BMB06/18 Big Bear 28th July 2006

The weather in Big Bear was glorious this morning, and more like Spring than Summer with temperatures in the low seventies. Birding was quiet but Division Road was quite fruitful with a number of NRW Swallows and several nests, some of them full of youngsters.

Bearpaw Ranch Friday 11^th August 2006

Meet at Denny’s & I10 in Palm Springs at 7am for car pooling. Consolidate at the parking lot of the Ranger Station at Yucaipa on Highway 38 around 8am. Bring a picnic and water: this could be an interesting day – we have not been for a couple of years.

If you would like to join please email me and I will confirm.

Top of the Tram Monday 14^th August 2006

If you would like a brief, easy bird walk around the ¾ mile trail in Long Valley, with no climbing and no rough trails, email me. We would probably also cover the area around the stream just beyond the Ranger Station, but nothing strenuous (but sadly I can do nothing about the ramp)

Oak Glen (Los Rios) Friday 18^th August 2006

Meet at Denny’s Palm Springs, Indian and I10 at 7.30am, bring water for a short field trip, back in Palm Springs before lunch.

Queries, call me at 760 328 6750 or cell 760 333 2366 or email. If you are weary of these messages, send an email and I will delete.


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

BMB06/17 Top of the Tram 25th July 2006

Yesterday Ten Big Morongo Birders, including MrsM’s sister Kay and her beginning-birder friends Debbie and Janet, had a fine morning in the relative cool of Top of the Tram. We did not have a large specie count, which was no surprise, but we did see many Western Bluebirds and White-headed Woodpeckers, to say nothing of a Williamson’s Sapsucker! Tom and Dorothy carried on to Hidden Lake with Harlon and April and the diehards repaired to the Tram Deck for a jarrette before being pushed inside by a minor thunderstorm.

This morning our Preserve walk started with four Friends Board Members plus Dee in heavy overcast and high humidity – but the warm weather appears to have been broken – and not before time!. A visitor from England joined us and we had a specie count of 37.

Big Bear Friday 28^th July 2006

Meet at Big Morongo parking lot for car pooling at 7am or at the Discovery Centre in Big Bear at 8.45am or thereabouts. Bring a picnic lunch and water and we should have a full day of good birding.

This looks like a minimal attendance field trip but late cancellations make it too late to cancel.

Bearpaw Ranch Friday 11^th August 2006

Meet at Denny’s & I10 in Palm Springs at 7am for car pooling. Consolidate at the parking lot of the Ranger Station at Yucaipa on Highway 38 around 8am. Bring a picnic and water: this could be an interesting day – we have not been for a couple of years.

If you would like to join please email me and I will confirm.

Queries, call me at 760 328 6750 or cell 760 333 2366 or email. If you are weary of these messages, send an email and I will delete.

Good Birding……..bb

BMB06/15 Big Morongo Canyon Preserve Closed

Preserve Closed

BLM today closed the Preserve until further notice, due to the fire which is raging over more than 35,000 acres from Pioneer Town to Morongo Valley. Many homes in Pioneer Town have been lost and MrsM tells me that Dave Miller’s new house is one of them: the fire is now threatening Morongo Valley; a voluntary evacuation order for homes west of 62 is in place but we have heard of no one being hurt. Dee and Betty are out of town until tomorrow evening.

Oak Glen Monday 10JUL06

We had a fine walk at Oak Glen on Monday with eight Big Morongo Birders, including three teenagers, saw 22 species. Starting a little after 8am, we soon found that an elevation of 4500 feet or so is no guarantee of cool weather! The upper lake is almost dry and the only water birds we saw were Mallards and Coots – no sign of the Sora. The blackberries are way behind and are unlikely to be ready before at least mid August.

Top of the Tram Tuesday 25JUL06

Meet at the Tram before 10am for a walk around Desert View with picnic – don’t forget water! There will be no Hidden Lake this trip but we should see good birding with little effort. My namesake saw several Red Crossbills around the mule pens near the Ranger Station recently.

Big Bear Friday28JUL06

Meet at Big Morongo Parking lot for car pooling at 7am or at the Discovery Centre in Big Bear at 8.45am or thereabouts. Bring a picnic lunch and water, and we should have a full day of good birding.

It helps if you let me know if you intend to join any of these field trips.

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

BMB06/14 Top of the Tram 30th June 2006

On a fine morning, eight Big Morongo Birders, including the welcome return of Kurt, took the first tram and a walk round Desert View Trail. Very pleasant temperature, which would have been better from an 8am tram, and saw about 22 species. These included several life birds for some, such as Clark’s Nutcracker and White-headed Woodpecker.

Most of our party continued to Hidden Lake which still has water but no tadpoles; still a sight to behold and a first time for April, Barbara and Carol – always a pleasure. The lake experience was enhanced by a Golden Eagle which we watched around the shore of the lake and really good close-up sightings of a Red-breasted Sapsucker at the overlook.

Oak Glen

Monday 10th July, meet at Denny's at Indian and I10 Palm Springs at 7.30am for car pooling. Bring water and a snack, but we will be through before lunch. Maybe look for apple things before a return before lunch.

Good Birding........bb