Date: 7/17/25 7:54 am From: Guy McCaskie via groups.io <guymcc...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Salton Sea (south) 16 July 2025
I spent Wednesday 16 July 2025 (5:30 AM to 4:00 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 the IID
Wetlands near Niland, then moved north into Niland. In Niland we birded
north along International Avenue, and west to the west end of 4th Street.
We then drove northwestward to the Wister Unit. At the Wister Unit we looked
at the area around the headquarters and at the fishing lake. From the Wister
Unit HQ we drove southwestward on Davis Road to the Salton Sea National
Wildlife Refuge HQ, stopping to look at Morton Bay on the way. At the Salton
Sea National Wildlife Refuge HQ we looked around the Visitor Center and at
the ponds adjacent to Rock Hill. We then drove west to Obsidian Butte and
birded southwestward along the seawall to the west end of Young Road. We
then drove southwestward to Unit 1 of the Salton Sea National Wildlife
Refuge (very few birds). After looking at Unit 1 of the Salton Sea National
Wildlife Refuge, we headed southeastward through Westmorland into Brawley.
In Brawley we only looked at Riverview Cemetery. We then drove south to near
the southeast corner of El Centro, stopping at the intersection of Carter
and Fites Roads and the flooded area adjacent to Neckel Road on the way.
After spending 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 little to no wind, and with temperatures ranging from 85
to 105 degrees.
Species seen and/or heard - Cinnamon Teal (25), Northern Shoveler (1- one
near the southwestern part of the Wister Unit likely summered locally),
American Wigeon (1 - one near the southwestern part of the Wister Unit
likely summered locally), Mallard (50), Redhead (1), Ruddy Duck (25),
Gambel's Quail (6), Pied-billed Grebe (5), Eared Grebe (1), Western Grebe
(6), Clark's Grebe (10), Rock Pigeon (25), Eurasian Collared-Dove (50), Inca
Dove (10), Common Ground-Dove (5), White-winged Dove (35), Mourning Dove
(30), Greater Roadrunner (2), Lesser Nighthawk (1), Black-chinned
Hummingbird (6), Anna's Hummingbird (5), Costa's Hummingbird (2), Ridgway's
Rail (2), Common Gallinule (1), American Coot (25), Black-necked Stilt
(500), American Avocet (250), Black-bellied Plover (1), Killdeer (15), Snowy
Plover (5), Long-billed Curlew (1), Marbled Godwit (1), Stilt Sandpiper (1 -
one adult in alternate plumage near the west end of Young Road), Least
Sandpiper (250), Western Sandpiper (3500), Short-billed Dowitcher (1 - one
adult in alternate plumage near the west end of Young Road), Long-billed
Dowitcher (25), dowitcher sp (35 - probably Long-billed), Spotted Sandpiper
(1 - one near the southwestern part of the Wister Unit), Lesser Yellowlegs
(25), Willet (3), Greater Yellowlegs (70), Wilson's Phalarope (150),
Laughing Gull (6), Ring-billed Gull (25), Yellow-footed Gull (1 - one adult
near the west end of Young Road), California Gull (100), Least Tern (2 - two
adults with other terns on Morton Bay), Gull-billed Tern (15), Caspian Tern
(10), Black Tern (15), Forster's Tern (25), Black Skimmer (1),
Double-crested Cormorant (15), Neotropic Cormorant (25), American White
Pelican (250), Brown Pelican (5 - five on Morton Bay were new arrivals from
the Gulf of California), Great Blue Heron (5), Great Egret (20), Snowy Egret
(30), Cattle Egret (250), Green Heron (3), Black-crowned Night-Heron (10),
White-faced Ibis (300), Turkey Vulture (5), Red-tailed Hawk (1), American
Barn Owl (1 - one at the IID Wetlands near Niland) Great Horned Owl (2 - one
near the south end of International Avenue in Niland and one near the
southeast corner of El Centro), Burrowing Owl (10), Gila Woodpecker (2),
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (1), American Kestrel (10), Black Phoebe (6),
Vermilion Flycatcher (1), Western Kingbird (15), Loggerhead Shrike (5),
Common Raven (1), Verdin (10), Tree Swallow (3), Northern Rough-winged
Swallow (2), Barn Swallow (4 - four at the intersection of Carter and Fites
southwest of Brawley ware this swallow nests). Cliff Swallow (1500),
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (2), Marsh Wren (15), Northern Mockingbird (5),
European Starling (35), House Sparrow (10), House Finch (10), Lesser
Goldfinch (2 - two together at the IID Wetlands near Niland), Song Sparrow
(6), Abert's Towhee (6), Yellow-headed Blackbird (5), Western Meadowlark
(5), Hooded Oriole (1 - one near the south end on International Avenue in
Niland), Bullock's Oriole (1 - one near the southeast corner of El Centro),
Red-winged Blackbird (150), Bronzed Cowbird (1 - one adult male at the south
end of International Avenue in Niland), Brown-headed Cowbird (25), Brewer's
Blackbird (5), Great-tailed Grackle (30) and Common Yellowthroat (10) - 100
species.
