I visited the much-hyped San Jacinto Wildlife Area in Riverside County and worked hard for just a few good photos, and no new species. The place was empty, too. I expected to see more birders or photographers, but I only saw four cars and about as many people. The landscape was quiet, still, and vast.
I’m new to the area, so I followed the advice of several birders and stuck to West Contour Road for this visit. Ponds 1 through 4 were largely devoid of life. In 30 minutes of fruitless scanning, I saw a few Great Egrets and a single Red-tailed Hawk.
I then drove over to the E1 parking lot, which was just as empty and dry.
Field Notes
- Location: San Jacinto Wildlife Area, 17050 Davis Road, Lakeview, California
- Target Species: Waterfowl and Raptors
- Time/Conditions: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., sunny, mild, and pleasant
- eBird Checklist: S276189726
Highlights and Letdowns
I spent an hour walking the trails around B4 Pond. The dominant species? American Coots. I counted 73 of them in small groups across the area. After that, I saw small clusters of White-faced Ibis and Black-necked Stilts. Besides the birds, there were tons of dragonflies.
This wasn’t a full-day trip. I only had a four-hour window and had already spent 90 minutes driving roundtrip (I was in the area because I dropped family off at Pechanga Casino). Traffic cut into my available time as well. Two hours wasn’t enough to explore properly, but I had to work with what I had.
I kept asking myself, Where the heck are all the birds? Besides a few perched in trees or gliding overhead, most ponds were quiet. Beyond the coots, I saw:
- 17 Northern Shovelers
- 2 Blue-winged Teal
- Numerious Black-neck Stilt & White-faced Ibis
- Several Greater Yellowlegs
- A Lincoln’s Sparrow and Marsh Wren that teased me with brief, frustrating glimpses; neither long enough to photograph.
I spotted a decent range of raptors:
- Northern Harrier
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- American Kestrel
Unfortunately, most were in flight and at a distance. I snapped a few photos for ID purposes, but nothing I’d share publicly. Honestly, they’re kind of embarrassing.
Photography Woes
From a photography standpoint, this trip was a bust. Most birds were far away, and the light wasn’t great. I spent most of the visit glassing the landscape with binoculars instead of shooting. I did manage a few decent shots of Greater Yellowlegs, a bird I consider common, but at least they cooperated.
Tips for Visiting San Jacinto
- You’ll need a land use permit, available online for about $5.
- All roads are graded dirt, including most of Davis Road. I imagine it gets muddy during rainy season. I drive a Subaru Forester, and the roads were easy to manage in dry conditions.
The Bird Nerd Count Stalls
I’m currently stuck at 142 photographed species as part of my Bird Nerd Project. My goal is 150 species by Thanksgiving. I was hoping to add a migrating duck or two at San Jacinto, but came up short.
I spent a long time trying to get a clean shot of that Lincoln’s Sparrow. I could hear it clearly and catch flashes of movement, but it never stayed still long enough. Same story for the Marsh Wren. Either one would’ve been a great addition.
Will I Go Back?
Honestly, I’m on the fence. The effort-to-bird ratio was too low. I counted 25 species and 204 individual birds. That’s a count I can match at my local park and duck pond.
That said, I’ve read that fall migration is slow here this year because the ponds haven’t been filled yet; the water levels are too low to attract many species. I’ll keep an eye on eBird checklists to see if that changes.
A Moment I’ll Never Forget
Toward the end of my visit, I needed a restroom. The only options were portable toilets scattered around the preserve.
I stepped into one, locked the door, and instantly regretted it. Spiders, wasps, bees, and all kinds of creepy crawlies stared back at me from every corner. I swear, one of the large spiders looked right at me and said:
“None of you seem to understand. I’m not locked in here with you. You’re locked in here with me.”
Thanks, Rorschach.
Peanuts In My Pocket 
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