Sandhills at The Salton Sea~

On February 13, 2024February 14, 2024 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life234 Comments

With all their birdie buddies!

The heavy rains have filled the seas making happy and healthy birdies (click to enlarge).

The Sandhill Cranes have flown here en masse,

to take advantage of the bounty.

This is the first time they have allowed me close enough to get decent photos.

Sandhills are big birdies,

standing up to 4 1/2′ tall when fully extended,

They winter in the Salton Sea,

and head north soon,

to breed.

I have seen them doing their mating dances,

in the far Arctic.

Sorry to be out of touch. We are traveling, and wifi is unreliable.

Cheers to you for the wintering Sandhill Cranes~

Grace on Wings~

On January 9, 2021 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, Wild Life215 Comments

The Salton Sea in Southern California lies 227 feet below sea level. It is the largest lake in California and shelters at various times of the year, half of the variety of bird species found in the United States. Millions of birds visit the sea annually.

American Avocets get their name from the Italian word ‘avosetta,’ which means graceful.

They are slender waders that feed mainly on crustaceans and insects.

Avocets used to be widespread across the United States,

but the species was killed off in much of it’s eastern range by the early 1900’s.

The Salton Sea is a critical habitat for these, and many other bird species, but the sea is shrinking due to climate change and increased human demands for water. Efforts are underway to help save the sea and the birds that rely on it. Time will tell if these efforts will be enough.

Cheers to you from the graceful avosettas at The Salton Sea~

For more about Avocets see:

https://nhpbs.org/natureworks/avocet.htm