Hello! Most of my posts take place around San Diego County, (Mostly Lake Murray) unless otherwise noted.
For more posts and photos, I also post on Hubpages, a site that is a bit different than others. Thanks!: Shorebirdie on Hubpages

Friday, January 23, 2015

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:


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