March 31 -- Morning with the Salton Sea birds before the wind (once again) picks up...

It's my last full day at the Salton Sea, so I head back to the southern end of the Sea to do a bird count -- though I eventually lose track due to the sheer number of birds I see. When you're looking out over a bay that is literally packed with birds, getting even an approximate count becomes daunting, so I eventually just drive along and enjoy the show. Here's some of the headliners --

White-faced Ibis (I saw about 30 in an irrigation ditch)

Short-billed Dowitchers -- or are they Long-billed Dowitchers? The odds go with Short-billed, as Long-billed are only seen here in winter, Short-billed during migration...

Ruddy Ground-Dove, a Life Bird for me though my friend Mark Stewart who works at the refuge visitor center says they're ubiquitous there

Northern Rough-winged Swallow on rebar at Lack Road

Burrowing Owl along Nofzinger Road

One of these is a Neotropic Cormorant -- can you tell which one it is? 

Alas, the wind starts picking up once again in the afternoon, so I head back to Mecca Beach to start packing for the trip to Tucson tomorrow...