A birder's paradise

I wonder where the day went. I headed out a bit after 8 this morning, and it was after 5 when I walked back into my room. Hmm... I didn't cover that much ground, I just circled the Salton Sea. The lake is 35 miles long with a width that varies to a maximum of 15 miles. If I had just driven to and around the lake it would (should?) have taken a lot less time. I don't think I know how to stop looking around, finding interesting sights, and just stopping. Feeding my curiosity takes time!

It took me a while to realize the clumps of salt in the water reminded me of Badwater in Death Valley. The Salton Sea is second to Death Valley in terms of elevation. Badwater has the lowest elevation in North America; the Salton Sea is the second lowest.

I started down the west side of the sea, stopping first at the Salton Sea State Recreation area. A quick conversation with a volunteer in the visitor center fueled my wandering thoughts. I walked, I listened to the birds, I played with my camera. I drove a bit further, walked, listened, played.

A few thoughts from my wanders
...the Salton Sea is a birder's paradise. I was awed by the number of birds on the shore, one the water, flying, singing.
...the "beach" is incredibly hard for walking. There was sand far from the water; the close to the water piece seemed to be made up of shells or more likely little pieces of fish skeletons. Dead fish lined the edge of the beach; in some places they were also floating in the water.
...following unnamed roads based general direction and a gut instinct (instead of following the safe route of numbered roads) can be a good thing
...the Salton Sea is on my list of "must return to" places.