Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

 

Ginny Fowl. Okay, this has got to be one ugly bird.

 

They were every where

 

Peacocks are all over the Aboretum and they are very tame. Signs warn they are wild and not to try to remove their feathers.

 

I saw this mallard sleeping under the tree.

 

I have posted picture of the American Coot in the past, but I just love this picture.

 

Double-creasted Cormorant.

 

Granddaughter-in-love

 

Grandson and Great Grandson.

 

Jayden and Evan

Evan

 

Introducing my great grandson Evan He looks just like his father.

Snow in the desert.

They are calling for snow tonight and Saturday but heading down to Pasadena to visit Cousins Richard and Linda. I'm excited, it's been years. The cousin thing is pretty weak, let me see, we are 2nd cousins. Linda's grandfather, Richard's grandmother and my grandmother were siblings.

Richard lives near the LA arboretum and I think I will stop there on the way home. THEN to Sheilds to pick up some Abbada Dates. OMG, they are dark, almost black, with a really unique flavor. I hope they are still available as they don't last long.
At 40 buck per 5 pounds, I can afford about 3 dates.

Two more months and then its home to get the RV. Think I'll head east to see the great grandbaby. I need to post a pic of him.

 

Drove down to the Salton Sea over the holiday and about half way down it started to rain and the rain continued for most of the day and night and even the next morning. The desert has a funny acrid smell in the rain, nothing I could identify, sort of unpleasant, no really unpleasant. I made the mistake of trying the trail from the Wildlife Headquarters to the beach and it started out kind of slick, and just got worse. Unfortunately, I misjudged this one spot and sunk ankle deep in it, almost falling over and feeling my foot slipping out of the shoe. (My only pair of shoes). I got it out, but by now I'm pretty much covered in the stuff. I turned around and headed back to the car. There was a hose at the HQ and that got most of it off, but this was the sticky stuff.

 

All is not wonderful at the Salton Sea.

 

 

American Coot

 

I got a tip that there were tons of birds by the State Prison so I took a drive down that way and ran into these egrets. There is no shortage of birds in the Salton Sea area.

 

I was driving thru some farm county and in the distance there was this black cloud of birds just twisting around in circles, so ofcourse, I had to investigate and this is what I found. I'm thinking these are Ibis and they are common in the area, but the book said White-faced Ibis and I see no white at all.

 

 

Female Great-tailed Grackle.

 

Lots of rabbits around.

 

While I decided not to try to identify hawks, I'm thinking this is probably a Sharp-shinned as they are common to the Salton Sea area.

 

Another morning visitor.. Mourning Dove I think.

 

This is my neighbor Roody the Roadrunner. He greated me from the roof top last week and them promptly turned his back on me. He sat up there and made the funniest noises. Sounded lonely and forlorn. Maybe he was calling for a mate.

 

House Finch?

 

Morning visitor

It never fails

Today I decided to walk the 49 Palms Trail and not Twin Tanks and because I've taken so many picture of JT and it's surrounds, I decided to leave the camera home. Big mistake, and one I will not do again. I'm thinking that I might just get myself a little camera, one that will fit in the backpack or the pocket.

Kung Hei Fat Choi

Its Friday night and we had a really chilly week, so I was glad to hear the weather is going to warm this weekend and now I have to decide where to roam. I'm thinking I'll go back to JT and find a new trail I haven't hiked before. I've just about done them all, at least twice but there is one called Twin Tanks that looks promising.