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A Desert Park | Visiting | Activities | Nature | Culture | Education |
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March 29, 2006 |
An osprey flew over Indian Cove this morning. Shortly after a Bullock’s oriole showed up. For the past week migrating orange-crowned warblers have been arriving and a rufous hummingbird was reported in the Joshua Tree area. Last week several hundred turkey vultures were observed circling over Twentynine Palms before moving further north so spring migration is upon us. And several flocks of rough-winged swallows, tree swallows, and barn swallows have also been observed flying low over the roads during the past two weeks. |
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| In April additional species will migrate into Joshua Tree National Park while others depart after having spent the winter in the area. White-crowned sparrows, dark-eyed juncos, sage sparrows, American robins, cedar waxwings, and hermit thrushes will soon depart, replaced by species that come to nest and raise their young then leave again in the fall. These include hooded orioles, Scott’s orioles, Bullock’s orioles, Bendire’s thrashers, ash-throated flycatchers, western kingbirds, western bluebirds, and white-throated swifts. Our year-round residents will of course be in their suitable habitat and should be looked for as well. | |
| A good number of species will pass through the park on their way to more northerly nesting grounds. This group includes the colorful warblers: orange-crowned, yellow, black-throated gray, Wilson’s, Townsend’s, Nashville, Mac Gillivray’s, and yellowrumped. | |
| We can expect to see water birds like white pelicans, Canada geese, and snow geese passing overhead, having departed the Salton Sea and headed for northern water areas. Shore birds that have been wintering at the Salton Sea occasionally pass over as well. Some like American avocets and black-necked stilts have landed along the roadsides during past migrations | |
| Migrating Cooper’s hawks, northern harriers, osprey, Swainson’s hawks, and rough-legged hawks should be looked for, and some year-round residents such as red-tailed hawks, American kestrels, and prairie falcons will increase in number because of migrating individuals | |
| Visitors interested in seeing birds should visit the wet areas of the park like Barker Dam, Cottonwood Spring, and the Oasis of Mara. Recently at Cottonwood Spring a good number of lesser goldfinches were spotted below the oasis, plus a pair of Costa’s hummingbirds, European starlings, verdin, northern mockingbird, and a black-tailed gnatcatcher. You can expect to find orioles, ash-throated flycatchers, and western kingbirds also in that area. | |
| Look for both Costa’s and Anna’s hummingbirds, house finches, northern mockingbird, verdin, Gambel’s quail, common raven, cactus wren, and red-shafted flicker on the Oasis of Mara Nature Trail. Barker Dam should provide a few more species including canyon, rock, and Bewick’s wrens, ladder-backed woodpecker, black-throated sparrow plus a few of those water associated migrants. And don’t forget to stop occasionally along the roadsides and look up! | |
Good Birding, |
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| http://www.nps.gov/jotr/activities/birding/sightings/sightings.html last modified: 03/31/06 web editor: Sandra kaye |