It has been a couple of months since I posted…..work took priority. However, the opportunity to experience the very unusual “invasion” of Blue-footed Boobies in California this Fall swept me away to San Diego this past weekend. These birds rarely stray north into the Lower 48, but the sight of them as far up the California coast as Point Reyes (SF) continues to send shock waves throughout the birding world.
My birding guide from August’s Arizona adventure (Brian Gibbons) drove from Tucson to San Diego and chauffeured me around San Diego and Imperial counties to search for the boobies at the Salton Sea, as well as other potential lifers for me. The Salton Sea is a birder’s mecca if not anything else. Formed in 1935 by the combination of below sea level terrain and an overflowing Colorado River, it is a ridiculously special migrant trap for thirsty avians. Two juvenile boobies proved a relatively simple find…planted on “Obsidian Butte” like ornaments on a Christmas tree.
Blue-footed Boobies (Salton Sea, Calif.)
The Salton Sea is famous among ornithologists for another very special bird…the Yellow-footed Gull. It can be found in North America ONLY in the Salton Sea! Its population is declining and we spent hours searching for one after ticking the boobies. Despite recent E-Bird reports (electronic media via Cornell) and the coordinated efforts of a father-son duo from Boston….who clearly place birds above baseball..we struck out on our first afternoon.
At sunset, with no more birds to log nor a dinner/sleep plan, we drove up to a parked pick-up truck with a SWbirds California license plate. Its occupant didn’t profile “birdwatcher” but this Stetson-topped, cowboy-looking guy happened to be surveying the field full of Sandhill Cranes with his very impre$$ive binoculars. Not only did he recommend a wonderful fairly local place to spend the night (there aren’t any towns near the Salton Sea), he delivered a precise location to likely find the ONE adult Yellow-footed Gull in the area! Our dawn arrival the next morning produced this heart-pumping sight:
Yellow-footed Gull (Salton Sea, Calif.)
The rest of the weekend was hardly a let-down as we pulled one mega-rare Red-throated Pipit from a Tijuana River Valley sod farm full of American Pipits! In addition, we scooped up the Tri-colored Blackbird and the recently “countable” African native – Nutmeg Mannikin, to bring my ABA area lifetime count to 685. We spent the entire final day searching in vain for the Mountain Quail and Bell’s Sparrow. 700 is in view!
birdtalesblog 
Congrats George! What a productive and fun trip. Love how you got your tip! Meant to happen.
Interesting trip, George. Great job finding the Red-throated Pipit! Keep it up.
Love name “blue footed boobie’ terrific photos.
Closing in on 700 Egroeg!!
Ffej
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You are in trouble for not even calling us!! Grrrr…..
I know I know…..didn’t call cousins either….next time!!!!! Forgive me
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I am beginning to be afraid that if you get to 700 you will have nothing to do in life and then you might just curl up and DIE!!!
I don’t think so…..world list!!!
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George –
I canąt believe you were looking for a Mountain Quail!
Megan and I had that for dinner on Saturday night boy, was it good! Had I known, I would have sent you a photo… Rats! Next time!
Keep on keepiną on!
Mark
Mark Horton, FAIA MARK HORTON / ARCHITECTURE 135 South Park San Francisco, CA 94107 415 543-3347 x11 415 543-1440 (F) 415 269-4270 (M) markhorton@mh-a.com http://www.mh-a.com
From: birdtalesblog Reply-To: birdtalesblog Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 16:13:08 +0000 To: Subject: [New post] SALTON SEA Success!!
George C. Wood posted: “It has been a couple of months since I posted…..work took priority. However, the opportunity to experience the very unusual “invasion” of Blue-footed Boobies in California this Fall swept me away to San Diego this past weekend. These birds rarely stray “
Well done, George. We await the Mountain Quail and Bell’s Sparrow!
i thought that old Jacque would be interested in it.
Hi George,
Great Blog! The comment below was supposed to go to my sister, so disregard it. It was so nice seeing you when you were in Nashville. Please feel free to visit anytime. Kevin is in Missouri today playing in a golf tournament, I hope he does well. Congrats on your latest birding find. Thanks for posting!
Missy Myers
25 years ago, I thought you were mad to be chasing birds, but now I see why…thanks for opening my eyes to some very beautiful little creatures!
Really impressive George! What a trip – keep it up – best, PRZ
The Salton Sea is one of the strangest places I’ve ever been- no towns, no place to eat or stay. We did find an abandoned motel with a pier behind it, but no water- it was just caked dried-up mud out to the horizon! Abandoned cars had sunk into mud, then dried hard, surrounded by fish skeletons. I think it smelled terrible, too…
Need to add the Yellow-footed Gull to your card collection — congrats on # 685! XOXO
Some people think I’m a birder, but I’m a bird photographer and there are important differences. My madness is a bit more sane than yours (a purely subjective judgement, of course). A friend gave me “A Supremely Bad Idea” this summer, and now I understand your diagnosis better. [We met at the HS Alum event in May with McIlwain.] Best to you, George.
George — wonderful prose and awesome birding
However if you come to CA again sans a visit to sf………
Xo
D
You da man!
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Wonderful traveling and sight-seeing I’m getting to, all from the comforts of my desk. (And yes, I too am enjoying learning more about birds — about how varied and intricate the species are — from your blog.) Thanks, Woody!