Endangered Species Yin 'n Yang at El Cap State Beach

Southern California coastal areas are EXTREMELY diverse. Not only for the 'Left Coasters' who live here, but for the wide variety of animals and plants. I set out on a walk this morning from El Capitan State Beach, where El Capitan Creek enters the Pacific (above).

The beach is rocky at the outflow, and a popular 'surf break' - Refugio State Beach's point is evident in the center of the photo, about two and a half miles to the west.

As I said, it was an EARLY start, just at sunrise (6:15am) and with a 'minus tide', sun to my back, great for taking photos - like an old gunfighter, gaining any advantage. [I learned this from my birdin' buddy, Adam Lewis.] The beach is quite sandy for the next mile or so, and the ravages of winter storms' removal of sand has been nicely reversed this spring.

Nearing half-way to Refugio, exists outcroppings of rocks forming 'tidal pools' - habitat for small fish, crustaceans, insects and this Great Blue Heron. Most notable however, for the purposes of this post is the background of this photo. Notice the floating seaweed? It's kelp. We'll see it again in a few more photos.

While I saw many small-ish birds (Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Sanderling, Semi-palmated Sandpiper) and other shorebirds (Willet, Marbled Godwit, Whimbrel), it was the bird above that stood out to me - a Snowy Plover.

The Snowy Plover is quite well-known locally as it's presence - for breeding purposes - can shut down public beaches for months at a time.

Like the Snail Darter or the Spotted Owl, this tiny (one to two OUNCES!) bird is also protected by the Endangered Species Act - as Threatened. Perhaps less than 1,500 exist along the western coast and only 10 nesting sites.

Entire beaches are closed during the nesting season to protect these threatened birds from inadvertent trampling (the eggs are very hard to see) and human disturbances. Vandalism is not unknown.

Literally moments after taking photos of the plovers, THIS showed up! And very close to shore - at a very low tide. Remember the kelp in the heron photo? Yep. This Gray Whale is INSIDE the kelp zone! And at 50,000 pounds PLUS, this 40+' endangered mammal clearly out-weighs its feathered brethren on the beach.

Gray Whales are the winners of the 'Long-distance Mammalian Migrating Award' - making a round trip each year from the cold Pacific Ocean & Bering Sea of Alaska to the welcome waters of the northern Gulf of California - a total round trip of over 12,000 miles!

In the warm and shallow waters of the Gulf of California females breed one year, and calve in the next. Above there are two 'spouts' visible, a confirmation that this is a female Gray Whale with her calf, returning to Alaskan waters at the walking speed of 3mph.

This photo shows the blowhole of the calf, born tail-first at 12' long. Note that it is clear of any marks or parasites.

Mom, however, shows some of the wear of time. Typical, ain't it?

Again here is mom in the lead, and always to the ocean-side of her calf - running interference and protecting her precious contribution to a shrinking gene pool from the ever-present predators. Even now at 20' long, the calf is very susceptible to attack by Orcas. The Gray Whales' only other predator? Humans. You know, Homo sapiens - the WISE species of Homo...

Moments later, mom and calf headed around this point and steered up the coast. Next passage? Refugio Beach State Beach - only another mile ahead. And then another. And another.

More photos and information on my Flickr site with this slideshow.

Downed Pilot Remembered

Sunday night, it was all about the emergency responders - professionals working quickly and surely as their training guided them to swift action.

However, by Monday, it was about the family. And on Tuesday the Birch Family & Friends came to El Capitan State Beach to think, feel and to breath a bit of the air over the Pacific where Steve Birch last flew. (Family Photo)

Jim Rydell, Steve's brother-in-law contacted me as he was approaching El Cap on Tuesday noon. He was grateful for the photos and information I had posted previously and wished to introduce me to other family and friends that had also seen my postings. By the time we reached the beach, the Family had already been hard at work, setting stones in the sand to cherish their thoughts of Steve.

This photo overlooks the special stones and the 'aerial acrobatic box' where Steve had been flying.

My wife and I have lived as Camp Hosts at El Capitan State Beach for eight months last year and now six months this year. During that time I have become very fond of the rock cairns that seemingly sprout like mushrooms.... and often arrive just as they are needed. This one appeared on Sunday late afternoon, bringing with it a particularly splendid sunset. The rock cairn in the lead photo of this posting appeared on Tuesday morning, just prior to the Family's arrival...


Additional photos and information regarding the Birches and El Cap can be found on my Flickr Site. You may click on the photos or chose a slideshow in the upper right corner.

Emergency Search at El Cap State Beach

Yesterday evening, as my wife Jeanne Miller and I were headed to the beach at El Capitan for our nearly-ritual sunset watch, we ran into many emergency responders. Above, State Parks Supervising Life Guard/Ranger Al Fimlaid is at the controls while Life Guard Dion Von Der Leith provides support on the State Parks watercraft. I'm sure all were pleased to see calm seas with a near-glassy surface.

The local State Parks Rangers and Life Guards were joined by the Santa Barbara County Fire Search & Rescue.

Here the first of two County watercraft jet skis were launched in search of a reported downed small plane. I noted that all were very business-like and well-prepared. Check the 'raft' above - with many rope-loops for hand holds for both a rider or many hangers-on. After gearing up with wet suits, lights, fins and other equipment, each person then wore a bright yellow top t-shirt with agency ID.


Iris King, California State Parks Ranger prepares the State watercraft for off-loading. These folks are pros - from Ranger suit to wet suit in just a blink - all equipment necessary seemed to be well at hand and its proper use well-understood.

I found it curious that the sunset was one of the best ones of the spring season so far... and with an anonymous camper's rock cairn a fitting tribute to the downed pilot.


More photos and info can be seen at my Flickr site: