It Never Rains in Southern California, right?

 There is a song: "It Never Rains in Southern California by Albert Hammond. 

Usually in this parts of California we are staying at that is quite true, 

but sometimes it is not.

There was a weather warning for a major winter storm over the northern parts of California and bordering states. The outer fringes of this storm had a little impact on our area as well.During the day the clouds gathered, and when I went for my late afternoon walk it looked quite ominous. Would it rain or not? 

The radar showed showers for El Centro about 32km (20. mi) away. 

A few minutes after I was back in the trailer I could hear the "pitter patter" of rain drops on the roof - for about 5 minutes. The next day dawned with overcast skies and we got a longer shower of about an hour. Actually "shower" is vastly exaggerated. It was a light, very light rain. Hardly noticeable on the ground.

flashback from 2011, heavy rainfall in the desert
Years ago, December 13, 2011, we experienced a real rainstorm right here in the desert. 

before the rain (2011)

after the rain (2011)
That was something different! Because of the bone-dry ground the water pooled on the surface. I joked at the time that we had a "lakefront" property for a couple of days.

Not so today. But that is winter in the desert. When the sun is lowest in the sky we get colder nights, even a thin layer of ice can be on the birdbath

and windshield. 

Other days it might stay overcast with a cold wind. But never for too long. But as soon as the clouds move on and the sun shining it warms up nicely.

Today's Birds

Cooper's hawk

Monk Parakeets

Translation

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Im Süden von Kalifornien regnet es nie! Oder? In den Wintermonaten kann es auch in Kalifornien regnen. Vor ein paar Tage gab es eine Schneesturmwarnung für das nördliche Kalifornien. Die Ausläufer reichten auch bis zu unserem Wüstenlager. Dunkle Wolken schoben sich über den Himmel und 30 Kilometer entfernt gab es lokale Schauer. Kurze Zeit nach meiner Rückkehr vom Nachmitttagsspaziergang höhrte ich wie es, für ungefähr 5 Minuten aufs Dach tröpfelte.  Am nächster Tag gab es dann für etwa eine Stunde einen ganz leichten Regen, der aber kaum den Boden näßte. Es ist eben Winter in Kalifornien und bis das die Sonne wieder höher am Himmels steht können wir mit kühlen Nächten rechnen, sogar mit leichtem Bodenfrost und kaltem Wind. 

Vor ein paar Jahren erlebten wir einen so kräftigen Regen daß wir hier, zwei Tage lang, ein "Seegrundstück" hatten. Riesige Pfützen hatten sich gebildet; der supertrockene Boden konnte das Wasser nicht so schnell aufnehmen.  

A Wild Dash Out Of The Snow

 We escaped the Texas winter storm!

We did, because, when we checked on the weather early in the morning, we discovered there was a two hours window to get out ... 

The weather radar when we started out

 and away before the storm pounced on the area with heavy snow and wind.

The weather radar when we were out of the area

Within half an hour we were packed and on the road. 

Sleet was coming down already and within 15 minutes it was snowing heavily. 

Despite temperatures of +2 C (36F) 

 wet snow accumulated on the road to a nasty slush.

 

The window wishers got caked with frozen snow. 

Should we take the next exit and return to Balmorhea TX? 

Peter decided not to, because the road cameras showed bare roads (green) 

just an hour ahead of us.

Checking back on the area around Balmorhea 

we saw the roads were “orange” (difficult driving) and the weather forecast said +1 C, (33F), 90% snow accumulating 10-30cm (8 to 10 inch).

 Fortunately we got some help. 

Two semi-trailers, driving ahead of us,

squished the the slush out of the way with their big tires.

The weather forecast and road map were right.

The bad driving took about a hour until Van Horn, TX ...

then the snow went over into rain. After that we had only sleet, in El Paso, TX it still rained 

El Paso, TX skyline

El Paso, TX, overpasses

snow was only visible on the mountain tops.

Reaching Las Cruces NM the weather was partly cloudy, dry and + 12C (53.6 F) mild. 

We had made it!

Clouds over the high plateau along I-10 west of Las Cruces, NM

When we looked around at the familiar scenery, driving I-10 west, we smiled. 

That's what we had been looking forward to!

Blue sky, fluffy clouds and wide open spaces.

We drove on until an hour before sunset.

Rest area along I-10 wb, near Portal, AZ

There is a nice rest area near Portal, AZ where 

we ended up for the night. 

Sculpture , Roadrunner with its prey -a lizard. 

The End Is In Sight

First of all - we have recovered from our bout of Covid-19 seemingly without any harm. Peter had a cough that lingered for about three weeks but is now gone. 

My charger seems to work once in a while, that is good. I hope that it will work until we reach home before I have to order a replacement.

Late in January friends from Germany arrived and parked their motorhome near our camper. Since they like to go shopping I went with them and checked out flea markets, and malls where we "Shopped until we dropped" which I indulge rarely in. 

We have also enjoyed a lot of meals together, like here: 

German Beef Rouladen with red cabbage and mashed potatoes. 

We went for about two days to the Salton Sea for a change of scenery. 

Nice to overlook a big body of water. It reminded me of the ocean at home.

Along the shoreline I found a small bird looking for food. 

Black-necked Stilt (Amerikanisher Stelzenläufer) 

On my recent outing through the fields I found a colony of Prairie Dogs (Präriehunde)

and Burrowing Owls (Kanichenkauz) which were busy around their nesting holes. 

Burrowing Owls

Staying in the van I could drive up really close.

Migration of the birds has started and I already saw a 

Rufous Hummingbird at the feeder. 

A Coyote came by one of these mornings.

But as it is the nature of all things: everything comes to an end, so is our winter stay in California. The temperature is constantly climbing and with the heat comes a lot of "no-see-ums" Sandflies (Gnitzen), which make being outside really uncomfortable. Even Dixie started complaining, while lots of gnats were swarming around her face. 

It is time to leave the area. Come next week we will be packing and start moving. Not in a rush as we were in the fall, ever to get away from snow and ice. We plan to go slow, stopping here and there for a day or more and doing some sightseeing.

Greater Roadrunner (Wegekuckuck)

Translation

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Alles Gute hat ein Ende. So geht unser Winteraufenthalt in Südkalifornien auch dem Ende zu. Es wird immer wärmer und die Gnitzen (Sandfliegen) plagen uns. Da wird es Zeit zum Aufbruch. 

Glücklicherweise scheint die Korona Affäre gut ausgegangen zu sein. Jens-Peter hatte noch etwa drei Wochen mit Husten zu kämpfen, aber der ist nun auch wieder abgeklungen. Mein Ladegerät hat sich auch entschlossen noch ein wenig weiter zu funktionieren.  Gut so.

Ende Januar trafen Freunde aus Deutschland ein und parkten ihr Wohnmobil neben unserem Campingwagen. Mit ihnen habe ich ausgedehnte Einkaufsbummel unternommen. Wir kochen alle gerne und essen viel zusammen. 

Wir sind für ca zwei Tage zur Salton Sea gefahren; es war gut mal wieder auf eine ausgedehnte Wasserfläche blicken zu können. 

Auf einem meiner Rundfahrten durch die Gemüsefelder habe ich dann zufälligerweise eine Kolonie mit Präriehunden und Kaninchenkäuzen gefunden. Die Zugvögel sind auch schon auf dem Weg nach Norden. Der erste Rotrücken-Zimtelfe Kolibri wurde am Zuckerwasserbehälter entdeckt. Ein Koyote stand eines morgens etwa zehn Meter vor unserem Campingwagen und beobachtete Dixie, die gar nicht erfreut darüber war.

Und endlich habe ich auch ein einigermaßen vernünftiges Foto eines Wegekuckucks, besser bekannt als "Roadrunner", schießen können. Sie sind unheimlich schnell. 

Kommende Woche werden wir dann hier die Zelte abbrechen und uns gemächlich in Richtung Norden aufmachen. Wenn alles klappt werden wir noch hier und da verweilen und ein wenig sightseeing unternehmen.  

Part 2: Bonny Sono Salton Sea Wildlife Refuge (Vendel Rd)

The second part of my day trip went to the southern most tip of the Salton Sea. (green squares) 

There, in the middle of agriculture fields are a few ponds where migrating ducks can find a safe have during winter and hunting season.  

The access road is terrible, a gravel road with deep washboard ruts. Horrible. I slowed down to a walking speed to cover the 2 miles (3.2 km) in one piece. 

It was nearly noon when I arrived there, bright sun shining and, 68 F (20 C), not the ideal time

of the day to take photos. 

From the view platform at the parking space 

one gets a good view over the area and the most of the ponds around.

Some areas are off the limit to give the birds enough space and peace to thrive.

I spend about two hours here just watching. 

Also here the lack of water is obvious. The ponds very shallow.

This area here is showing mostly ducks, geese and marsh birds. 

I briefly saw a Marsh Wren (Sumpfzaunkönig) and heard a Gallinule (Ralle) calling,

Snowy Egret (Schmuckreiher), black legs, yellow feet

Cattle Egrets (Kuhreiher) black legs and feet

but was not able to see any among the tall marsh grass. 

Those are the birds I could take photos of. Some are blurry because of the heated, wavy air over the water. Most of the birds were either feeding or sleeping.

 

Green-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Dunlin, Dowitcher (Carolinakrickente, Löffelente, Alpenstrandläufer, Schlammläufer)

(for those who are interested)

Dunlins 

Marbled Godwit (Pflugschnepfe)

Green-winged Teal (Carolinakrickenten)

More Dowitchers (Schlammläufer)

Northern Pintail (front), (Spiessente) 

American Coot (Blässhühner)

American Avoced (standing), (Amerikanischer Säbelschnäbler)

Northern Shoveler, Grey-winged Teal 

and more Snow Geese (Schneegänse)

That is all for now. I hope it was not too boring for the non birders of you. For me it definitely was one of the highlights of this winter stay in Southwest California.

Blooming Acacia (Huisache), Süsse Akazie