Brawley area

Jim Rose - November 2003

Brawley
A medium sized town about fifteen miles from the south end of the Salton Sea. This is a fairly pleasant town and a suitable base to explore the southern end of the Salton Sea. There are several motels and plenty of places to eat. My guide book mentioned several birding sites in Brawley, one of which at Las Flores drive had been partly destroyed (Palm trees cut down) but it still produced the birds I was looking for including Inca Dove, Gila Woodpecker and Abert’s Towhee. A surprise for me was a rather nice Lewis’s Woodpecker.

This Cactus Wren was seen in Cattle Call Park, Brawley. There seemed to be several present from their calls but did hide in the tops of the Palm trees.

The species was as seen at the Salton Sea NWR Information Centre.

Gila Woodpeckers were seen in both Las Flores Drive and Cattle Call Park, Brawley. Both sites were given in " A Birders Guide to Southern California".

"Red-shafted" Northern Flicker In the relatively tree less landscape around the Salton Sea, this sighting was the only one during the trip.

This Lewis's Woodpecker was photographed on the same tree as the Flicker. It stayed motionless on the very top of a tall dead Palm for about five minutes and at times closed its eyes and appeared to be asleep.

Northern Mockingbirds were seen at almost all sites visited. This individual put on a nice pose as it sunned itself.

This pair of Gambel's Quail were seen at Cattle Call Park, Brawley early morning. My only other sighting of this species was at the NWR Information centre at Salton Sea.