Date: 1/17/26 11:08 pm From: Kent Johnson <kentjohnson...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Panoche Valley
I visited the Panoche Valley area today, and found most of the specialties of the area without too much trouble. The area has dried out, and there was no problem with mud. On Panoche Road leading to the valley, two Phainopeplas were at Miller Ranch. They may have been many other places, I did not stop often to look for them. A Rufous-crowned Sparrow was right at the eBird Rufous-crowned Sparrow Spot hotspot – there are actually many places along the road where they may be found. Yellow-billed Magpies were at multiple places along the road and in the valley at McCullough Ranch and the Spanish Cattle Company. Also at the Spanish Cattle Company were three Cassin’s Kingbirds. There were four or five Ferruginous Hawks scattered about the valley floor. A Prairie Falcon and a Merlin were both on Yturiarte Road near Little Panoche Road. I think it must have been a male Merlin and a female Prairie Falcon; at one point they were close together and the size difference was really extreme. A Golden Eagle was first seen near Recalde Road, but soared off far to the south-west. I saw 16 Mountain Plovers also at Recalde Road; other birders there before me said there had been more earlier. A few Mountain Bluebirds were along Panoche Road near the Silver Creek Ranch and along Little Panoche Road near Mercey Hot Springs. Horned Larks and American Pipits were several places on the valley floor. Savannah and Lark Sparrows were widespread.
Kent Johnson
