Where you are, it might well be true that March winds and April showers bring May flowers. Out here in California, the show is half over by May. Even though "Above average precipitation from October through March greatly improves the likelihood of a good wildflower season" doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, it’s true.
My friend and I had both visited Anza Borrego to see the Swainson’s Hawk migration, but it had been a dry winter when I went in 2008, and another dry year when she went in 2009. When the rains returned last fall (courtesy of El Nino), it seemed like it might be a good year to return and see flowers as well as birds.
Can you find the bird among the flowers? Hint: he’s yellow.
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Many others obviously came to the same conclusion, because when I went to book a campsite in mid-February there was nothing left at Palm Canyon Campground in Borrego Springs (near the Anza Borrego State Park Visitor Center). There were still some spots left at Tamarisk Grove, about 14 miles from Palm Canyon, so I grabbed a site there. We got to the campground Friday afternoon, after having spent the morning exploring Carrizo Plain. The first bird we heard when we pulled into our campsite was a Satan’s Dove (aka Eurasian Collared Dove). Ugh. Just when I was wondering if we should choose a different site, a second bird began singing directly overhead – a Lawrence’s Goldfinch. Aaaahhhh.... that’s more like it.
Dark morph Swainson's Hawk. A large number of the swainies going through Anza Borrego are dark morphs. larger version
After pitching our tent, we headed into town to watch the evening fly-in of Swainson’s Hawks. On Henderson Canyon Road, a large number of hawks were working their way along the ridge. The local hawkwatchers had seen over fifty so far, and got busier still. Birds streamed high along the ridge; others kettled up to the southeast and began moving our way. Just after sunset, they began to glide down to roost in groves of trees around Henderson Valley and Borrego Valley roads. Within 10-15 minutes, several hundred had flown in.
Field of Swainson's Hawks, getting in a quick meal before heading out. larger version This is the view through the scope; as we swept our view across the field they were this dense the whole way. Closer view of an intermediate/rufous morph below:
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The big fly-in meant that there’d be a good fly-out in the morning – good news for a friend of ours who’d arrive from Santa Barbara well after dark. The local hawkwatchers said that the birds would take off early – 7 am or so – if it was windy, but if it was calm they would be likely to linger for several, taking the opportunity to feed in the fields while waiting for thermals to build up. We headed out early, and began scanning the fields since the morning was quite calm. We spotted a few hawks perched on top of bushes. Then we spotted a few more. Then a few more. One would drop to the ground to feed, and two others would pop up.
Sphinx moth caterpillars. Close up of one in hand here.
They were dining on sphinx moth caterpillars, who were, in turn, dining on the legendary spring wildflowers of Anza Borrego. The fields of flowers that we’d come from the bay area to see. The flowers that we couldn’t see unless we walked out into the fields and peered down through the thicket of invasive mustard that has smothered parts of the valley floor. (The mustard would be the titular "Spice Invaders". Sorry, couldn't help myself.)
Invasive Saharan (?) mustard, which has completely swamped some of the smaller wildflowers. We should be seeing a field of these:
The Swainson's hawks were also noshing on flying ants, which they’d grab and eat on the wing. The ants were huge, easily seen with binoculars despite the birds' altitude, and the hawks were catching them every few minutes. It was not a good place or time to be a large, tasty insect.
Last time, I digressed a bit into flowers. Here’s one as a sample (check out the cool bugs within!) and you can see a others here and here. This was from the area around the visitor center, which was absolutely overwhelmed with people. We abandoned the car (okay, parked) outside the park and walked through some nice terrain on the way in, all while watching a quarter mile of people waiting on the single lane road for a place to open up. I don’t get it.
We enjoyed walking, but some were into running. And others didn’t run quite fast enough. (nom!!) larger version
One that did run fast enough (so far). I think this guy is an aligator lizard side-blotched lizard (thanks, matching mole!), and the one that the roadrunner is noshing on is a whiptail.
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Too many people. Change of itinerary – off to Salton Sea. It was originally the Sunday destination, but this meant we could now reschedule and visit Carrizo again. (!!!)
[ And as I'm putting in the photos this morning, I realize this diary is already getting rather long, so Salton Sea next week... ]