thebirderspost

For anyone who doesn’t know, a “lifer” is a bird never seen before in our lives in North Amer – very exciting for birders who’s been at it for around 40 years!

Jan. 11:  Drove back out to Joshua Tree but drove a different loop.  High up in these hills, it was about 5 C, but usually hovering just above 2 – also quite windy.  Bill wore 3 shirts, fleece vest & windbreaker (plus gloves).  He braved the weather to take photos because at least it was sunny!  Still an intriguing place, though not many birds in this wind!

We ended our day by stopping at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, where there are lots of trees, some marshland, & desert hills.  Walked one of the boardwalks & when we returned to the parking lot, found a CALIFORNIA TOWHEE!!  A lifer at last – yay!  No photos, but also observed a flock of Western Bluebirds, Lesser Goldfinch, House Finches, Mtn Chickadees &  White-crowned Sparrows – also a couple of Ladder-backed Woodpeckers. Our SK birding pals have a local birder who lives near here & will accompany them on some of their trips in the area – lucky guys!

Jan. 13:  There was ice along our sidewalk when we drove away from the RV, so we were in lots of clothes, but it was sunny & did warm up a bit eventually.  The high was only about 7 (yesterday in Toronto we heard it was nearly 15!)!  Took another walk at Big Morongo where we saw the towhee twice more.

Jan. 14:  Stayed in yesterday – horribly windy & cold AGAIN!  But did another circuit of the Salton Sea today where we saw a few new birds including a Tundra Swan (immature).  Bill also took more photos of the lovely Black Phoebe – is this one any better?  He is incorrectly identified here!

They “flit” around endlessly, hardly ever sitting still for long, hence the difficulty!  It was not a warm day, but sunny – we wore our warm coats, took them off once for awhile, then back on.  Went out for pizza when we got back & turned up the heat when we got home.  Watched Australian Open tennis!

Jan. 16:  Stayed in today as Bill had to do some work.  When I checked the weather this morning it was only 7 degrees warmer here than Calgary – ACK!   However, it warmed up quite a bit later in the day – up to 20!  YAY!  It is only supposed to go down to 5 or 6 the next few days – and up to 18 or so. It is about bloody time!  Apparently this is the coldest

Jan. 17: Drove up to Idyllwild again today – although it was so windy when we left, we were feeling a big discouraged.  The wind turbines which fill the valley were churning madly!  However, it was sheltered at the Idyllwild Nature Centre – & I found $3 bills on the ground at the start of our walk, obviously a good omen.  We soon found the WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER – another LIFER for us!  YAY!  Also added Pygmy Nuthatch (cutie patootie).  When we drove back down the mountain, it was so windy again, no White-throated Swifts were flying (no insects would have been flying about in THAT!) – so they will have to wait for their photos for another day.

Jan. 18:  Did a quick walk in Big Morongo & were feeling a big discouraged (because it was windy there, though calm at the RV park).  Finally saw a lovely group of Lesser Goldfinches – then another lifer:  NUTTALL’S WOODPECKER – YAY!  A pair (M & F) were tapping, calling & generally hanging around us for lots of great looks!  It seems so odd to see the trees starting to bud, like they think it’s spring!

It’s ironic that my friend Lorne Kingwell (who is in Malaysia at the moment) recently sent some colorful photos from there – including birds, bees, flowers, butterflies & people.  How interesting that most of the birds we’ve seen recently are black & white:  White-headed Woodpecker (black with white head), our little Black Phoebe, White-throated Swift (white throat & sides; black bird), Nuttall’s Woodpecker (black & white with a bit of red on the head of male only), American White Pelicans (white with black wing tips – though bills are flesh colored) & these beautiful Black-necked Stilts (with exception of red legs!):

It is interesting to see that the white pelicans are just beginning to grow their “nose knobs”, which are used in attracting mates!  Another sign of spring!

Arrived in Desert Hot Springs (right across the hwy from Palm Springs) where we’ll stay a month.  Took a day to reconnoiter & decide on outings we’d like to take in the area.

Jan. 3:  Traveled to Salton Sea where we added 25 birds to our list (yeah, that’s alot in 1 day).  Several shorebirds, a Caspian Tern, Brown Pelican & our hilite:  BARN OWL!

Our SK birding buddies have been after us to set one up for them to find while in the area in a month or so.  This was a “lifer” (never seen before in our life) for me last winter in TX – a big thrill.  What a great-looking bird.  Also added a Common Ground Dove, Black-necked Stilts, White-faced Ibis, Violet-green Swallow, as well as Snow & Ross’ Geese.  It is a beautiful sight to see thousands of white geese take off into the sky, glowing in the sun.  One other interesting bird was a McCown’s Longspur, still in breeding plumage!  Bill has been having trouble photographing a Black Phoebe (another lifer from last year) which we have seen many times.  This is the best he could do, but maybe he’ll get a better one later:

We spent 2+ days waxing the big beast of an RV – you can even say it glows!  We have to take it into a nearby dealer Jan. 16th to get a few items fixed & we pray it is the last of the fixes!

Jan. 5:  Off to Joshua Tree National Park just NE of us for our next adventure.  Not only is it a refuge for these beautiful trees, but has beautiful & unusual rock formations.  Nor were we the only ones choosing this adventure; it is a popular place for climbers & as the day went on, became busy at nearly every parking area.  We didn’t spend alot of time in some of the places due to the crush of people, but here are a few impressions:

At the last place we stopped Bill spotted a White-throated Swift – one of my very favourite birds and one we see in Osoyoos, BC, but nearly impossible to photograph.  So here’s a Western Scrub Jay:

Jan. 7: Drove in a loop up into the San Jacinto Mtns from Palm Desert (what a ritzy area) through Idyllwild (6000 feet) & back down – the hwy is called “Palms to Pines” & it is indeed true.  There was snow above around 5000 feet, but the roads were pretty good.  Unfortunately, the day was extremely windy & not very warm (around 10 C) so we didn’t get out of the car very often.  We did however, pick up 4 new birds: Western Bluebird (several flocks), Oak Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch & Pinyon Jay.  We vow to return again when the weather is nicer to really get out there & walk.

Jan. 8:  By far the warmest day of our entire trip with high around 26 C!  Unfortunately, we were stuck at the RV park waiting for the awning guys to come & see what’s wrong with our remote control or awning.  I did laundry, but the day was basically shot!  Now waiting on parts for the awning 😦

Jan. 9:  Quite a reasonable day with the wind much, much calmer & high around 15 C, so we drove back up into the mountains to Idyllwild to walk the Nature Center.  A White-headed Woodpecker (would be a lifer) has been seen there – but no luck for us today.  We observed many Acorn Woodpeckers hawking for insects.  Also walked 2 other associated campgrounds, hoping for Calif. Quail – but no luck.  We did spot a Stellar’s Jay on the way back home.  Also saw many White-throated Swifts flying along the side of the highway as we descended.  Bill will try to photograph them again some time.  We will return to try for the woodpecker & quails again before we leave.

Jan. 10:  Today Bill had to make a trip to see the IRS to sort out some income tax issues & the weather has turned bad again.  Skies have been dramatic all day with clouds shadowing the surrounding hills, some sun shining on the rain & making a rainbow. The wind is once again blowing a gale & even rocks the RV at times – we hope for improvement, but lows over the next few days are supposed to get below freezing again – ACK!  Highs only 8-10 C!  Temperatures have been the same as in Calgary once or twice – what gives here!  Oh well…  Here’s what it looked today.  More later.

One last day to visit Henderson bird area – and we were treated to a great view of the thrasher.  Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, Bill’s camera acted up and he couldn’t get any photos of it until it was nearly gone from view.  But we were happy to see it so close up and for such a long time.  Maybe the camera was as excited as we were and couldn’t handle the pressure?

Also had a long session with a Greater Roadrunner, male, who crossed back-and-forth in front of us as we walked around the ponds.  Lots of great photos of him!

Dropped into a shopping center with an Apple store so Bill could update something on his computer – then ate lunch at “California Pizza Kitchen” – where we saw one of the property brothers but don’t know which one, since they’re identical twins!  (only those addicted to HGTV stuff would know who this is!)

We left Christmas Eve day to drive to Quartzsite, AZ.  What a lovely day for driving – and the longest so far, 4 hours.  Bill really feels comfortable driving this beast now, so all good.  We arrived to a town which is made up of mainly RV parks – ours being the nicest (we think) – not too junked up with knick-knacks & long-term residents!  It is called “Quail Run” and sure enough, a covey of Gambel’s Quails were seen running across the office sidewalk!

We missed Brian for our Xmas eve dinner & showing of “A Christmas Carol” (which we had recorded earlier), but we dutifully ate our steak & Caesar salad (no choc. mousse).  I cried my eyes out as usual, watching this wonderful old movie with Alastair Sim.  Then we heard a loud sound of motors and were baffled as to what it was.  With all the blinds drawn, we can’t really see out, but I glimpsed some Xmas lights where there’s a small gap near the driver’s seat.  When I opened the curtains, we were amazed to see a procession of vehicles (I later found out they were ATV’s) decked out in Xmas lights – each a different color and arrangement.  It was absolutely magical and we watched about a dozen or so slowly drive by, winding around the whole RV park.  I assume they did this in all the RV parks around Quartzsite.  Such a lovely Xmas present!

Celebrated Xmas morning with bacon & eggs (hardly ever)!  Bill decided to work today and I had lots of cooking to do.  I made a roast chicken dinner with potatoes & gravy, cornbread stuffing (“Stovetop”) & brussell sprouts.  Bought some cranberry chutney for Bill & mixed some blackberry jelly with cinnamon & cloves to make “spiced grape” for me.  It turned out great!  We called Mom in the morning then Lou Ann in the evening.  Dana hadn’t yet made it from Atlanta due to the terrible storms in the area.  Ice storms outside OK City caused a 21 car pileup!  Boxing Day was another work day for Bill & did some cleaning.

Finally got away to see some birds at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) a bit west of here.  Thousands of Sandhill Cranes winter here – along with lots of Canada Geese & other waterfowl.  They have devised some man-made Burrowing Owl holes along their “driving loop” (where you cannot leave your car).  One of my nemesis birds & such a cutie-patootie.  Here’s a peek:

The next day we drove south towards Yuma, then east toward the mountains where an unusual  situation can be found – a grove of fan-palm trees, which they believe are very ancient & the only native palm to Arizona.  They are high in the mountains in one small canyon (well, a couple more in a nearby canyon, but 35-40 in the main canyon.  We found a Black-throated Sparrow on the way in (a lifer for last year & one of our faves), along with several Rock Wrens, Loggerhead Shrikes & Ruby-crowned Kinglets.  We hung around the parking lot until the sun came around the mountain because we wanted to have sun on the palm trees & we timed it perfectly!

Saturday we returned to Cibola.  It is interesting to see all the cotton grown here, as well as other crops. Cotton is baled in different ways, including round hay bales we see at home.  It must provide local birds with lovely, soft nests!  We drove the loop again & enjoyed the sound of the Cranes when they are in flight, as well as found more Burrowing Owls.  Those man-made burrows obviously work well!   Many active American Kestrels, but none who would hold still long enough for a photo.  We did have a great view of one of my favourite-named birds:  Phainopepla (fane-oh-PEEP-lah)

This male has big white wing patches when flying, and the female is also beautiful – a lovely soft gray, with exactly the same headdress.

Today we called the Lang relatives who are all in Tulsa together, just now celebrating Christmas!  Dana couldn’t get through from Atlanta due to the terrible winter weather, nor Paul & Edith.  But it is never too late & we will try to make a family gathering in Colorado (at Paul & Edith’s) in mid-April before we go home.

We would like to wish everyone who reads this a most healthy & joyous Happy New Year!

Our new rig:  photo taken last spring on our inaugural journey of this vehicle, to Waskesiu, SK.

A rather inauspicious start to our “vacation”.  Hopefully we will start having fun soon!

Dec 1st:  Left Calgary for Black Diamond to load the RV & drive to Lethbridge.  Just out of Fort Macleod remembered we’d forgotten our binoc’s.  When we arrived at our hotel, I drove all the way back (6 hours there & back) to get them, with an hour in dense fog from Nanton to Calgary in black night – scared to death!  Nonetheless, made it!  Cousin Jane asked why we didn’t just buy new binoc’s – I guess we just didn’t consider it since they are worth over $1800 ea!

Dec 2: left our hotel, heading to the border – in approx. 2 km turned back due to freezing rain & roads a skating rink.  Left my glasses at the Keg that evening (closed in the morning – couldn’t retrieve them), so have to use a spare pair, not really the correct prescription.

Dec 3-7: finally got to MT with Bill getting sick – very bad cough – I mean, really horrible – never-ending, racking cough.  Stuck in Dillon, MT for 2 days while Bill slept for 40 hours without eating anything, just drank water.  When he could get up, on to Idaho Falls then Brigham City then Beaver, UT.  Still not too far each day due to the terrible coughing & sickness.  Saw a pair of Bald Eagles courting – doing the locked-claws, spiralling together down & down – my first time seeing this!

Dec. 8-12:  Finally arrived at the first destination where we plan to stay 2 weeks – Virgin, UT – right next to Zion National Park.  Weather still thwarting us with freezing temp’s overnight & the need to disconnect our water so it doesn’t freeze.  But even worse, we discovered our car leaking oil.  Long story short, the oil change which we had done just before we left was NOT DONE – but the oil filter was loosened & all the oil had drained out – AAARGHHH!  Roadside assistance arranged a tow truck to take the car into the nearest Jeep dealer in St. George (40 minutes away) – however when the driver looked under the car he saw the problem & drove 11 miles to get a new filter & 5 quarts of oil & we were able to drive it to a dealership the next day.  Thank goodness no damage was done to the vehicle & the dealer drained the oil, checked for particulates & deemed all was well with another new filter & quarts of oil.  Whew!

Dec. 13th:  Finally, our lucky day – first time to get out & see the sights & break out the binoc’s!  Drove into Zion park, where during high season, no cars are allowed along the canyon road, one must take buses.  Saw some great birds for our first time since birding from a vehicle:  Bushtit, pr. of fem. C. Mergansers, N. Pygmy Owl, Bl. C. Chickadee, W. Scrub Jay!  Our eyes were hungry for birds!  A few others, nothing unusual.

Dec. 14th:  Rainy day – Bill working – me too!

I just wanted to let you know that I have set up a blog for those who are interested in the travels of Bill and Lois Lang.  I hope you enjoy!