When I’m camping with the science team from the San Diego Natural History Museum, I try to find time to meet the local birds. Autumn migration can provide some nice surprises, but there are several residents that can usually be found in the area. The Black-Throated Sparrow, the Cactus Wren, the Rock Wren, the Bewick’s Wren and the Ladder-Backed Woodpecker are usually lurking somewhere near, no matter which part of the desert you may find yourself. I found White-Crowned and Vesper Sparrows on the last trip, along with Northern Flickers. At Cedar Canyon, where the desert transitions from scrub and Joshua Tree habitat to Juniper and Pines, I also met Bushtits. The Bushtits I met here differed from those I usually meet in Poway. The sides of their faces, around the ears were darker colored. Some of the juncos here differed from the Oregon Dark-Eyed Juncos I’m used to meeting in southern California. There were Slate-Colored members of the junco troops here. This variety of junco is usually associated with the Rocky Mountains.
Below are a few examples of the birds I met during my recent outing to the Mojave. As I prepare for another camp out next week (final excursion of the season), I want to share with you the feathered friends I met two weeks ago.
Cactus Wren(Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) |
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Description: Most members of the 'wren' clan are solitary, but the Cactus Wren can be very communal. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:12 5:58 |
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Location:
Cedar Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: CactusWren_D5X8059 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:12 5:35 |
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Location:
Cedar Canyon Camp |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X8034 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ladder-Backed Woodpecker(Dryobates scalaris) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:10 6:42 |
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Location:
Cima Camp |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LadderBackedWoodpecker_D5X6931 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ladder-Backed Woodpecker(Dryobates scalaris) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:10 6:42 |
|
Location:
Cima Camp |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: LadderBackedWoodpecker_D5X6919 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ladder-Backed Woodpecker(Dryobates scalaris) |
|
Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:10 6:40 |
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Location:
Cima Camp |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: LadderBackedWoodpecker_D5X6902 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:13 6:18 |
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Location:
Cedar Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X9203 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: This 'slate-colored' junco is normally associated with the Rocky Mountains, but found at several locations during our study of the area. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:13 6:13 |
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Location:
Cedar Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X9193 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
|
Description: This 'slate-colored' junco is normally associated with the Rocky Mountains, but found at several locations during our study of the area. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:13 6:13 |
|
Location:
Cedar Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X9188 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Cactus Wren(Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:12 13:58 |
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Location:
Cedar Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: CactusWren_D5X9137 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Cactus Wren(Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) |
|
Description: Most members of the 'wren' clan are solitary, but the Cactus Wren can be very communal. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:12 5:58 |
|
Location:
Cedar Canyon |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: CactusWren_D5X8070 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Throated Sparrow(Amphispiza bilineata) |
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Description: This bird is found year round across many desert environs. It was seen while I camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and they gathered data for a followup study from previous studies by Joseph Grinnell’s team about 80 years prior. We were in the Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:12 14:03 |
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Location:
Cedar Canyon Camp |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: BlackThroatedSparrow_D5X9157 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Cactus Wren(Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) |
|
Description: Most members of the 'wren' clan are solitary, but the Cactus Wren can be very communal. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:12 5:58 |
|
Location:
Cedar Canyon |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: CactusWren_D5X8052 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Cactus Wren(Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) |
|
Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:10 6:24 |
|
Location:
Cedar Canyon |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: CactusWren_D5X6874 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Cactus Wren(Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) |
|
Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:10 6:13 |
|
Location:
Cima Camp |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: CactusWren_D5X6842 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Cactus Wren(Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) |
|
Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:10 6:11 |
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Location:
Cima Camp |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: CactusWren_D5X6833 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bushtit(Psaltriparus minimus) |
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Description: Bushtits in the high Mojave Desert differ slightly than those found near my house, by the dark patch by the ear. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:12 14:11 |
|
Location:
Cedar Canyon |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: Bushtit_D5X9183 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bushtit(Psaltriparus minimus) |
|
Description: Bushtits in the high Mojave Desert differ slightly than those found near my house, by the dark patch by the ear. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:12 14:11 |
|
Location:
Cedar Canyon |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: Bushtit_D5X9180 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bushtit(Psaltriparus minimus) |
|
Description: Bushtits in the high Mojave Desert differ slightly than those found near my house, by the dark patch by the ear. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:12 14:09 |
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Location:
Cedar Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: Bushtit_D5X9174 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Throated Sparrow(Amphispiza bilineata) |
|
Description: This bird is found year round across many desert environs. It was seen while I camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and they gathered data for a followup study from previous studies by Joseph Grinnell’s team about 80 years prior. We were in the Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:12 14:07 |
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Location:
Cedar Canyon Camp |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BlackThroatedSparrow_D5X9168 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Throated Sparrow(Amphispiza bilineata) |
|
Description: This bird is found year round across many desert environs. It was seen while I camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and they gathered data for a followup study from previous studies by Joseph Grinnell’s team about 80 years prior. We were in the Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:12 14:04 |
|
Location:
Cedar Canyon Camp |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BlackThroatedSparrow_D5X9160 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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