When I was at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, I noticed several Western Bluebirds playing in the water feature. This shot shows two males and two females. They were flying in and out of the water, drinking, and splashing around. For those who live further east and have Eastern Bluebirds, notice how on the males, the blue comes down below the chin and on to the upper breast. In the Eastern Bluebirds the rusty color wraps around the neck and comes all the way up to the beak. 2/17/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com
I went birding today at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, a type of desert oasis in Morongo Valley, CA. I saw and heard many MANY of these birds. This is the male Phainopepla, glossy black with a red eye and a crest. The female is similar, but charcoal gray. Both sexes have the red eye and white wing patches that show in flight. Their favorite food is mistletoe berries. They mostly live in desert type environments in parts of California, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. 2/16/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com
