2017-04-20 Salton Sea and Ramer Lake

My visit to the Red Hill Marina Campsite was fun, but it was time to continue my journey to Arizona. Ramer Lake is another interesting bird location in the Salton Sea area and it is along the route that exits the region. This lake has numerous Islands within its boundaries suited to nesting waterfowl and waders. The islands used to have dense Tamarisk growth but the high population of egrets, Ibis, cormorants, and other birds virtually killed them off with their weight. When last I visited this place, I wasn’t sure that nesting would take place in future seasons, but I see now that bamboo has taken over these islands and the birds are settling in to raise another generation.

I wanted to be at the lake at sunset, when the White-Faced Ibis and Cattle Egrets move into roost. It was noonish when I arrived at the lake, and I spent most of my day in the shelter of my air conditioned RV, putting data onto images and preparing a post to my website about my previous day in El Centro.

As the evening approached, the ibis and egrets began flying in by the hundreds at a time, wave after wave after wave. During this season, when nesting takes place, this is a nightly spectacle. This was what I’d been waiting all day for, and just the excuse I needed to get out my camera gear and gather images.

Tonight I will listen to the squawks and cackles and other strange noises that these birds make while roosting on their little Islands. Tomorrow I will bid adieu to the Imperial Valley and continue my way to Arizona.

Images Below: