Phainopepla at 11:00 o'clock!

Up at 6:30 am to head up to Morongo Valley for a bird watch, we wondered if we'd be two of a few other tourists led by a serious birder through the marsh. Turned out that we were two novices in a crowd of about twenty-five keener beaners! Walking alongside tilley-hatted birders, lists in hand, scopes at the ready, we knew we'd hit the jackpot when we heard one shout, "Phainopepla at 11:00 o'clock!" A later cry from more than one was "Laurence goldfinch chasing a sharpie!" (aka, Sharp-shinned hawk being chased away by two tiny golden birds as he flew too close to their nest.)

Truth is our first sighting was a turkey vulture showing off his red bald head as he perched on the park sign but the morning was amazing - more sightings, laughs and wonders than we could have imagined. Bill accused me of being more interested in the birders than the birds but I think I split my interest about 50/50.

These intrepid birders were generous in their enthusiasm and knowledge, setting up their scopes on some colourful little wonder and offering views to whoever wanted to see a chipping sparrow, a ladder-backed woodpecker or, my new best friend, the lovely little phainopepla - a coal-black, crested, silky flycatcher who sat patiently on the tops of branches allowing pictures from all angles.
We did see the vermillion flycatcher and I gasped at my first viewing of this tiny, brilliant red flycatcher. He wouldn't stay put long so my pictures are of a red dot in the distance but believe me, he was worth the morning alarm clock.

At the end of the day, Bill said he was only disappointed that we hadn't see the Western wood-peewee flycatcher but we did add 28 birds to our newly started list. And there is always tomorrow....