Come the end of the day, 56 bird species was the reward for 23 birders as they tromped in and around Big Morongo. As advertised, the Summer Tanager, Vermillion Flycatcher and various migrating warblers were viewed.
In addition, on Friday, six PAC members sought out 24 species at Whitewater. Not bad, considering the docent on her Wednesday morning walks had only spotted 25 species this week. Of particular note was the pair of Peregrines flying to and from their nest on a high cliff, and the family of upclose and personal rock wrens, where the four chicks were so young they had yet to develop the spots on their chests.
The sharp pictures below are courtesy of Joan Comito. Thank you Joan.
Here is our list.
| QUAILS & ALLIES | ||||||
| Gambel’s Quail, heard only, but many seen in residential area behind Travelodge | ||||||
| AMERICAN VULTURES | ||||||
| Turkey Vultures, 26 roosting in Covington cottonwoods, then kettling | ||||||
| HAWKS & FALCONS | ||||||
| Cooper’s Hawk, mommy in nest and flying with nesting material | ||||||
| Red-tailed Hawk | ||||||
| American Kestrel | ||||||
| RAILS, COOTS & STILTS | ||||||
| Virginia Rail, three heard | ||||||
| PIGEONS & DOVES | ||||||
| Rock Pigeon | ||||||
| White-winged Dove | ||||||
| Eurasian Collared-Dove | ||||||
| Morning Dove | ||||||
| HUMMINGBIRDS | ||||||
| Black-chinned Hummingbird | ||||||
| Anna’s Hummingbird | ||||||
| Costa’s Hummingbird | ||||||
| WOODPECKERS | ||||||
| Nuttall’s Woodpecker | ||||||
| Ladderback Woodpecker | ||||||
| TYRANT FLYCATHERS | ||||||
| Hammond ‘s Flycatcher | ||||||
| Black Phoebe | ||||||
| Vermillion Flycatchers, several playing tennis at Covington | ||||||
| Ash-throated Flycatcher, heard only | ||||||
| Brown-crested Flycatcher | ||||||
| Western Flycatcher | ||||||
| VIREOS | ||||||
| Bell’s Vireo | ||||||
| Cassin’s Vireo | ||||||
| Warbling Vireo | ||||||
| JAYS & CROWS | ||||||
| Western Scrub-jay | ||||||
| Common Raven | ||||||
| LONG-TAILED TITS & TITMICE | ||||||
| Oak Titmouse | ||||||
| Bushtit | ||||||
| Verdin | ||||||
| WRENS | ||||||
| Bewick’s Wren | ||||||
| House Wren | ||||||
| BLUEBIRDS, THRUSHES & ALLIES | ||||||
| Western Bluebird | ||||||
| MOCKINGBIRDS & THRASHERS | ||||||
| Northern Mockingbird | ||||||
| California Thrasher | ||||||
| STARLINGS | ||||||
| European Starling | ||||||
| WAXWINGS | ||||||
| Cedar Waxwings | ||||||
| WARBLERS | ||||||
| Orange-crowned Warbler | ||||||
| Yellow-breasted Chat, many echoing around, but heard only | ||||||
| Yellow Warbler | ||||||
| Common Yellowthroat | ||||||
| Wilson’s Warbler | ||||||
| Yellow-breasted Chat | ||||||
| TOWHEES & SPARROWS | ||||||
| California Towhee | ||||||
| Lark Sparrow | ||||||
| Song Sparrow | ||||||
| Lincoln Sparrow | ||||||
| Golden-crowned Sparrow | ||||||
| TANANGERS & GROSBEAKS | ||||||
| Summer Tananger | ||||||
| Black-headed Grosbeak | ||||||
| ORIOLES & BLACKBIRDS | ||||||
| Great-tailed Grackle | ||||||
| Brown-headed Cowbird | ||||||
| Hooded Oriole | ||||||
| FINCHES & ALLIES | ||||||
| House Finch | ||||||
| Lesser Goldfinch | ||||||
| Lawrence’s Goldfinch | ||||||
| OLD WORLD SPARROWS | ||||||
| House Sparrow | ||||||
Whitewater Preserve
4/17/15
Rock Wren Baby
Whitewater Preserve
4/17/15
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Rock Wren Baby
Whitewater Preserve
4/17/15
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Whitewater Preserve
4/17/15
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Costa’s Hummingbird
Yucca Valley Travelodge 4/18/15
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Summer tanager
Big Mornongo 4/18/15
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Lark sparrow
Big Morongo 4/18/15
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California thrasher
Big Morongo 4/18/15
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Phainopepla on nest
Big Morongo 4/18/15
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Vermilion Flycather
Big Morongo 4/18/15
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Cedar Waxwings
Big Morongo 4/18/15
Flyin’ high as usual,
Doug Walkley
