The Springs Birding Day 1/23/13

 A very nice day again. Lots of birders today, all very interested in the birds. We travelled to Borrego Springs Resort for some nice birding on the pond. Then we moved to another pond and found an adult Cooper's Hawk on a phone pole on the way. Don helped me take my first through the scope shot. Now I am hooked on scope shots and will try better next time. At the small pond we found a female Vermillion Flycatcher.

The Roadrunner walked past a few of us at the end of our trip (next to the cars parked at the RV park). It's fun to zero in on parts of the birds. Birds observed today only by the group-I didn't add birds I saw but didn't comment on such as both hummers, other doves etc. Group birds observed: American Wigeon, Mallard, Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Cooper's Hawk, Coot, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Ground Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Vermillion Flycatcher (nice female), Common raven, Western Bluebird, Northern Mockingbird, Common Yellowthroat, White-crowned Sparrow, and House Finch. We did not stop at feeders so we did not see several other species (next week).

On Monday January 28, those interested will have a nice bonus day. We will leave the clubhouse (pool) parking lot at 8A and drive to Ramona for a nice hawk and eagle day.  Some can make it back by 1PM without lunch. If we have snow in the mountains it will be cancelled. I will blog on Sunday evening with some pictures of the Salton Sea and let you know if it is a go on Monday.

The Springs group looking at ducks and egrets

Great Egret-Jane G took this nice shot

My first through the scope shot-Cooper's Hawk

Roadrunner getting ready to eat

Looks like a nut

Roadrunner Feet

Roadrunner Tail Feathers

Roadrunner neck feathers

Birding The Springs 1/16/13

Lots of birders today (15) and some nice looks at: American Wigeon, Mallard Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, American Coot, Killdeer, Eurasian Collared Dove, White-winged Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Costa's Hummingbird, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Common Raven, Verdin, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Western Bluebird, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Lark Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch and House Sparrow. Look at the list, refer to your book then go out and find the birds again. 

Although we didn't spend time with the Mockingbirds, here is a puzzle you might consider. It is available at the Anza-Borrego Foundation in the front of the west mall. The sale provides funding for scholarships for local kids. The bird still comes to my pyracantha in front of my home. 

Here is some info about the Say's Phoebe. It is interesting to note that many Western birds have names for people while most Eastern birds are named by locals. As naturalists moved west they found new birds and named them after friends or other naturalists. Thomas Say (June 27, 1787—October 10, 1834) was an American naturalist, entomologist, malacologist, herpetologist and carcinologist. A taxonomist, he is often considered to be the father of descriptive entomology in the United States. Say was one of the founding fathers of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). The ESA maintains several series of publications and awards that are named after Say.

Note the feet of the Coot. On land the lobes fold back for easier movement. I didn't take the shot of the feet. All shots were taken today. The Verdin hung around my car at the end of the walk. 

Puzzle available at ABF Store in mall 2 doors down from Calico's

Wigeon in flight

Wigeon on the water

Male Mallard

Coot

Coot feet

Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow

Lesser Goldfinch Female

Say's Phoebe

Verdin beginning flight

Verdin in motion

Verdin at rest

Roberta with baby Barn Owl

Eurasian Collared- Dove

Of The Beaten Path-The Salton Sea Trip January 4. 2013

I will digress a bit today. A trip to the Salton Sea on January 4, 2013 was one of the best experiences I've ever had at the sea. Lacking 3 of the common species at 2:30PM was an embarrassment. We had only a few minutes left for chasing birds. Finally found Cattle Egrets before turning west on Walker Road. At Walker and Forrester Rd's we found Long-billed Curlews, White-faced Ibis and a bonus, over 200 Mountain Plovers. All in all, a great day.

A Cormorant Christmas Tree-1/4/13-HC

Mountain Plovers along with White-faced Ibis and Long-billed Curlew's-1/4/13-HC

Snow and Ross's Geese at Salton Sea-1/4/13-HC

Cormorants-1/4/13-HC

Cattle Egrets-1/4/13-HC

Eared Grebes-1/4/13-HC

Great Egret Stepping out-1/4/13-HC

Greater Yellowlegs-1/4/13-HC

Harrier-1/4/13-HC

Merlin with probably a small bird in it's crop-1/4/13-HC

Mud pots-1/4/13-HC

Mud Volcano-1/4/13-HC

Spouting Mud Volcano-1/4/13-HC

A Magic Tree/The Willow January 2, 2013

The Willow tree at Tee-9 at The Springs RV Park was full of Bushtits, Yellow-rumped Warblers, 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 2 Black-crowned Night Herons, several White-crowned Sparrows, an Orange-crowned Warbler and one cooperative Common Yellowthroat. The temperature hovered around 40-45 degrees after a cold 35 degree at the beginning. The Willow is the same tree that produced a wintering Yellow Warbler last year. 

Five of the 22 Killdeer on the fairway at The Springs RV Park-1/2/13-HC

Common Yellowthroat Warbler-1/2/13-HC

Bland Yellow-rumped Warbler-1/2/13-HC

One of several Bushtits-1/2/13-HC

Adult Black-crowned Night Heron-1/2/13-HC

Couldn't figure out what this bird was? 1/2/13-HC