CA ~ Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

Ihave been looking forward to visiting this nature preserve today.  It's one of my favorite places to see birds around Palm Desert.  They have a bird walk on Wednesday's and this is the 3rd year I have attended the walk. It's great to see the same leaders and know that there are always great birds to be seen.  Everyone is very friendly and I love how the area is set up at the host's trailer where you can just sit and watch the birds at the feeders and visit with the birders after the walk is over.  They have some Scrub Jay's that come in and take peanuts from you.

Western Scrub Jay

Black-throated Gray Warbler

White-breasted Nuthatch

California Towhee

CA ~ Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

This morning started with a birding walk at the Preserve that I looked forward to all week.  Last year I went on this walk also and was excited then to add 11 life birds to my list.  I didn't have any hopes to add more birds to my life list this year but I was pleasantly surprised to add a Black-throated Gray Warbler seen at the water feature when Margaret and I were sitting chatting.  We were a group of 14 birders including host Dee plus leaders Margaret, Gary and several others whose names I didn't get.  It was great to meet a couple from nearby MD who I can connect up with to bird in their area.  Hal and Joanne were here to see if Joanne could add to life birds to there lists - California Thrasher and Nuttall's Woodpecker both of which we saw on the walk.

Nuttall's Woodpecker

Scrub Jay

California Towhee

CA ~ Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary

Al found this great wildlife sanctuary for the 3 of us to visit today.  We had to drive up towards LA and inland some miles but it was really worth it.  The area is not really large but had lots of birds plus it had a nature center that was filled animals that  are indigenous to the area.  The taxidermy was done beautifully and the diorama's were set up very cleverly.  There were birds of prey, smaller birds, fox and coyote.  I also was able to pick up a copy of Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America.  We saw several species of hummingbirds, tons of Acorn Woodpeckers, White and Golden-crowned Sparrows, House and Goldfinches plus Scrub Jays.  So neat!

Acorn Woodpeckers

Scrub Jay