Re: Agua Caliente / desert

Hi,

As a followup to Nancy's report, I camped with a few other birders
at Agua Caliente from the evening of April 12th thru noon on April
15th. The best days were the 14th and 15th. The numbers of birds
overall was way down from the same time last year, but last year
seemed like an exceptional year out there.

On the 14th I saw three Western Tanagers, and I think one on the
15th. One Bullock's Oriole, I forget where that was now. Either the
Nature Trail or the Marsh Trail. There were three or four vocal
Bell's Vireos in the campground, one on the Nature Trail, one at the
beginning of the Moonlight Trail, and a few along the last portions
of the Marsh Trail. We saw quite a few Costa's Hummingbirds. They
were scattered all around the campground and along the Nature Trail.
Saw a few along the Marsh Trail. On the morning of the 15th there
were a good number of Orange-crowned and Nashville Warblers around,
and a small number of scattered Black-throated Greys. Wilson's were
around the campground, and seemed to increase in numbers on the 14th
and 15th. There were very small numbers of MacGillivray's Warblers.
As usual, hard to actually see, but I did get decent looks at three.
Some were in the campground, some on the Nature Trail. Didn't hear
too many along the Marsh Trail.

We saw a few Pacific-slope Flycatchers. No Hammond's. This is the
first time I haven't seen at least one Hammond's in that location
during early to mid April.

On the 14th we heard one Scott's Oriole along the Marsh Trail. There
were a good number of Hooded Orioles, scattered around pretty much
everywhere there were trees. A few Black-headed Grosbeaks were
around. There was a small number of Lazuli Buntings on the 14th and
15th.

On the evening of the 12th there was a very large flock of
White-crowned Sparrows that gathered together in an area off the
side of the Nature Trail close to the campsites. They were very
vocal. I have a recording I still need to put on eBird. The sound
was amazing.

Late morning at our campsite on the 15th, five Wilson's and one
Yellow Warbler parked themselves in a blooming Tamarisk bush that
was covered in some sort of smallish, black flying insects. The
birds stayed all day feasting on the bugs.

If I don't see another Phainopepla for the rest of the year it won't
bother me in the least.

Lisa Ruby
Sabre Springs

Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports