Desert Birding at a golf course

Today, I birded two areas around Borrego Springs. The first area, near Pena Springs in Culp Valley, only gave me a sparse number of birds and most of those birds were identified by voice. I didn't get any photos of them.

The second area I birded was Rams Hill golf course. I had heard there was an Inca Dove there and, since I was in the area, decided to check it out. This area is restricted, so don't expect to just go in there and look around any time you want.  You can only visit the area around the clubhouse and golf course unless you have a good reason to visit other areas.

I often don't consider birding at modified landscapes in the desert true desert birding because there is much more water than what would normally be in this area. This attracts animals that would never have been there, otherwise. But, it also concentrates local desert birds as well. Many of the birds I saw were common, but I did managed to get a Vesper sparrow, one that I never saw before. There were also verdin, finches, Eurasian collard and white-winged doves, and an American pipit. I saw no killdeer, though. Here are some highlights:

American Pipit, very friendly:

Plenty of Eurasian Collard Doves:

The white-winged doves were shy and didn't really want their picture taken:

Vesper sparrow:

White-crowned sparrow:

Ring-neck duck:

New Year's Day Shorebirds

Here we go, counting shorebirds on New Year's Day. But, today it was very cold in the morning, so not a lot of birds were out flying around. This resulting in me seeing almost no gulls, terns, starlings, or anything else that likes to fly around early in the morning.  Here are some highlights:

First, I was greeted by wigeon and northern pintail duck butts:

Some birds were far away, like these avocets as well as a whole lot of stilts, too:

Short-billed dowitchers were sleeping all over the place:

Least sandpipers:

Some of these guys were sleeping:

Willet and godwit:

Willets:

And, a few days ago, I did a Christmas Bird Count in Escondido.  I didn't take a lot of photos, but I did get some of the common ground doves: