Date: 4/21/26 9:15 pm From: henry detwiler via groups.io <henry_detwiler...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Imperial County Birding (19-21 April 2026)
Greetings Birders,
On the night of 19 April I camped out in Carrizo Wash, and then spent the next morning birding in the Picacho State Recreation Area. The entire area is wonderfully scenic, with one of the highlights being Bear Canyon. While in the canyon I heard a kind of whining sigh coming from a tree a short way up the side of the canyon; I was really surprised to see it was a Red-tailed Hawk. As I retrieved my camera it flew off to the top of the canyon wall. Once there, it attracted the attention of an American Kestrel, who dive-bombed it mercilessly. My photos show the kestrel as a blur, since I forgot to reset the camera speed (1/60s) after my dawn photos of some burros. The hawk eventually flew across the canyon to the opposite wall, where it joined its mate, who was sitting on a nest in a small crevice.The area where Carrizo Wash emptied into the Colorado River proved to be the most birdy location of the morning, with Green-tailed Towhee, Lazuli Bunting, Brewer's Sparrows, several warblers, and fledgling Gambel's Quail. Yellow-breasted Chats have returned to the river in force, and were quite vocal.The Black Rail continues at Stewart Lake, and was calling again mid-morning. A trio of Cinnamon Teal and a lonely Solitary Sandpiper shared this lake with the rail.
The road leading to Bear Canyon is fairly rough, and high clearance is advisable--a sign says 4WD is required, which is no doubt true if there has been rain.
This morning (21 April) I spent about two hours at an abandoned trailer court (no more trailers) along the Colorado River, a bit south of Laguna Dam. Migration was in full force, with multiple Black-headed Grosbeaks, Lazuli Bunting, Western Flycatchers, Western Wood-Pewee, Western Tanager, and a host of warblers. The best bird of the morning was a wayward White-throated Sparrow in handsome white and yellow-lored garb. Breeding birds were also in evidence, with families of Gambel's Quail, Bullock's Orioles, and Abert's Towhees. Newly arrived Yellow-breasted Chats were squawking and a Crissal Thrasher was silently feeding. An Osprey spent much of the time perched on a high limb in a cottonwood, watching for fish in the Colorado River.
If you have already joined the California Breeding Bird Atlas Project, we thank you! If you think you might be interested in assisting, we'd love to have you--please visit https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/home eBird reports with some photos:https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S324850438https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S325110093
Good Birding!Henry D. <Detwilerhenry_detwiler...>, AZ
Finding Birds in Southwest Arizonahttps://www.southwestbirders.com/swb_SWAZ_Book.htmFinding Birds at the Salton Sea and in Imperial County, Californiahttps://www.southwestbirders.com/swb_Imperial_County_Book.htm
