Friday, April 21, 2006

BMB06/11 West Fork Loop 21 April 2006

You know by now that your scribe is not given to exaggeration, but it has to be said that the showing of wild flowers on the West Fork trail this morning was really quite remarkable and some said the best ever. The Canyon was good but did not compare with West Fork where the mountainside was, in part, completely covered and is well worth a visit. Of note in the Canyon were striking displays of Canterbury Bells stretching from the Canyon floor almost to the peaks.

We were nine birders with no acknowledged flower experts and spent four and a half very satisfying hours. The birding was good and the Black-chinned Sparrow we rarely see on the Preserve; the Virginia Rail we flushed close to the goldfish pond and the close-up view was very much a treat.

It was interesting to see Gene Cardiff who told us of the arrival of the Chats and Blue Grosbeak, although we did not see them.

The list which follows is courtesy of Margaret and much appreciated.

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

Bird/Flower Walk to West Fork/Canyon Trails

Friday April 21, 2006

Bird List

Lesser Goldfinch

Pine Siskin

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbird

Nuttall's Woodpecker

Yellow Warbler

Bewick's Wren

Black Phoebe

House Finch

Lawrence's Goldfinch

Western Tanager

California Towhee

Spotted Towhee

Phainopepla

Hooded Oriole

Starling

Common Yellowthroat

Yellow-rumped Warbler

House Wren

Double-crested Cormorant

Black-throated Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Wilson's Warbler

Verdin

Mountain Quail (heard)

Red-tailed Hawk

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Gambel's Quail

House Wren

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

American Kestrel

Raven

Lazuli Bunting

Oak Titmouse

Bushtit

Song Sparrow

Virginia Rail (Seen!!)

Visitor report, on other trails - Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue Grosbeak

(Gene Cardiff)

Flower List

Fillaree

White Tidy-tips

Chia

Wallace's Wooly Daisy

Notch-leafed Phacelia

Coreopsis

Pincushion

Desert Larkspur

Tackstem

Forget-me-not, sp. *

California Evening Primrose

Brown-eyed Primrose

Lupine

Scale Bud

Gold Poppy, sp *

Eriogonum, sp *

Desert Calico

Purple Mat

Whispering Bells

Bladderpod

Sand Blazing Star

Jimson Weed

Broad-flowered Gilia

Silver Puff

Wild Cucumber

Lacy Phacelia

Checker Fiddleneck

Indian Paintbrush

Desert Dandelion

California Buckwheat

Cheesebush

Creosote Bush

* One of several closely related species. Exact species not determined.

Nothing scheduled for the moment but we are thinking of a return to Pipe’s Canyon for flowers – and check out the Mountain Quail………….bb