Pee Wee's Bird Adventure! Days 3-5

LA la la... la la la la la la... When out of the corner of my eye, I see the flashing of iridescent Hummingbird wings, it's a vivified moment that thrills me every time. I am a bird nerd. Here is the story of my spring break bird adventure.

Day 3-5: Campground - Vallecito in Anza Borrego, wait rewind, scratch that... Ocotillo Wells (BLM)
Day three (3) woke up to a storm that rained and snowed on us a substance that looked and felt like partially frozen balls of mystery flavored Slurpee. Leaky Pew Wee trailer and more rain forecasted in Vallecito forced a campground change. Ocotillo Wells BLM is free, has showers and potable water, and most concerning at the time was that the weather forecast for the area was dry with no rain and the promise of gale-force winds that we would use to dry out our soggy gear.

Ocotillo Wells birding consists of ravens, the occasional sparrow, and a crazy military bird named after a feathered bird, the osprey. So the plan was to use the site as home base from which we would explore the Salton Sea, a Mecca for birders. The Salton Sea during migration season houses clouds of up to 400 bird species, though some are year round residents. So, if you're thinking of taking a nice birding trip, the Salton Sea provides excellent birding during any season.

Long story short, the Salton Sea birding was outstanding!

Birds spotted at a mix of sites the Sonny Bono Natl. Wildlife Refuge, along the side of the roads and shore, and on the Wister Preserve. * Seen at all three spots.
Unit One                                     Visitor Center                                   Driving Around
*Kildeer                                     *Cassin's Kingbird                               Burrowing Owl
*Gambel's Quail                         *Cinnamon Teal                                   Greater Roadrunner
*Snowy Egret                               Verdin                                            *Western Meadowlark
*Black Neck Stilt                         Common Ground Dove                       *Northern Mockingbird
*Great Blue Heron                       *White Crowned Sparrow                  *Red-winged Blackbird
*Black Phoebe                            *Great-tailed Grackle                         Baird's Sandpiper
 Northern Harrier                        *American Avocet                             *Barn Swallow
 American White Pelican              Ruddy Duck                                     
 *Great Egret                               Northern Shoveler
                                                 *Turkey Vulture
                                                  Least Tern
                                                  Black Skimmer
                                                  Eurasian Collared Dove
                                                *Coot
                                                  Common Moorhen
                                                  Snowy Plover