I'm sure there will be many "first of spring" Hooded Oriole reports posted here over the next week or two, but I was a bit surprised to see an adult male at Piute Ponds this morning -- seemingly a bit early for the cold northern deserts. Otherwise, the standard birds at Piute, with lots of ducks still present. Ponds are very full, and there is a lot of shallow water over the desert areas outside the main ponds. [Side note: the flood basin on the east side of Hwy 14 north of Ave H is also very full.]

The recent prescribed burn at Piute has opened up the dense marshes south of Ave C east of Parking 1, areas that are now flooded.  Sadly, the thin dead "raptor tree" about 100 m south of Parking 1 is now gone.

eBird list is here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S130080319

Kimball Garrett

Juniper Hills, CA