California Trip ~ June 2, 2001

We headed up Highway 38 and stopped at Onyx Summit where we were surprised to find an American Kestrel. At the town of Angelus Oaks, we slowly drove around, hoping to find a Calliope Hummingbird at a feeder. Although we didn’t find a Calliope, we did find Anna’s Hummingbird, Western Wood-Pewee, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Spotted Towhee. A little farther down Highway 38, we turned onto Forest Falls Road and stopped at Monkeyface Falls. There, we found several Black Swifts flying among the White-throateds.

We left the San Bernardinos and drove to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area. Thanks to help from one of the staff, it was here that I finally got to see a nesting colony of Tricolored Blackbirds. Other birds that were found there included Great Egret, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Cinnamon Teal, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Redhead, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, American Coot, White-tailed Kite, Ring-necked Pheasant, California Quail, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, California Gull, Caspian Tern, Black Phoebe, Western Kingbird, Marsh Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Blue Grosbeak, Brewer’s, Red-winged, and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Western Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, Hooded Oriole, and American Goldfinch.

Heading east on Highway 60 and I-10, we turned onto Highway 243 and climbed into the San Jacinto Mountains. A stop at the Idyllwild County Park Nature Center produced Band-tailed Pigeon, Anna’s Hummingbird, Acorn, Nuttall’s, and White-headed Woodpeckers, Violet-green Swallow, Steller’s Jay, Mountain Chickadee, White-breasted and Pygmy Nuthatches, and Western Bluebird.

White-headed Woodpecker at Idyllwild County Park Nature Center near the town of Idyllwild in the San Jacinto Mountains, California. This male was photographed at the feeder area located directly behind the park's Visitor Center.
We checked into the Tahquitz Inn in Idyllwild, which was very reasonably priced considering that it met the criteria for an efficiency apartment. After dinner in town at JoAnn’s Restaurant, we drove up to Humber County Park to do some owling, but we quickly gave up when we found the area had barking dogs, people, and windy conditions.

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