Let it snow in the desert. It just might be a different kind of snow. The snow you will find is out in the Salton Sea. The sea offers numerous sights for the adventurous explorer and birder including Snow Geese, Snowy Plovers and the Snowy Egret. The sea stretches out like a 35 mile long landing strip smack in the middle of the driest part of the flyway. Its pull is irresistible, drawing an average of 2 million travel-weary birds each winter.

About 400 Snowy Plovers, a small tide-trotting bird that camouflages perfectly against sand, inhabit the sea. Surveys in 1999 confirmed that the Salton Sea supports the largest population of wintering Snowy Plovers in the interior of Western North America (Shuford et al. 1995).

About 25,000 Snow Geese leave the Anderson River Delta and Banks Island, Canada to winter at the Salton Sea.

The Snowy Egret is one of the rare birds you will find around the Salton Sea with a thousand nesting pairs reported. So, come and see the snow in the desert on our Secrets of the Salton Sea Tour.

Snowy Egret

 

Snow Geese

 

Snowy Plover