Jenny E. Ross / A Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) plantation in the Coachella Valley near the Salton Sea. More than 90 percent of the dates produced in the United States are grown in this region, using Colorado River...

Floris van Breugel / Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) standing at entrance to burrow, and watching a Red-tailed Hawk circling above. Salton Sea, California, USA.

Floris van Breugel / Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia) breeding pair standing near the entrance to their burrow, at sunset, Salton Sea, California, USA.

David Tipling / Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) resting, Salton Sea, California, USA, April

Floris van Breugel / Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) in the Salton Sea, southern California, USA. January.

David Tipling / Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) on wire, Salton Sea, California, USA, April.

Marie Read / Yellow-footed Gull (Larus livens) with its fish prey by water. Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, California, USA, October.

Marie Read / Yellow-footed Gull (Larus livens). carrying a large fish, on beach at the Salton Sea. Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, California, USA, October.

Marie Read / Old automobiles tyres on the shore of the Salton Sea, with gulls and industrial plant in the background. Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, California, USA, October 2010.

Marie Read / Old automobiles tyres on the shore of the Salton Sea, with gulls and industrial plant in the background. Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, California, USA, October 2010.

Marie Read / Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) outside its artifical nest burrow (plastic pipe embedded in earth bank). Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, California, USA, October.

Floris van Breugel / Reflected light creating color gradients in a mud slot canyon in Mecca Hills Wilderness north of Salton Sea, California, USA, January