Memories of Imperial County’s Ramer Lake

Map - Ramer Lake — *Ramer Lake is located 9 miles north of Brawley, California.*

The heat of summer at Ramer Lake means hundreds upon hundreds of nesting and/or roosting Cattle Egrets, White-Faced Ibis, Double-Crested Cormorants would be present. A few American White Pelicans, numerous Western, Clark’s, Eared, and Pied-Billed Grebes would also be there, as well as nesting Great Blue Herons, Snowy and Great Egrets. Passerines present usually include grackles, blackbirds, towhees, Verdin, Bewick’s, Marsh and House Wrens, and most of the other common desert inhabitants.

Located in the Salton Sea area, Ramer Lake is along the route that exits the region. This lake has numerous Islands within its boundaries suited to nesting waterfowl and waders. The islands used to have dense Tamarisk growth, but the high population of egrets, Ibis, cormorants, and other birds virtually killed them off with their weight. When last I visited this place, I wasn’t sure if nesting could take place in future seasons, but I saw that bamboo had taken over these islands and the birds were settling in to raise another generation.

On 2017-04-20, I wanted to be at the lake at sunset, when the White-Faced Ibis and Cattle Egrets would move into their roosts for the night. It was noonish when I arrived at the lake, and I spent most of my day in the shelter of my air-conditioned RV, putting data onto images and preparing a post to my website about my previous day in El Centro.

As the evening approached, the ibis and egrets began flying in by the hundreds at a time, wave after wave after wave. During this season, when nesting takes place, this is a nightly spectacle. This was what I’d been waiting all day for, and just the excuse I needed to get out my camera gear and gather images.

This night I would listen to the squawks and cackles and other strange noises that these birds make while roosting on their little Islands. Tomorrow, I will bid adieu to the Imperial Valley and continue my way to Arizona.

Muskrat - Ondatra zibethicus — **Muskrat**
*(Ondatra zibethicus)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2004-08-18.
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**Date Taken:** 2004:08:18 8:35

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
173.89 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**

**File Name:** JCD_8622MuskRat

© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Pin It — **Muskrat**
*(Ondatra zibethicus)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2004-08-18.
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**Date Taken:** 2004:08:18 8:35

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
173.89 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**

**File Name:** JCD_8622MuskRat

© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Red-Winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus — **Red-Winged Blackbird**
*(Agelaius phoeniceus)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2004-08-18.
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**Date Taken:** 2004:08:18 8:57

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
173.89 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000

**File Name:** JCD_8663RedWingedBlackbird

© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Western Grebe - Aechmophorus occidentalis — **Western Grebe**
*(Aechmophorus occidentalis)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2004-08-18.
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**Date Taken:** 2004:08:18 9:00

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
173.89 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000

**File Name:** JCD_8679WesternGrebe

© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis — **Cattle Egret**
*(Bubulcus ibis)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake, Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California.
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**Date Taken:** 2004:10:18 9:11

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria,

0.00 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D1X, 700 mm, f/11.0, 1/500

**File Name:** JCD_1392CattleEgret

© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Marsh Wren - Cistothorus palustris — **Marsh Wren**
*(Cistothorus palustris)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake in the Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California.
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**Date Taken:** 2008:11:22 13:47

**Location:**

Salton Sea
Calipatria, California
United States
173.89 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/60

**File Name:** JCD1462MarshWren

© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Eared Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis — **Eared Grebe**
*(Podiceps nigricollis)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California.
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**Date Taken:** 2011:10:13 8:14

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
177.18 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600

**File Name:** D3X3582-EaredGrebe

© 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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American White Pelican - Pelecanus erythrorhynchos — **American White Pelican**
*(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake near Sinclair Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California.
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**Date Taken:** 2014:11:24 11:47

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
180.46 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200

**File Name:** D3X2053-AmericanWhitePelican

© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Rookeries - n/a — **Rookeries**
*(n/a)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake near Sinclair Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California.
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**Date Taken:** 2015:04:28 9:27

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
180.46 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 46 mm, f/9.0, 1/5000

**File Name:** D3X8223-RamerLake-Scenery

© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Black-Crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax — **Black-Crowned Night-Heron**
*(Nycticorax nycticorax)*

**Description:**
Flying in with nesting material at day's end at Ramer Lake. Between Calpatria and Brawley in Imperial County and east of the Salton Sea, California.
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**Date Taken:** 2017:04:20 17:56

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
180.46 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/160

**File Name:** BlackCrownedNightHeron_D5X5933

© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Clark's Grebe - Aechmophorus clarkii — **Clark's Grebe**
*(Aechmophorus clarkii)*

**Description:**
Day's end at Ramer Lake. Between Calpatria and Brawley in Imperial County and east of the Salton Sea, California.
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**Date Taken:** 2017:04:20 18:09

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
180.46 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000

**File Name:** ClarksGrebe_D5X6079

© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Double-Crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus — **Double-Crested Cormorant**
*(Phalacrocorax auritus)*

**Description:**
Day's end at Ramer Lake. Between Calpatria and Brawley in Imperial County and east of the Salton Sea, California.
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**Date Taken:** 2017:04:20 18:08

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
180.46 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500

**File Name:** DoubleCrestedCormorant_D5X6070

© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias — **Great Blue Heron**
*(Ardea herodias)*

**Description:**
Day's end at Ramer Lake. Between Calpatria and Brawley in Imperial County and east of the Salton Sea, California.
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**Date Taken:** 2017:04:20 18:10

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
180.46 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600

**File Name:** GreatBlueHeron_D5X6082

© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Ramer Lake Sunset - n/a — **Ramer Lake Sunset**
*(n/a)*

**Description:**
Day's end at Ramer Lake. Santa Rosa Mountain in the distance, with the Salton Sea a few miles away just beyong our view. Ramer Lake sits adjacent to the Alamo River, between Calpatria and Brawley in Imperial County and east of the Salton Sea, California.
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**Date Taken:** 2017:04:20 19:18

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
180.46 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
XT1575, 4.67 mm, f/2.0, 1/250

**File Name:** Sunset-JcD_20170420_191825_Phone

© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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White-Faced Ibis - Plegadis chihi — **White-Faced Ibis**
*(Plegadis chihi)*

**Description:**
Day's end at Ramer Lake. Between Calpatria and Brawley in Imperial County and east of the Salton Sea, California.
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**Date Taken:** 2017:04:20 17:55

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
180.46 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250

**File Name:** WhiteFacedIbis_D5X5913

© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Black-Necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus — **Black-Necked Stilt**
*(Himantopus mexicanus)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2004-08-18.
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**Date Taken:** 2004:08:18 9:51

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
173.89 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D1X, 750 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000

**File Name:** JCD_8755BlackNeckedStilt

© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Pied-Billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps — **Pied-Billed Grebe**
*(Podilymbus podiceps)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake near the Salton Sea in Imperial County California 2009-11-25.
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**Date Taken:** 2009:11:25 15:09

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
180.46 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000

**File Name:** JCD7253.PiedBilledGrebe

© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Snowy Egret - Egretta thula — **Snowy Egret**
*(Egretta thula)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake near the Salton Sea in Imperial County California 2009-11-25.
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**Date Taken:** 2009:11:25 15:58

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
180.46 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6400

**File Name:** JCD7374.SnowyEgret

© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Ring-Billed Gull - Larus delawarensis — **Ring-Billed Gull**
*(Larus delawarensis)*

**Description:**
Ramer Lake near the Salton Sea in Imperial County California 2009-11-25.
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**Date Taken:** 2009:11:25 16:11

**Location:**

Ramer Lake
Calipatria, California
United States
180.46 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200

**File Name:** JCD7421.RingBilledGull

© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Click map markers to reveal further information

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2004-08-18.

Red-Winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2004-08-18.

Western Grebe

Aechmophorus occidentalis

Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2004-08-18.

Western Grebe

Aechmophorus occidentalis

Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2004-08-18.

Cattle Egret

Bubulcus ibis

Ramer Lake, Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California.

Cattle Egret

Bubulcus ibis

Ramer Lake, Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California.

Red-Winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Ramer Lake, Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California.

Marsh Wren

Cistothorus palustris

Ramer Lake in the Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California.

Eared Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California.

American White Pelican

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

Ramer Lake near Sinclair Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California.

Rookeries

n/a

Ramer Lake near Sinclair Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California.

Rookeries

n/a

Ramer Lake near Sinclair Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California.

Cattle Egret

Bubulcus ibis

Active Rookery with Cattle, Great and Snowy Egrets (and more) and Double Crested Cormorants. Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California.