Birding Big Morongo Preserve

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve  - Morongo Valley Ca.  Audubon Society identifies it as one of the most important avian habitat areas in California.

I was birding with Cathy who has an in-depth knowledge of Big Morongo.  Our first sighting was a pair of soaring Cooper's Hawk.  Eventually one settled on the high point of a distant deciduous tree.  By carefully peering at the photo you may be able to see the Cooper's Hawk in the center.

Big Morongo offers six trails.  With an excellent chance of seeing a Long-eared Owl, we chose the Marsh Trail (below) that wends it's way along a stream and through a marshy area.  Stately Fremont Cottonwood, Red Willow, thorny Mesquite, and California Fan Palm with its dense skirt of fronds, provide a plethora of feeding and nesting opportunities for numerous species of birds.  A long-eared Owl would be a first sighting for both of us.

A few years ago fire burned 2,000 acres of the Big Morongo Preserve.  Last year's rain had been very helpful in the restoration of the wetlands.  Burned Willow and Cottonwood were showing signs of life.  Young Fan Palms were emerging from the wet marsh.

Thorny Mesquite, appearing singed and lifeless was sprouting new life on its blackened limbs.  The Mesquite's mistletoe had also come to life, as it had produced tiny red berries, a primary source of food for the Phainopepla.

In the preserve, the Phainopepla's diet consists primarily of mistletoe berries and insects - males are shiny black, females charcoal grey.  Both have red eyes and a handsome crest.  Their call is one plaintive note.  We had the good fortune of seeing several of these beauties. 

Phainopepla have a symbiotic relationship with desert mistletoe.  After eating berries the Phainopepla defecates.  The fertilized deposit, more than likely, landsingon a branch or twig, eventually growing into a clump of mistletoe, thereby guaranteeing a food supply and a cozy place to nest.

Male guarding his mistletoe.

The Long-eared Owl - Dan, the preserve's owl person had a nesting female Long-eared Owl in his scope.  She was looking directly at us.  She was a beauty!  Dan said the owl pair were not bothered by the people on the boardwalk.  Directly across from the nest was a bench.  Distance from bench to nest about 40 feet.  To say we had a memorable sighting is an understatement. 

Other birds along the Marsh Trail Boardwalk were Oak Titmouse, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, a mixed flock of Lesser Goldfinch, Bushtit, Ruby-crowned Kinglet.  In other areas of the preserve were Mourning Dove, Costa's Hummingbird, and a small flock of White-winged Dove. 

Our last sighting of the day was a special, seldom seen, Gray Catbird.  They are related to Mockingbirds and share similar vocal abilities.  Among their songs is a catty mew.  It had a black cap and under tail feathers were reddish.

Birding the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve was rewarding and fun.  I'm already looking forward to the next time.