had a late staying Ash-throated Flycatcher plus both Tanagers, but the star had to be an Evening Grosbeak which has been seen for the last several days; needless to say your scribe missed it.
See the full list of this week's sightings at http://bigmorongo.org/a3Birds.htm

The Student Conservation Association, working with biologists and BLM are seeking volunteers to be trained to observe the Bald Eagles at Lake Hemet. I know Dianne will be there but if others have an interest, please contact Emily at 951 658 9651 or email sca-fs-emily@yahoo.com

Good Birding.............bb

Barry Parkes
bbparkes@ix.netcom.com
bigmorongobirders@earthlink.net

AV04/35 Big Morongo to Lake Hemet & Idyllwild via Hurkey Creek 29/30 September 2004

For the last time this season, twelve Summer birders had a fine morning in cool weather on Wednesday finding 43 species across the meadow and the park - plus pleasing and lengthy sightings of a Summer Tanager at the feeders. Of note were good hawks - Cooper's, Red-shouldered, and Red-tailed; a Barn Owl, rare on our walks; Lark, Sage, White-crowned and Lincoln Sparrows; a Western Meadowlark and Violet-green, and Barn Swallows. The Tanagers and BH Grosebeaks are still with us, as was an Ash-throated Flycatcher.

On Thursday, ten of us assembled at Lake Hemet under the direction of Dianne, who was (voluntarily) under test to produce Eagles for us: she produced in spades and we saw two Bald Eagles plus Osprey, and Great Blue Herons seeking food on the lake and a total of 42 species.

Northern Harrier Great Blue Heron White Pelican
Red-winged Blackbird Bald Eagle Crow
House Finch Raven Osprey
Cedar Waxwing American Kestral Black Phoebe
Chipping Sparrow White-headed Woodpecker Yellow Warbler
Red-shouldered Hawk Phaneopepla White-breasted Nuthatch
Double-crested Cormorant Western Grebe Brewer's Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird Mallard Acorn Woodpwcker
Merlin Mountain Chickadee Oak Titmouse
Anna's Hummingbird House Sparrow American Robin
Stellar's Jay Scrub Jay Red-shafted Flicker
Western Bluebird Pygmy Nuthatch Dark-eyed Junco
Band-tailed Pigeon Lesser Goldfinch Red-tailed Hawk
Red-breasted Nithatch White-crowned Sparrow

Leaving Lake Hemet, a most charming spot, we called at Hurkey Creek campground which was good for Acorn Woodpeckers, Chickadees and Nuthatches, en route to Idyllwild, and Dianna's cabin where we stayed for a picnic lunch. It was quite delightful and with a zillion feeders on decks around three sides of the cabin, birds abounded. It was a fitting end to a super day's birding; thanks to Dee for suggesting it and Dianne for her hospitality.

In passing, and a benefit of the delay in releasing this report, Linda York's first walk of the season was a great success. Sandy led a group of ten (be thankful for small groups!) on a walk remarkable for the added shorebirds following the removal of some of the reeds. It was wonderful to see the Stilts returning in force, and we enjoyed seeing a Northern Harrier hunting in the alfalfa field.

Henceforth, all walks at Big Morongo will start at 8am.

Reminder for Malki Museum on Tuesday. Meet at Denny's Palm Springs at 9.30am. Call me if you would like to join us.

Apologies for the delay in releasing this report, blamed on 'technical problems'..........bb

Barry Parkes
bbparkes@ix.netcom.com
bigmorongobirders@earthlink.net