BlueRavenBirders

I got up super early (5:30 a.m.) and drove out to Red Rock Canyon National Park. First I drove up Calico Basin Road to look for birds and in some ways this was the best of the day with Gambel’s quails, mourning doves, house sparrows and cottontail bunnies at the Red Spring Picnic area. There was a big sign saying the national park didn’t open till 9:00 so I continued west and visited the little town of Blue Diamond where I checked out the birds in the trees at that town park (starlings one and all). Heading back east I found the Spring Mountain Ranch State Park open to drive through traffic though the buildings weren’t open yet. This is a great little park with good birding areas. I’d like to come back in the spring. Then lastly I got back to Red Rock Canyon which was now open. It was awesome with lots of good walking and/or hiking trails of various difficulties. What a great find. I may have spent too much money at the visitor center and this is where I found out about the wild burros that are residents. I didn’t get to see them either. I’ll just have to come back. What a lovely way to spend a day – Jenny

Dawn on my way to Red Rock National park

Common raven

Common raven

At the Calico Basin picnic area:
Mourning dove

Cottontail bunny

Gambel’s quail

Town sign for Blue Diamond

Barrel cactus

Joshua tree

Spring Mountain Ranch State Park:

Prickly pear cactus

Antelope ground squirrel on the cholla, you see his white tail curled up like a fruit of the cactus

White crowned sparrow at the Ranch

Mourning doves

Another white crowned sparrow

Cholla at the ranch

Scrub jay

Cholla and Joshua trees

At Red Rock Natl Park
Probably an Anna’s hummingbird

Sandstone where you can clearly see the cross-bedding remains of the ancient sand dunes.

Mountains near and far

Gorgeous scenery

Birds & Animals

1. Rock doves- in town
2. Great tailed grackles – in town
3. Common ravens
4. House finches
5. Verdin
6. House sparrows
7. Gamble’s quail
8. Mourning doves
9. European starlings
10. White crowned sparrows
11. Woodhouse’s scrub jay
12. Anna’s hummingbird
13. Say’s phoebe
14. Unidentified woodpecker
15. Antelope ground squirrel
16. Cotton tailed bunny