Salton Sea late-summer shorebirds

August 22, 2024 · Salton Sea, Sonny Bono NWR, California · Hot, 98°F by 10 a.m., low humidity, still air · Fujifilm X-T5, 150-600mm

Drove from San Diego before dawn. The Salton Sea in August is brutal and bird-filled: black-necked stilts everywhere, American avocets still at the ponds, Yellow-footed Gulls up from the Gulf of California. The heat is not a joke, and I was done by 9:30. The water smells like you’d expect.

This is one of the places where it feels like you’re photographing something that is changing. The shoreline moves. The birds will be fewer next year.

Yellow-footed gull standing on mud — Yellow feet and bill base. Not a western. Yellow-footed Gull 250mm, 1/1250s, f/5.6, ISO 400

Stilt in shallow water — Stilts outnumber people here. Black-necked Stilt 250mm, 1/800s, f/5.6, ISO 400

Avocet in rust-colored plumage — Still in summer colors. American Avocet 350mm, 1/1250s, f/7.1, ISO 1250

White-faced ibis in flooded field — Iridescent even in harsh light. White-faced Ibis 500mm, 1/2000s, f/7.1, ISO 1000

Burrowing owl at burrow on dirt road — Dirt road edge. Looked annoyed. Burrowing Owl 250mm, 1/800s, f/6.3, ISO 800

Gambel's quail covey — Covey around the parking lot at the visitor center. Gambel's Quail 400mm, 1/1250s, f/7.1, ISO 640

Roadrunner on a wall — Saw me and came closer. Curious. Roadrunner 400mm, 1/1000s, f/6.3, ISO 400

Great egret in flight — Taking off against brown water. Great Egret 300mm, 1/2000s, f/7.1, ISO 1000

Wide view of Salton Sea shore — Low water, old shoreline dry and cracked. Salton Sea shore 23mm, 1/250s, f/5.6, ISO 400

Clark's grebe on water — Farther offshore than I wanted. Clark's Grebe 350mm, 1/1000s, f/7.1, ISO 1250