Greetings Birders,
Yesterday (12 Feb) I left Yuma before dawn and made it to the Santa Cruz Flats shortly before 8:00 a.m. When I pulled up to Storm on Fast Track Road, she was watching the STREAK-BACKED ORIOLE, and I spooked it. Fortunately it soon popped back up from the brush and into one of the pecans, and we got good looks. As the oriole moved slowly southward in the line of pecan trees, towards Curtis Road, we were able to alert the other two birders there, and Denny and Cathy also got good views. The line of pecan trees between Curtis Road and 0.2 miles north on Fast Track Road seems to be a reliable spot for this bird, in case you're thinking about a visit. Other nice birds we spotted included MERLIN, FERRUGINOUS HAWK, and CRESTED CARACARA.
My next stop was along Baumgartner Road, where I watched a good-sized flock of LARK BUNTINGS. Then it was south to Sweetwater Wetlands, to look for waterfowl and warblers. A pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL were my first of the year, and were the last of the common waterfowl I wanted to see. The wintering WILSON'S WARBLER was also quite cooperative. Even more fun was seeing the sizeable resident bobcat--perhaps a trifle unnerving seeing a feline that large and so close that my telephoto wouldn't focus on it. So I backed away and snapped a few shots before the cat ambled off.
On 11 Feb I spent the morning at Imperial NWR, north of Yuma. Still searching for Bell's Sparrow, and still finding nothing but SAGEBRUSH SPARROWS. At Mesquite Point I found the lake about two feet lower than usual, which had exposed a nice swath of shore. Dozens of LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and LEAST SANDPIPERS were joined by two WESTERN SANDPIPERS. It was nice to get scope views of both SORA and VIRGINIA RAIL feeding out in the open on the opposite shore. AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, BUFFLEHEADS, CINNAMON TEAL, and a VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW were some of the other fine birds there.
My 2025 total now stands at 229.
Some eBird reports with photos:https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/yjMBCg7WAOIqV1WP9SNf1T4NBu1?<domain...>
Good Birding!Henry D. <Detwilerhenry_detwiler...>, AZ
Finding Birds in Southwest Arizonahttps://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/7ojjCjAWEjfYp4Jl8iRhBTmcc_I?<domain...> Birds at the Salton Sea and in Imperial County, https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/luz1Ck6WGkCkmy0Y9iQiyTGm9TN?<domain...>
