March 25 and 26 -- Return to Big Morongo and Covington Park, and a wind-blown layover day...

Tuesday, March 26 was a great day to be out and about here in California's high desert -- at least in the morning, before the temps got too warm. The birds were everywhere and singing, and looking at the habitat at Big Morongo during this time of year you can see why --

Looking west to the San Bernardino Mountains (snow on top)

The viewing deck looking south

Down Canyon Trail

Up Canyon Trail

And now, on to the birds -- 

Bewick's Wren

Mrs. Anna's hummingbird with her 2 days-old nestlings

Feed me -- NOW!

California Thrasher along Canyon Trail

California Thrasher portrait along Mesquite Trail

Western Kingbird (note white on outer edges of tail; Cassin's Kingbirds lack that)

Mr. Western Bluebird collecting nesting material at Covington Park

Cedar Waxwings take a water break at Covington Park

An immature Vermilion Flycatcher male, possibly less than a year old, at Covington Park

Meanwhile, back at "the ranch" (aka the campground at Joshua Tree Nat'l Park), here's my travel trailer "Discovery" and the Tundra --

Tuesday night's dinner was at a Mexican restaurant here in Yucca Valley with Dave and Callie, my friends from Boulder, CO. Good friends and good food once again...Tuesday at Big Morongo was perfect both weather- and bird-wise; Wednesday the 26th was another matter. A cold front blew in, creating wind gusts up to 40mph and temps in the upper 50s, so it was a day to hunker down and ride it out. I was scheduled to leave, but the people who reserved the spot starting that day canceled, so I thanked the gods, went to Starbucks for more work on my MacBook Pro, then went back to Discovery and fired-up the generator to charge batteries, give the trailer batteries more juice, etc. So now it's Thursday and I'm here back at McDonald's in Yucca Valley, having breakfast and doing this post. In a few hours I'll be back on the road, heading back to the Salton Sea for a few days...