When you stand on top of the peaks overlooking Idyllwild or if you fly overhead in a plane, you can see why Lake Hemet is an important place for birds. There are very few nearby large bodies of water.
Everytime I go there, the water's edge seems a little further from shore. Hopefully, that trend will change with the Winter rain and snow that we are all awaiting.
When I go birding without any expectations, I'm more open to unexpected surprises.
Today was one of those days. The forests in Idyllwild and up in the high country have a huge number of Band-tailed Pigeons this year. We have resident pigeons but the influx is likely from the Pacific Northwest.
I was in for a huge surprise when I saw over 200 Band-tailed Pigeons perched on the water's edge at Lake Hemet. I suspect they sensed an upcoming change in the weather and decided to leave the mountains and continue their migration southward. I returned later in the day in hopes of capturing their audible winged flight but they had already disappeared.
Today, I also "stalked" a Rock Wren along the boulder lined shore hoping to get a photo but it was incredibly difficult since he was constantly bobbing and moving rock to rock.
On my return trip, however, when I was no longer searching for this little bird, I heard a new call. When I looked to the source, I discovered the wren that I had been pursuing was perched on a nearby rock.
I plopped myself down and starting taking photos. Unexpected surprises are the best!
