Salton Sea - A Tale of Three Trees

In 2006 I spent a week photographing wildlife and scenery around the shores of the Salton Sea.  I was intrigued by three dead trees standing in water offshore on the south east side of the lake.  Every morning just as the sun would peek over the horizon the bare wood on the trees would glow golden while the water below had a beautiful turquoise color to it.  The effect would last for only a few minutes but it was magical.  At sunset herons, cormorants, and a single Peregrine Falcon would roost on the trees for the evening.  Three of the images - one sunrise and two sunsets - became best sellers for me at art fairs.

I returned to Salton Sea this morning anxious to see what condition I would find them - only to be disappointed. 

 

 

The middle tree had cracked at it's base but more importantly the water was gone.  No ducks swam around their bases and no birds would roost there at night.  The lake bed was covered with a white mixture of salts and toxic agricultural materials from the huge agricultural industry surrounding the lake.  The rapidly receding shoreline is leaving a huge amount of toxic dust that swirls behind you as you walk and is picked up by the slightest wind. Children in the area have an asthma rate that is three times the state average.

 

What is happening to the largest lake in California?  The lake was formed over 100 years ago due to a huge engineering mistake allowing the Colorado River to flood the basin.  The lake loses fresh water every day to evaporation.  With no outlet and very little input of fresh water the salt concentration is 50% higher than the Pacific Ocean.  The lake needs fresh water but San Diego and Los Angeles along with agricultural needs fight for every drop.  One now expects to see increasing algal blooms, fish kills, and bird deaths.  In 1996, 14,000 birds were killed.  10,000 of them were American White Pelicans which kept the one incinerator in the area overloaded for days.  In 1999, 7.6 million fish were washed up on the lake's shores in a single day.

 

Traveling around the lake gives one an apocalyptic feeling that gives some insight into human endeavors.  In  the 1950's the lake was called California's answer to the French Riviera.  A fishing and boating industry boomed around the lake.  Marinas and resorts were developed and suburbanites rushed to the area.  Two tropical storms in the 70's raised lake levels and put much of the new construction under water - literally and financially.  When the water receded the abandoned structures began to deteriorate.  Roofs fell in, walls crumbled, and all dreams and optimism disappeared.  The deteriorating communities have become a tourist curiosity in itself.  A few hardy souls still proudly maintain their properties in Bombay Beach surrounded by deserted and decaying properties.

 

What will happen to the Salton Sea?  Without fresh water the conditions will continue to deteriorate.  Nobody at this time knows where the fresh water will come from

 



God is Love

In 1967, a 35 year old Korean war veteran, guitarist, auto body worker, and sometimes drifter named Leonard Knight sat alone in his van in San Diego and experienced a religious conversion.  Leonard immediately wanted to proclaim to everybody that "God is Love".  The rest of his life would be dedicated to proclaiming that simple truth.  He pondered how to get this message to people.  After seeing people's interest in an advertising hot air balloon he decided he would build his own.  He attempted to build one with a second hand sewing machine but after many years never got it off the ground.

In 1984 Leonard visited "Slab City" near Niland in the Arizona Desert.  Slab City, named for concrete slabs left from a deserted military base is the home of permanent off-the-grid squatters and seasonal snowbirds.  These renegade desert dwellers proudly declare it "the last free place on earth".  Indeed, no rent, no taxes, and no fees have caused occasional squabbles with the local government.

 

 

Leonard stayed at Slab City and at it's entrance began building a monument to "God is Love". It was soon dubbed Salvation Mountain.  He lived in his truck without electricity, gas, air conditioning, running water or heat.   His first attempt collapsed due to too much sand and too little concrete.  Leonard was not deterred.  He experimented with a successful mix of hay bales, local clay adobe, and 100,000 gallons of donated paint to stabilize and waterproof the structure.  It not only has survived the harsh environment but has grown to 50 feet in height and 150 feet wide. It has even been called a national treasure.  Leonard moved last year to a nursing home but at 82 makes occasional visits to his life's work.

A look up at the ceiling

The museum

Constant painting is necessary

A great way to finish a trip to Salvation Mountain is to drive the short distance to Thermal, California and try a date shake from the "Oasis Date Gardens".  You can see how dates are grown and sample many varieties.  Don't let the idea of dates in your shake stop you from trying one of the most delicious treats you can have.  You can add other flavorings if timid but going 100% dates is best.

 

Elegant Trogon at Patagonia Lake State Park

Patagonia Lake State Park has earned a reputation among birders as a place to see rarities.  I was especially interested in Elegant Trogons, a species that has been a regular during the winter.  It is a Mexican bird that may edge over the border into southeast Arizona.  I had seen one of them here a few years back.  At that time I went looking for it every morning during a week that Edie and I camped there. It was tough to find, usually sleeping deep in some bushes. 

This time was different.  There were two birds actively hunting, one of which was so intent that it seemed oblivious to our presence.  On one occasion a male flew toward Edie and perched eye level fifteen feet in front of her.  Later I watched as one of them demonstrated it's foraging technique.

The Trogon perches fairly  low, remains quiet, and searches the ground for prey.

 



Once the prey is sighted it dives to the ground and grabs the future meal in its beak

 



It returns to the same perch or a nearby one, prey in mouth.


 

Breakfast is served.

Entering Arizona

Bill Cavaliere retired from law enforcement several years ago and bought an Arizona ranch near the New Mexico border.  Bill was also a birder and opened up his ranch to other birders.  Since the ranch contained additional rooms and buildings he and his wife began to offer lodging to birders.  Bill was the ideal host.  He came out to greet us on our arrival and took us on a tour of the ranch with information on what birds were coming in to his feeders and tips on birding the area including the birding town of Portal and the popular Cave Creek Canyon.

 

Entrance to ranch

 

 

The town's Walmart

 

We walked through the small town of Portal which consists of the residents, a store, post office, and library.  Many of the residents have bird feeders and are use to people walking around with binoculars.  A few even have signs inviting birders into their yards.  Acorn woodpeckers,  Arizona Woodpeckers, and Mexican Jays are everywhere. The canyon itself was pretty quiet.

This is what your 49 cent postage stamp pays for.

View from the floor of  Cave Creek Canyon

Another view of the canyon walls

The next morning we birded the area with nothing new showing up and headed back down Hwy 80,  Interestingly enough, Bill, the former law enforcement officer, warned us that this portion of the highway was a speed trap.  Sure enough,  at two strategic places, the speed limit dropped, and law enforcement was ready to trap the unwary.  Needless to say we were alert to speed changes.  This is a rather remote area with low traffic volume so apparently they feel they have to tilt the game in their favor.  South of the small town of Rodeo, one comes to a sign for Apache.  It is hard to tell if it has any residents.  Nearby, on this lonely stretch, is a monument commemorating the place where the Apache Chief Geronimo surrendered.  His surrender resulted in the cessation of all Indian hostilities from that point on.

When we left the ranch,  Bill's wife, Jill, had baked us some pumpkin muffins and told us we ought to visit Bisbee on the way out.  Bisbee is built into the hillside near a huge open pit mine simply called "The Pit".  The town looks to be a popular place during the summer season.  A must place to see is the 40's and 50's era street block complete with vintage cars. 

 

 

We decided to spend the night in Patagonia at the Stage Stop Inn.  Nearby is the famous "Paton's Feeders" where we sat with other birders (including a tour group)  in the backyard and watched the hummers and other birds while they entertained us.

Broad-billed Hummingbird

 

Anna's Hummingbird

 

Zone-tailed Hawk at Salineno

Salineno is a 250 year old Spanish community of several hundred citizens situated on the Rio Grande River at an old Indian crossing. Many years ago a birding couple acquired some land, parked an rv, and began feeding the birds.  Every winter since, the birds have found seed, oranges, suet, and chicken skins (the rare Brown Jays love them).  Three orioles (Audubon's,  Altamira, and Hooded) can be seen at once along with Olive Sparrows, Long-billed Thrashers,  Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, and the ever present Green Jay.

In the winter thousands of birders come to Salineno to watch the spectacle.  You simply park your car and walk in.  Don't expect manicured lawns here.  What you will find is the host rv with a number of lawn chairs in front facing the feeders.  You sign in (all states are represented along with international visitors ),  make a donation,  and join the other friendly birders.  At times the action at the feeders is so fast and colorful you don't know which feeder to watch.  During lulls everybody gets acquainted and compare notes.

Often surprises come to Salineno.  As Edie and I enjoyed the action at the feeders, one of the birders suddenly jumped up, pointed, and yelled Zone-tailed Hawk.  My first reaction was that it must be a Turkey Vulture since they  resemble Turkey Vultures and often soar with them.


Zone-tailed Hawk

 



The white bands on the tail changed my mind.  This was the first one Edie and I have seen which was true for half of the assembled birders. 

After activity at the feeders slowed down I walked the short distance to the river.  Since Mexico is directly across the river, the Border Patrol is very active in the area.  A good number of sought after birds can be seen flying up and down the river.  While we watched a Ringed Kingfisher flew downstream.


The Ringed Kingfisher is the largest of our three kingfishers.

After Salineno we drove the short distance to Falcon State Park, but with the hot day the birds were all taking a siesta.  We did get invited to sit down with the friendly camp hosts from Montana.  They were avid birders and had been in charge of the feeders in the park.

We ended the day at Zapata where we dined at The Steakhouse Restaurant.  Despite the name it turned out to be more Mexican than steakhouse with chips and salsa to start the meal and only a few steaks on the menu.  The steamed fish platter turned out to be a good choice.