Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Final Post for College of DuPage Field Trip-January 14, 2013


Our last day was spent walking the Andreas Canyon trail at the Agua-Caliente Native land in Palm Springs. Although cool-50 degrees, the sun was out and no wind. A nice finish to a great week of hiking and natural history. We will return for part 2 of Desert Trekking  in February 2014. I promise warmer temperatures!

Andreas Canyon
The stream through the canyon
The Club
The Club cabin
My Boss
The loop trail
Balancing rock
Glue?
Huff and puff and blow the rock down

College of DuPage Field Trip Continued-Mud Volcanoes and Slab City January 13, 2013


Welcome to the second part of College of  DuPage at the Salton Sea, Mud Volcanoes and Slab City trip. Mud volcanoes and mud pots are produced when water and CO2 are forced upward through clay and mud soils. Openings in the earths crust reach down to a magma body near the surface. The line up of volcanoes and pots indicate a fault. The San Andreas Fault is responsible for these features. 

Slab City and Salvation Mountain are located in Niland, CA. Slab City began as a marine base in the early 40's. It was decommissioned in the 50's. A chemical company hired 20 Mexican workers to gather Creosote in the area. They lived on the slabs. In the early 60's several squatters from Painted Canyon near Mecca were forced to move. They came to Slab City. Now snowbirds, pensioner's and folks wanting to off the grid live there. Leonard Knight came to the area in 1985 and began constructing Salvation Mountain, using straw, local clay and donated paint. Leonard is now in a retirement home and friends have continued to construct the mountain. 

Mud Volcanoes


Volcanoes closeup
Checking steam in a new volcano
Mud Pot
Mud Pot
Mud Pot
Resort from the 40's-Adobe with Hot Springs
Entrance to Slab City and Salvation Mountain
Leonard Knight's creation 1985
Salvation Mountain
Gib on the Yellow Brick Road

Birds of the Salton Sea-COD Field Trip-January 13,2013

A casual birding day with 61 species of birds. After the Colorado River was dumped into the Salton Trough from 1905-1907, the sea became a haven for birds. Around 400 species of birds regularly come to the sea from fall through spring. It's a birders and photographer's paradise. Typically a birder can knock off over 100 species in a day. We did not go out to bag a big number. We spent time enjoying the magnificent beauty and behavior of birds. A thoroughly enjoyable day at "The Sea".

The Flood of 1905-1907



Snow Geese
Snow Goose with Canada Geese
Willet with Dunlin

Black-necked Stilt, Greater Yellowlegs and Least Sandpiper

Avocets
Cormorant preening

Black-necked Stilt

Stilt with food?

Stilt with great legs

Great Egret

Black Phoebe
Burrowing Owl next to burrow

Cormorant Tree

Eared Grebes

Female Kestrel

Green-winged Teal

Shoveler Duck

White-faced Ibis

Snowy Egret

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Journey to a Kumeyaay Village Site, Pictographs, Montezuma Grade, and Metal Scuptures-January 12, 2013

Continuing on from Ghost Mountain, we stopped at a Kumeyaay Village to search for mortero's (grinding pits), and Cupules (probably puberty rites). Mesquite, Pinyon Nuts and other seeds were ground in the mortero's. Probably 200 or more Kumeyaay were in the area. The trail to the Pictographs yielded some nice views of Black-throated Sparrows. The Pictographs are painted figures  dating back somewhere between 200 and 800 years ago. We journeyed to Borrego Springs by way of S-22 and Montezuma Grade. We stopped at Barrel Springs (Pacific Crest Trail), Ranchita and one of the overlooks. We finished the day with a tour of the town of Borrego Springs, including the metal sculptures. 

Mortero's and Cupules at the Kumeyaay Village
Cholla Fruit
Black-throated Sparrow on Pictograph Trail
Dieweed?
Lichens
Pictographs
Pictographs
Pacific Crest Trail
View of town with hotel from S-22
Ranchita above Borrego Sorings
Red-shouldered Hawk near Ranchita
Mythical Dragon
Dragon Head
Bighorn Sheep