Palm Springs Road Trip

[MichaelLong]

Will be going for spring break (7th to 14th of April 2024) Planning on maybe doing some Central Valley birding on the way there? Joshua Tree np and Anza Borrego sp we are definitely going to, and I also want to check out Whitewater Canyons, Morongo Valley, Indian Canyons, and possibly the Salton Sea or San Jacinto Wildlife Area. I estimate Ill have a 30-minute to 45-minute driving time limit from the hotel in Southern Palm Springs unless it's on the way too or from one of the national parks, I dunno if we'll go up into the mountains or not. Main targets are.

Costas Hummingbird - Should be pretty easy, not to worried about this one

Calliope and Rufous Hummingbirds - Migrating through, looks like they're mostly luck based random finds

Phainopepla - Should be easy enough in town

Lawrence Goldfinch - Looks like they should be in the mounatain foothills?

Black-chinned Hummingbird - Looks to be pretty low density compared to the Calypte's

White-winged Dove - Should be pretty easy in Anza Borrego area? looks like they like lowland desert? 

Nashville Warbler - looks to be a fairly common migrant in the canyons?

Bells and Cassins Vireo - Bells should be easy enough at known breeding locations? Cassins seems less reliable but doable in those same locations.

Cactus Wren - Super awesome bird, should be fine in Joshua Tree and Anza Borrego?

Loggerhead Shrike - Seems very low density? habitat is open desert? grassland?

Black-tailed and Blue-grey Gnatcatcher - Seems easy enough, Blue-grey seems less abundant?

Aberts Towhee - Should be simple enough in the Coachella Valley

Empids - Grey seems to winter occasionally? Hammonds is an earlier migrant? Seems very low density and sporadic

Cassin's Kingbird - Probably only doable if I go to San Jacinto

LeContes and California Thrasher - California should be pretty easy in the foothills, LeContes is notoriously difficult, looks like most of the sightings are from Joshua Tree NP 

Burrowing Owl - Maybe possible driving around the farms of the lower Coachella Valley? Or we could stop somewhere in the Coyote or SJ Valley? not a target im expecting to see

Black-chinned Sparrow - Mountains? not many seem to be going for them, not sure how high you need to be to start getting them

Black-throated Sparrow - Should be easy in the canyons and Joshua Tree np

Vermillion Flycatcher - Looks to be pretty easy in the vegetated low desert

If anyone has any good places to check out along Interstate 5 let me know

[Connor Cochrane]

Could you make it to the Salton Sea or further east to Desert Center or even Palo? That would open up a lot more options for other birds

[IKLland]

Feel free to DM me, that would be easier for me 

[IKLland]

I’ve sent you a DM in discord 

[MichaelLong]

On 10/23/2023 at 9:00 PM, Connor Cochrane said:

Could you make it to the Salton Sea or further east to Desert Center or even Palo? That would open up a lot more options for other birds

My mom said she'd be willing to drive up to like an hour 1:15 so we should be able to go to the salton sea and desert center. not sure how my brother and dad are gonna feel about that though. 

[IKLland]

19 minutes ago, MichaelLong said:

My mom said she'd be willing to drive up to like an hour 1:15 so we should be able to go to the salton sea and desert center. not sure how my brother and dad are gonna feel about that though. 

Great. I'm somewhat busy coming up, but if you saw my message over discord im sure I can help you as well as Connor, I know he's even busier.