Bird Sighting: Wild Turkeys at William Heise Park

Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo variety intermedia, William Heise Park, California. You didn't have to hike to see the Turkeys at William Heise Park. They was a large flock of them just hanging out near the camp ground parking lot.

The Coronado Islands from William Heise Park Near Julian

The Coronado Islands viewed from William Heise Park Near Julian. From left to right, you can see the South Island, both Middle Islands and the North Island. It's pretty amazing what you can see on a clear day! This shot was taken from one of the scenic overlooks on the desert view trail in William Heise Park.

The Coronado islands include four islands off the Northwest coast Baja, Mexico. These islands are now a Mexican wildlife preserve although they have been used by American bootleggers in the past and are reputedly still used for human smuggling when bad weather threatens. The Coronado Islands derive their name from Los Cuatro Coronado, the four crowns, a name coined by a priest for Sebastián Vizcaíno to honour four martyrs.

New Bird: Black-Chinned Hummingbird

Black-chinned Hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri, William Heise County Park, Santa Ysabel, California. It's always fun to see a new bird. This little hummer was perched high up on a dead tree (a victim of the Cedar Creek fire). You can ID him by his conspicuous white collar. While the lower part of the collar is vivid purple in the right light, this little guy would simply not look directly into the sun for me! These little birds are found in the Western U.S. and Northern Mexico in semi-arid river groves, canyons and chaparral (which accurately describes the oak scrub/chapparal this little guy was perched in).