Female Summer Tanager, Fisher Point across from Covington Park, January 20 2013.

From the trip taken in May 2008. Here's a 5-photo panoramic stitch of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. This upper part of the canyon is in the Mojave Desert, while the canyon itself on the left ends up in the lower-elevation Colorado Desert. This area, with its perennial stream, cottonwood and willow trees, is rich in upland and lowland birds. A disastrous fire swept through Big Morongo in 2005, but the area has since made a remarkable recovery.

From atop the ridge overlooking the preserve one can look down the canyon. It's about a 4-mile walk down to the hot and dusty end -- and then you have to walk back...

Looking west towards Morongo Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains in the distance, still snow-capped in the middle of May.

Red-naped Sapsucker at the Big Morongo parking lot, November 24 2012. There were 3 Sapsuckers in the cottonwillows there, with one or two possibly being a Red-naped and Red-breasted hybrid.

Cedar Waxwing at Fisher's Point, a house across from Covington Park, November 24 2012. He was a lone Cedar Waxwing, seemingly having lost his flock...

The male Vermilion Flycatcher has returned to Covington Park for another season, March 3 2012.

And here's Mrs Vermilion at Covington Park, not as dazzling as the male but just as beautiful, March 3 2012.

At Dee Zeller's feeders near his trailer at the entrance to Big Morongo, March 3 2012. These are my friends and birding partners Jose Sandoval, on the left, and David Ellsworth. Along with me and Johnny Astorga we constitute the San Pedro Kingbirders, a self-named birding group here in San Pedro (the Port of Los Angeles). Jose is 15 years old and already making a name for himself in local birding circles; David is a technical whiz and extremely knowledgeable in bird songs and sounds. He's often seen around town here toting a parabolic dish which enables him to augment his bird ID abilities -- without even seeing the bird in question.

Jose and David along with Anna O'Hare, a friend and birder from 29 Palms up the highway from Big Morongo, . keeping a watch on the feeders, March 3 2012.

The male Vermilion Flycatcher looking for food for his 2 fledglings, April 30 2010.

But to tell you the truth, Mrs Vermilion pictured here really did all the work in feeding her fledglings. Mr. Vermilion was for the most part all show...

And here is one of the fledgling Vermilion Flycatchers, Covington Park, April 30 2010. It and its sibling were being fed by the Vermilion male and female adult pair in the preceding photos.

And here are some photos of the fledglings being fed by the male and female, April 30 2010...

The Covington Park Vermilion Flycatcher has returned for 2010, across from Big Morongo Preserve, Morongo Valley, CA, March 1 2010.

The Vermilion male again on the hunt...

A female Northern Flicker, Feb 2010.

Bewick's Wren, April 30 2010.

Another look at the Bewick's Wren....

And another as it was singing.

One of the most striking residents of Big Morongo Preserve and the nearby Covington Park is the Summer Tanager. Here's the male in all his glory at Covington Park. These 3 photos were taken April 30 2010.

He even sang, too!

On April 30, 2010 the well-used nest in the trees at Covington Park was being used to raise 3 Red-tail Hawks. Looks like they'll fledge in a few weeks' time...

A male Western Bluebird, April 30 2010.

The resident male Hooded Oriole at Covington Park, April 30 2010.

Lawrence's Goldfinch, at "Fisher Point" across from Covington Park, April 30 2010.

Vermilion Flycatcher, Covington Park, April 2 2009.

Vermilion-on-the-wing, April 2 2009.

Hooded Oriole, Covington Park across from Big Morongo, April 2 2009.

I was greeted in the early morning of May 11 2008 by what I discovered to be one of a pair of Red-tails. I would encounter them in the preserve throughout the day.

A curious hummingbird buzzing around caught the Red-tail's eye...

There were quite a few Flycatchers in the 2 days I visited, including this Ash-Throated --- or is it Brown-Crested? They're virtually identical and both known to be here.

There were also quite a few Phainopepla in the canyon itself, including this female.

Warblers were flitting about along the Marsh Trail, including this black-capped Wilson's.

Also along Marsh Trail was this Nuttall's Woodpecker, more commonly seen at higher elevations but finding plenty of trees here in the desert to investigate.

The buzz of Spotted Towhees accompanied my walks through the marsh...

The Red-tail residents were closely watched by the smaller birds, including what looks to be a Kingbird. One bird-watcher said he heard and saw what he thought to be a Tropical Kingbird, which would have been quite rare for here. But one of the pleasures of visiting Big Morongo during migration is knowing that anything is possible...

I spotted this Hooded Oriole on the "Bee Tree" near the entrance just as I was heading out after a full day at the Preserve.

I saw this Yellow-Breasted Chat the day before but this is an even better, unobscured view of it. They're supposed to be secretive and hidden but this fellow was singing his heart out for all to see. He's on a snag charred by the 2005 fire.

Now I believe this to be a Brown-Crested Flycatcher...

A female Anna's hummingbird was building a nest on a branch right next to the Marsh Trail boardwalk. She would collect spiderweb material and bring it back then shape the nest with her body. Fascinating to watch!

A baby Robin...

Western Bluebirds abounded in the cottonwoods of Covington Park across from Big Morongo Preserve. Here's a brightly-colored male...

While a female does some foraging of her own.

A breeding adult Western Tanager...

And this and the next 2 photos are of a Summer Tanager. I'd seen one at the Preserve's marsh trail the day before but it was in the shade and up in the trees, so I was glad to get these in better light where its red is brilliant against the light background.

Covington Park is also home to Vermillion Flycatchers, and again I was lucky to catch them in the sun...

And here's a Vermillion Flycatcher female scouting about not too far from the male.

On the way out to SE Arizona's fabulous Chiricahua Mountains on June 13 2008 I made a quick morning dash to Big Morongo. Here's a Western Bluebird at Covington Park across from the Preserve.

And an Ash-Throated Flycatcher greeted me near the start of the Canyon Trail.

I returned to Big Morongo on July 11, 2008. It was hot and humid; there had been a downpour the night before, and lightning flashed all over the sky. The weather brought out the bugs, which of course brought out the birds...Here's the scene looking down Big Morongo Canyon; Canyon Trail starts in the cooler Mojave Desert and ends up 8.34 miles later in the warmer Colorado Desert.

Along Canyon Trail I spotted this California Thrasher, "common but difficult to see in chaparral and other dense brush", Sibley's Field Guide says. He was giving me good-looks out in-the-open...

At Covington Park directly across from Big Morongo, a Vermilion Flycatcher dives after spying something on the ground...

and comes up with a skipper.

Mrs Vermillion Flycatcher, also at Covington Park, July 12.

A Summer Tanager has an early-morning snack along the Mesquite Trail...

One of the resident Summer Tanagers "commutes" from Big Morongo Preserve across the way to the trees at Covington Park. Here's a look at him at Covington Park, July 12.

Here's another look at the beautiful Summer Tanager...

Yellow Warbler visiting the Covington Park playground, July 12 2008.

There wasn't any sunlight, but this Say's Phoebe kept me entertained for awhile, doing Flycatcher antics before deciding I'd had enough...

The Western Bluebirds were posing prettily at Covington Park, along with Vermilions, Red-tails, a Cooper's Hawk, Hooded Orioles, Ash-Throated Flycatchers, Kingbirds --- and a Barn Owl, tucked-away snoozing in a palm tree...

Marsh Trail's boardwalk winds under a canopy of Fremont cottonwoods, red willows and white alder. The marsh area here at Big Morongo supports the second highest density of breeding birds known in the United States.

Birds are sometimes hard to see among the thick growth, but this Pacific-Slope Flycatcher came out for a moment...

Ash-Throated Flycatcher---or is it a Brown-Crested? Hard to tell as they look similar, and they're both found here...On the Yucca Ridge Trail overlooking Big Morongo Canyon, July 12.

The view looking down Big Morongo Canyon from the overlook on Yucca Ridge Trail, Big Morongo, July 12, showing the extensive trail system. Lots of places to explore...

This little Costa's Hummingbird juvenile was perched along the Marsh Trail, July 11.

A very commonly-seen California Towhee, but I really liked the leafy surrounding, and remember this is a DESERT...also along Canyon Trail.

Mrs. Vermilion is just as beautiful in her own, less-showy way than Mr. Vermilion...

Another Morongo scenic showing the trail system. Yucca Ridge Trail runs along the ridge in the distance.

Yet another view of Summer Tanager taken at Covington Park, July 12.

Another aerial flight shot of Say's Phoebe making a run for possible food...

As I hiked along Yucca Ridge Trail around 7am, a group of Scrub Jays were checking out the desert vegetation for bugs and nuts, setting themselves against the high-desert background.

Here's the start of Marsh Trail looking east around 6pm, with Your Photographer's shadow on the boardwalk...

"Hup,two,three"...Father Gambel's Quail makes sure the young ones maintain a steady line down the branch. Taken on the Canyon Trail.

A Turkey Vulture keeps a beady eye on Marsh Trail activities below him...

A Scrub Jay finds a spiny delicacy. His stomach must be stronger than mine...

Here's Covington Park as viewed from Big Morongo Preserve. It's the home to Vermilion Flycatchers, Western Bluebirds, Hooded Orioles, Cooper's Hawks, flycatchers of all kinds, and a nesting Red-tail Hawk couple...

And here IS Mr and Mrs Red-tail. They were gathering construction material for their nest in a nearby tree; you can see the branch clutched in the RT's claw on the right.

It took awhile to actually get the long branch in her beak, but once she did...

Off she goes.

Yet another Mr Vermilion Flycatcher portrait. I could probably spend the entire day watching these beauties dive after insects...

And just before ending another successful Big Morongo trip, a birder with a spotting scope came up to a palm tree in Covingtion Park, looked around on the ground, and came up with a "casting" (bits of undigestible material a bird ingests from its prey, such as bones). He looked up into the tree, and there was a Barn Owl, sleeping the morning away.

On Friday August 22 I returned to Big Morongo and spent the entire day walking the trails. I must admit there weren't many birds, but this IS August, and you're in a desert...But as soon as I arrived at 7:30am I saw this Ash-Throated Flycatcher on the Marsh Trail.

He's looking slightly tattered...

A Black-Headed Grosbeak female was perched next to the perennial stream in the morning, getting some sun before things got too hot (it reached 98 degrees with at least 30% humidity that day).

As the temperature soared, the only way to beat the heat was to walk the cooler, shady Marsh Trail.

This Wilson's Warbler was busy flitting about in the tangle of branches.

And a young Black Phoebe at the observation deck near the preserve entrance spent the evening looking for some "protein".

I arrived at the preserve the next day around 6:30am and caught this view of the town of Morongo Valley and the surrounding mountains from Yucca Ridge Trail.

A flock of Bushtits was checking out the Honey Mesquite near the start of the trail down the canyon.

Vermilion Flycatcher on the move, taken at Covington Park across from Big Morongo, October 6 2008.

Scrub Jay portrait, July 11 2008.

A young female Nuttall's Woodpecker aired-out in the early morning in the trees next to the George Heimkamp Deck off Mesquite Trail.

A resident male Nuttall's Woodpecker gets an early start on woodworking -- and warms up in the early-morning sun, Feb 20 2009.