BMB05/19 Pipe's Canyon 10th June 2005

Six Big Morongo Birders met at 8am for our first walk following extensive wet weather and damage to trails at the Preserve. The weather was fine and rather warmer than we expected, but the water levels comparatively low. We were surprised to see about a dozen varieties of wild flowers including Canterbury Bells, White Sage (5’ tall!), Indigo Bush and Eaton’s Firecracker. Many lizards were in evidence and we found a 2-3’ Rosy Boa. Following advice from Ranger Frazier Haney we found about eighteen Mountain Quail; two adults, two small chicks and the remainder ‘teenagers’. This enabled MrsM to tidy-up a life list, which was sadly lacking. In all twenty birds, including a Loggerhead Shrike and a number of Ash-throated Flycatchers, but the stars had to be the Mountain Quail, which were not easy to find and would be exceedingly difficult to photograph.

Don’t forget our visit to the Top of the Tram on Monday 20th June. Catch the 10am tram, bring water and a picnic.

More to come, but in the meantime Good Birding...........bb