Date: 6/23/25 7:52 am From: Guy McCaskie via groups.io <guymcc...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Salton Sea (south) 22 Jun 2025
I spent part of Sunday 22 June 2025 (5;30 AM to 1:30 PM) with Therese R.
Clawson looking for birds at a few select locations in the Imperial Valley
and along part of the south shore of the Salton Sea. We started the day at
Unit 1 of the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, the drove northeastward
to near the west end of Young Road, From near the west end of Young Road we
drove northeastward along the seawall to Obsidian Butte (no birds along the
shore away from near the west end of Young Road). We then drove east to the
Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge HQ. At the Salton Sea National Wildlife
Refuge HQ we only looked briefly around the Visitor Center. We then drove
eastward to the Hazard Track and Morton Bay. From Morton Bay we drove
southeast to Calipatria, spending a little time looking around the area west
of Calipatria. We then drove south into Brawley. In Brawley we only looked
at Riverview Cemetery. We then drove southwestward to the intersection of
Carter and Fites Roads. From there we drove southward to near the southeast
corner of El Centro, stopping at the flooded area adjacent to Neckel Road on
the way (no gulls). After spending a little time near the southeast corner
of El Centro, we drove west to San Diego, stopping at Rio Bend and Fig
Lagoon before leaving the Imperial Valley.
Mostly clear with some wind in the morning, and with temperatures ranging
from 65 to 95 degrees.
Species seen and/or heard - Snow Goose (1 - one at Unit 1 of the Salton Sea
National Wildlife Refuge), Cinnamon Teal (2), Mallard (50), Redhead (2),
Ruddy Duck (15), Gambel's Quail (6), Pied-billed Grebe (5), Western Grebe
(5), Clark's Grebe (5), Rock Pigeon (20), Eurasian Collared-Dove (50), Inca
Dove (10), Common Ground-Dove (5), White-winged Dove (30), Mourning Dove
(30), Greater Roadrunner (2), Lesser Nighthawk (2), Black-chinned
Hummingbird (5), Anna's Hummingbird (6), Costa's Hummingbird (2), Ridgway's
Rail (1), Common Gallinule (1), American Coot (25), Black-necked Stilt
(250), American Avocet (50), Black-bellied Plover (6), Killdeer (15),
Semipalmated Plover (1 - one near the west end of Young Road was presumably
an early fall migrant), Snowy Plover (6), Western Sandpiper (6 - six
together near the west end of Young Road were early fall migrants),
Long-billed Dowitcher (1 - one in basic-plumage near the west end of Young
Road had presumably summered locally), Willet (2), Greater Yellowlegs (10),
Wilson's Phalarope (50), Ring-billed Gull (5), California Gull (30 - most
nesting near the west end of Young Road), Gull-billed Tern (15), Caspian
Tern (2), Black Tern (25), Forster's Tern (20), Black Skimmer (15),
Double-crested Cormorant (10), Neotropic Cormorant (10), American White
Pelican (1), Great Blue Heron (5), Great Egret (15), Snowy Egret (20),
Cattle Egret (30), Green Heron (1), Black-crowned Night-Heron (3),
White-faced Ibis (30), Turkey Vulture (5), Burrowing Owl (15), Gila
Woodpecker (2), American Kestrel (6), Western Kingbird (10), Black Phoebe
(6), Vermilion Flycatcher (6 - including a pair at a nest at Rio Bend),
Warbling Vireo (1 - one near the southeast corner of El Centro establishes
the latest date for a spring migrant at the Salton Sink), Loggerhead Shrike
(1), Common Raven (2), Verdin (10), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (2), Barn
Swallow (1 - one with nesting Cliff Swallows at the intersection of Carter
and Fites southwest of Brawley). Cliff Swallow (150), Black-tailed
Gnatcatcher (1), Marsh Wren (10), Northern Mockingbird (5), European
Starling (25), House Sparrow (10), House Finch (10), Song Sparrow (6),
Abert's Towhee (2), Yellow-headed Blackbird (1), Western Meadowlark (10),
Red-winged Blackbird (50), Bronzed Cowbird (1 - one adult male at the
intersection of Eddins and Riley Roads west of Calipatria), Brown-headed
Cowbird (5), Brewer's Blackbird (15), Great-tailed Grackle (50) and Common
Yellowthroat (5) - 82 species.
