Observers: Jeff Coker
Email: jeffrey.coker@navy.mil
Verification: MONO
Remote Name: 138.163.0.42
Date: 05/06/2008
Time: 10:29 AM -0400
Spent the weekend and Monday in Death Valley NP. Since we were camping at Furnace Creek CG, I was able to sneak away for an hour or two each morning to check out airport road and the pond on the golf course with the observation platform (what an awesome way to let birders bird without getting in the way of the golfers!). Also had a side trip up to Scotty's Castle on Sunday. Highlights (Furnace Creek area, 3-5 May): - Common Goldeneye (1) female (best bird of the weekend, 4 May only) - Sora (max of 5 seen at one time) - Virginia Rail (max of 2 seen at one time) - White-faced Ibis (24) - Yellow-headed Blackbird (150+)(3 May only) - Common Moorhen (2) - Wilson's Phalarope (5) (3 May only) - Belted Kingfisher (2) (3 May only) - Lucy's Warbler (seen feeding young in Mesquite next to CG) - Black-crowned Night Heron (2) - American Avocet - Long-billed Dowitcher (2) (5 May only) - Black-necked Stilt (5) - Gadwall (2) (3 May only) - Chipping Sparrow - Cassin's Vireo - Lazuli Bunting Scotty's Caslte (4 May): - Lucy's Warbler - Western Tanager - Western Wood-Pewee - Ash Throated Flycatcher - Cassin's Vireo - Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Lazuli Bunting I also had on Osprey sitting on a power pole about 4 miles north of Trona along Hwy 178 on the evening of 2 May. Good variety of warblers and migrants both at Furnace Creek and Scotty's Castle. Also the wild flowers through Emigrant Canyon are just starting to pop out . . . so go now! Good Birding! Jeff Coker Ridgecrest/Oceanside, CA