09.21.08
Salton Sea and near vicinity
I left the house at 4 a.m. to arrive at the Salton Sea by sunrise. My pre-dawn rise was rewarded by being greeted by a Coyote shortly after the sun crested the horizon. Being at the marshes so close to sunrise also afforded me the chance to photograph five Clapper Rails (most likely the Yuma subspecies) and a Sora. These secretive birds are often heard but very difficult to see.
Next I stopped at some well-known birding spots at the south end of the Salton Sea. White and Brown Pelicans rested next to each other, alongside gulls and terns. Multiple species of shorebirds worked the exposed mudflats between the rocks and discarded tires. Although the area seems to be a magnet for people’s trash, the wildlife continues to thrive.
Next, a quick stop by the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters. Still plenty of bird activity, even though it was now past 10 a.m. and closing in on 100 degrees. Two Greater Roadrunners chased each other; Gambel’s Quail, Common Ground Dove and Mourning Doves scattered everywhere while Desert Cottontail bounded from shrub to shrub, and an Abert’s Towhee made an appearance.
At Ramer Lake, thousands of Red-winged Blackbirds zoomed back and forth from the bushes bordering the lake to the cow farm next door. A Lesser Nighthawk roosted at Finney Lake plus there were a few Western Grebes.
Sunbeam Lake was fairly devoid of everything except dragonflies and damselflies, not too surprising as it was past noon and over 100 degrees. The smart critters hunkered down in a shady area.
Overall, a fantastic day. Of course, there are plenty of animals that I didn’t see this time around but that just gives me a reason to start planning my next trip to the Salton Sea.
Birds
Cinnamon Teal
Western Grebe
American White Pelican
Brown Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
White-faced Ibis
Osprey
Northern Harrier
American Kestrel
Clapper Rail
Sora
Common Moorhen
Killdeer
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Inca Dove
Common Ground-Dove
Greater Roadrunner
Burrowing Owl
Lesser Nighthawk
Verdin
Abert’s Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
33 Total Species
Dragonflies
Roseate Skimmer
Blue Dasher
Mexican Amberwing
5 Total Species
Mammals
Coyote
Desert Cottontail
Reptiles
Great Basin Whiptail
