Various images come to mind when one thinks of the Mojave Desert. For many, it is a place where the open landscape has sparse vegetation without life and an endless highway in the middle of it.
In reality, this unique place is full of diversity beginning with the geology. The vast desert with plants that have adapted to this arid environment is surrounded by rugged mountain ranges, volcanic formations, underwater rivers, natural springs, playas (dried lake beds) and sand dunes. These varied habitats provide homes for mammals, reptiles, insects,birds and amphibians.
Choosing it as a birdwatching destination may seem strange. But, that is exactly why a group of us spent the weekend at the Desert Studies Center at Zzyzx in the Mojave National Preserve.
Before the California University system opened this center, Zzyzx was created by entrepeneur, Curtis Springer. He enticed people to come to his resort to bathe in Mineral Springs and to drink his health tonics.
Before Springer, there was a salt mine. Petroglyphs show the presence of early Native Americans. Zzyzx has a rich varied history.
How do you find migrating birds in the desert? You pretend to be an exhausted bird flying overhead looking for a green patch with water where you can rest for a day or two.
With that in mind, we stopped at numerous places that would look attract migrants.
In one small creek, we saw a flock of Green Tealed Ducks. In another spot, we saw a Pectoral Sandpiper.
From the breeding grounds in northern Alaska to the wintering grounds in South America, this bird travels incredibly long distances. The biggest surprise for us all was to see the Georgia state bird - the Brown Thrasher. It was quite strange for me to see this familiar bird in a tree in the desert overlooking a playa.
We traveled to places with neat names like Shoshone and Tecopa.
In Shoshone, we saw Dublin Gulch. A place where miners hoping to find silver in nearby mts carved their cave like homes out of the hardened volcanic ash in the late 1800's.
Another stop was China Ranch, a date farm in the desert. A great place for both birds and humans to visit.
The best birding trips included unexpected discoveries.
We saw signs that the Bighorn sheep were nearby. Then a herd of them appeared on the rocky escarpment behind Zzyzx. We forgot all about birdwatching while these majestic animals were watching us.
Traveling through the Mojave Preserve means slowing down for the endangered Desert tortoise as well as the tarantulas crossing the road.
With over 1.6 millions acres within the Mojave National Preserve,
there is so much to see! I highly recommend spending time in this special place!
