Fall is an exciting time for birds, and bird watchers!
As the seasons change and summer fades to autumm no matter where you are there is evidence of bird migration. Part of what makes the fall migration season so exciting for bird watchers is that bird populations are abundant with the young of the nesting season, and many of these young birds are making their very first seasonal migration. It's a good idea to keep your binoculars handy in the fall because bird activity can come in bursts. Early or late in the day is generally the best time for bird watching as the birds are actively foraging.
Last fall was a very exciting and busy season for birding here at the 29 Palms Inn. Tom Benson of San Bernardino spotted a Rufous-backed Robin at the Oasis, a very unusual visitor to our area. Tom’s finding and documentation of this sighting to the eBird website and other online forums sparked a lot of attention within the birding community and brought birders from all over California to the 29 Palms Inn in the hopes of catching a glimpse of this uncommon visitor.
Will this Rufous-backed Robin be back this October? What other bird species, common or uncommon, will seek rest and nourishment at the Oasis this fall? We need your help, so bring your binoculars, a notepad and pencil and come visit the Oasis this fall!
We invite you to come birding at the 29 Palms Inn, and to participate by submitting all observations to the eBird online database. This database provides scientists, researchers and naturalists with real-time data about bird distribution and by submitting your findings it not only allows researchers to learn more about the birds you find, but also, and equally important, the birds you didn’t find in the area. All of this information combined helps researchers better understand bird behavior in response to environmental change.
There are many factors that affect when birds migrate in the fall, and they use different clues to determine when the time is right to move from their breeding range to their wintering home. The factors that affect migration which include weather and temperature, available food sources, maturing of offspring, and of course location.
For information about fall migration basics and tips on finding the best migration sites head over to the eBird.org website to read a great article called Understanding Birds & Weather: Fall Birding Basics.
Birding Hotspots in the Morongo Basin
29 Palms Inn
The Oasis of Mara at the 29 Palms Inn is one of the hotspots here in the Morongo Basin for birding with over 180 different types of birds documented, 127 of which have been added to the eBird database.
Oasis offers all the essentials for migrating birds such as food and water, and cover – to rest, escape predators, get out of the sun, and in the springtime a place to nest. The Oasis can be seen from far away, and from above. That mile long green line of Washingtonia palms says “land here”.
View the current 29 Palms Inn Bird List
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve
Over 30,000 acres in size this wildlife preserve and native plant habitat is located in the Little San Bernardino Mountains of the Transverse Ranges, in the tranistion zone between the higher Mojave Desert and the lower Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran Desert.
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is an internationally recognized birding site. Several rare or unusual species are known to nest here, and many other species are abundant during the spring and fall migration seasons. The Preserve has been designated as an Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy, the American Birding Association, and the Watchable Wildlife National Program, and is featured in the National Geographic Guide to Bird Watching Sites, and the Audubon Society has identified it to be one of the most important avian habitat areas in California. 247 bird species have been recorded in the Preserve, with at least 72 resident breeding species.
Join one of the free guided bird walks at 8am on Wednesday mornings, bring your binoculars and spend a couple of hours strolling the trailing with birding experts. Beginner birders welcome!
The Preserve is open from 7:30am to sunset each day, and admission is free. The entrance to the Preserve is located just off California State Route 62, in Morongo Valley.
Helpful Resources
View weekly bird migration forecasts in real-time by visiting birdcast.info
Join the conversation and sign up to be part of the Inland County Birds group.
