May 6, 2023
Late afternoon
Back at the Desert Studies Center, I had some time to spend before dinner and night driving, so I wandered past Lake Tuendae, and then through my favorite part of the site: past the old wading pool, through the strip of vegetation with the rocky hill on one side and Soda Lake on the other. I was pleased with the variety of birds and plants that I saw.
Southern Cattail is one of the plants that ring the edges of Lake Tuendae, and I always enjoy seeing the majestic California Fan Palm. As I walked out toward Soda Lake, Swallows swooped overhead, although I wasn’t able to get any photos good enough to identify them. But maybe Northern Rough-winged?
Then, I spotted a flycatcher, and the call secured the ID: Western Wood Pewee. I caught sight of an Empidonax flycatcher hopping around and flicking its tail pretty boisterously: Pacific-slope Flycatcher. Just a glimpse of a Yellow Warbler as it foraged in Honey Mesquite. The Saltcedar and Yerba Mansa were in bloom, as was the Alkali Weed, with its delicate white and purple flowers.
I walked down near the enclosed pond where the Tui Chub live, but couldn’t see any of them, mostly because of the late afternoon sun, but while I was at this farthest point in my walk, I heard and then spotted at least one Phainopepla. Walking back towards the common area, I noticed a Fractured Western Snout resting on some reeds.
One of my favorite moments of walk happened when I turned my head and caught sight of a surprisingly red bird: a gorgeous Summer Tanager, brilliant against the saturated grays and greens of the landscape.
A few more abandoned resort vibes:
This really is a gorgeous landscape.
Species List
Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus), Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis), Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia), Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra), House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus), Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens), Fractured Western Snout (Diastictis fracturalis), Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria), Southern Cattail (Typha domingensis), California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera), Saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima), Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), Alkali Weed (Cressa truxillensis), Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica), Smooth Flatsedge (Cyperus laevigatus), Western Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa torreyana), Mesquite Mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum), Desert Holly (Atriplex hymenelytra), Beavertail Cactus (Opuntia basilaris basilaris), American Three-square Bulrush (Schoenoplectus americanus), Athel Tamarisk (Tamarix aphylla)
Let me know what you think!