Date: 4/3/25 8:35 am From: Guy McCaskie via groups.io <guymcc...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Salton Sea (south) 2 April 2025
I spent Wednesday, 2 April 2025 (6:15 AM to 3:15 PM) with Therese R. Clawson
looking for birds at a few select locations in the Imperial Valley. We
started the day at Fig Lagoon and the Rio Bend Golf Course. From Rio Bend we
drove north on Forrester Road to Sheldon Reservoir. From Sheldon Reservoir
we drove east on Keystone Road to Dogwood Road, then south to the flooded
area adjacent to Neckel Road, and south to Evergreen Cemetery in El Centro.
From Evergreen Cemetery we drove south to near the southeast corner of El
Centro. After spending time near the southeast corner of El Centro, we drove
west to San Diego, stopping at Rio Bend Golf Course and Fig Lagoon before
leaving the Imperial Valley.
Clear with a cold very strong wind from the west (whitecaps on Fig Lagoon),
and with temperatures ranging from 50 to 70 degrees.
Species seen and/or heard - Cinnamon Teal (6), Northern Shoveler (200),
Gadwall (2), American Wigeon (1), Mallard (10), Northern Pintail (2),
Redhead (10), Ring-necked Duck (35), Lesser Scaup (1), Surf Scoter (1 - a
female on Fig Lagoon), Ruddy Duck (15), Pied-billed Grebe (5), Eared Grebe
(2), Rock Pigeon (15), Eurasian Collared-Dove (150), Inca Dove (10), Common
Ground-Dove (10), White-winged Dove (2), Mourning Dove (30), Greater
Roadrunner (1), Anna's Hummingbird (3), Costa's Hummingbird (1), Rufous
Hummingbird (3), Common Gallinule (1), American Coot (15), Black-necked
Stilt (2), American Avocet (10), Killdeer (5), Whimbrel (5), Long-billed
Curlew (50), Greater Yellowlegs (3), Ring-billed Gull (50), California Gull
(100), Double-crested Cormorant (25), Neotropic Cormorant (2), American
White Pelican (12), Great Blue Heron (2), Great Egret (10), Snowy Egret (5),
Cattle Egret (500), Black-crowned Night-Heron (1), White-faced Ibis (150),
Turkey Vulture (5), Osprey (1 - one at Rio Bend Golf Course), Red-tailed
Hawk (1), Burrowing Owl (2), Belted Kingfisher (1), Gila Woodpecker (1),
American Kestrel (5), Western Kingbird (1), Gray Flycatcher (1 - one at Rio
Bend Golf Course known present since 21 October), Cassin's Vireo (1 - one
singing near the southeast corner of El Centro was the first reported
locally this spring), Black Phoebe (3), Vermilion Flycatcher (4), Common
Raven (3), Verdin (5), Tree Swallow (350), Northern Rough-winged Swallow
(2), Barn Swallow (5), Cliff Swallow (25), Marsh Wren (1), Curve-billed
Thrasher (one at Rio Bend Golf Course known present since 21 October),
Northern Mockingbird (6), European Starling (50), Western Bluebird (3 -
three together in Evergreen Cemetery), House Sparrow (5), American Pipit
(150), House Finch (10), Lesser Goldfinch (3), Chipping Sparrow (6),
White-crowned Sparrow (35), Song Sparrow (2), Abert's Towhee (3),
Green-tailed Towhee (1 - one near the southeast corner of El Centro known
present since 31 March). Yellow-headed Blackbird (1), Western Meadowlark
(5), Hooded Oriole (5), Bullock's Oriole (1), Red-winged Blackbird (500),
Brown-headed Cowbird (1), Brewer's Blackbird (15), Great-tailed Grackle
(50), Orange-crowned Warbler (1), Nashville Warbler (1), Common Yellowthroat
(1), Yellow Warbler (1), Yellow-rumped Warbler (30), Wilson's Warbler (1)
and Lazuli Bunting (1) - 90 species.
