Baja Blog: Wed, Apr 8 - North to Guerrero Negro

 Katy -  We had one last chance to see Belding’s Yellowthroat, a warbler that is endemic to Baja California  and that Bob needs for his life list.   So we got up at 5 AM, packed the car, said goodbye to the lovely Iguana Inn, and started the trip back north to Arizona.   We were headed back to the Mission at Mulegé.  It had been over 100 degrees there two days ago when we last looked for the bird and we figured by getting there very early, before the heat set in, we would have a chance.

 Hilary drove the 80 miles to Mulegé, parked by the Mission and we walked around the grounds.   We climbed a steep stone staircase to an overlook with a view of the palm forest that lines the permanent Mulegé river that runs by the mission.  There were a lot of birds and we saw a pair of Phainopeplas among others in the pleasantly cool early morning hours.  We walked down a  rough stone slope to a wide dam that partially blocks the river and walked out on it as ebird had reports of the Belding's from that location..  

Bob on the dam

 On the far side of the dam, we saw a flash of yellow and a male Belding’s briefly appeared.   Too quick to be photographed, but definitely the bird: bright yellow with a black face pattern!

Village of Mulege

It was about ten by then, and we figured we deserved brunch so we drove into the town and found a small restaurant.  They only had a buffet set up for breakfast, the usual eggs and beans, but also a delicious rice pudding and we could sit outside in their plant- and parakeet-filled garden, so it worked out.

 

Hilary drove us along beautiful beaches, a few covered with tents and campers, but many totally empty, for another 50 miles north to Santa Rosalia, the town we had found unattractive and industrial when we had passed though it earlier.  

Metal church designed by G. Eiffel

I had since read that it had been designated a Pueblo Mágico by the Mexican government a few years ago  (Who paid for that one?  RRZ) so we figured we owed it a second chance and drove around the plaza and main streets.   It does have some appeal, although we couldn’t detect the French charm from its original settlers.  Anyway, it’s better than we had first judged!

 

Through San Ignacio and  137 miles more across the peninsula west to Guerrero Negro.  We checked into the Halfway Inn, on the boundary between Baja Sur and Baja states.  Guerrero Negro is known for its whale watching tours in the nearby lagoon from January - March, and also for its salt industry ( it produces 9% of the world’s salt!).   It was quite early, 2 PM, so we set off to explore the area.

 

 Bob knew of a bird sanctuary located within the Laguna Ojo de Liebre (formerly Scammon's) lagoons that are part of the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

We found a sign for the sanctuary and a long palm-lined spit of sand with a lot of birds!  The birds mostly are also found Santa Barbara, but here many were in colorful breeding plumage on their way north.  The road continued on 3-4 miles through pristine salt marsh, thousands of acres of habitat, and a major stopping point for migrating birds.   An incredible sight!

Reddish Egret

 

In the hazy distance we spotted an enormous shimmering white mound of salt resembling a giant iceberg! 

Huge mount of salt

 There  is even a Salt museum, which would be fascinating to visit, if we had time.

We retuned to our hotel for dinner and bed.