Now a BALD EAGLE Over Goleta???

YES! Amazing how birders network these days. And with a lot fewer birds about than when J.J. Audubon or even R.T. Peterson were birding - it's a good thing or we'd never find these neat birds before they 'flew the coop'.

This morning at 10:30 I had seen a post on 'SBCoBirding' or the local listserv for birders (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sbcobirding/) that my birdin' buddy Kyle had seen a BALD EAGLE over Goleta Beach and that he had seen it fly to a large Eucalyptus at the UCSB Eastern Entrance. The post was made because the original spotter, Kyle had made a cell-phone call to another birder asking him to post this interesting news.

Even in the middle of our much-needed rain (one inch so far!) birders were coming to see a Bald Eagle in Goleta. About noon, while the rain was pounding down, I got a call from another good birdin' buddy Adam. He was at the Euc and was watching the bird with yet another birdin' buddy Roger - and the bird was sticking around in the drizzle. Who knows where the Eagle would be by the time Kyle had gotten home and called several people on a land-line ala 1980 or so.?.

Now Eagles are special. First of all, they are HUGE - and while they are found this time of year 'nearby' - that 'nearby' is across the Santa Ynez Mts. in the Santa Ynez Valley in and around Lake Cachuma. This is about twenty-five miles (as the Eagle flies) over mountains about 3,000' in altitude. So Eagles are quite unusual here on the this part of the coast (Santa Barbara/Goleta, CA). Most Eagles seem to stay rather near the lake, where I saw this mature Bald Eagle with my wife Jeanne and my birdin' buddy Adam:

Two views of mature Bald Eagle near Los Olivos, CA on 13Jan09

So as crazy as it sounds - driving nearly 15 miles (one way) in a heavy rain to see an immature Bald Eagle when I had just seen a gorgeous one also in Santa Barbara County - it is crazy. And wonderful. Birds are great survivors in our World - and are a bonus to have around - besides their important role in our ecosystems. And raptors - Eagles especially have a great presence and spirit about them. It was well worth the ride and the 20 minutes standing in the rain.

Turns out this Bald Eagle, A-46 is a 'celebrity eagle' as he was sponsored by Stephen Colbert of the Report fame. Yet another birder, Nina had posted that tidbit of information! I suppose this wet, tawdry-marked bird is worthy of Stephen Colbert and his 'reporting' on our National Economy - which is also rather tattered and sodden.

"Stephen Colbert, Jr." getting an education at UCSB, Goleta, CA 6Feb09

Goshawk Over Goleta??

Well... yes. And not actually. This bird is most certainly a Northern Goshawk, and I did take this photo yesterday on the UCSB Campus near 'Area K' behind the Campus Police complex, so it would be accurate to state that there was a Goshawk over Goleta yesterday.



And isn't it a GLORIOUS animal??? By now you can tell that there is more to the story. This is quite clearly a falconer's bird, due to the leg straps or jesses and the long slender antenna of the transmitter.


If you're a rabbit or a duck, you could also be toast! What an intense focus.

The Northern Goshawk belongs to Dave, of Carpinteria, whom I met him while out birding and offered to let me tag along for my own amusement and photo-ops. And yes, I asked. He has A SLEW of licenses, certificates, and the proper authority and training to keep and handle these wild species. He has had the Northern Goshawk for nine years, and the Prairie Falcon, below, for about two years.

Dave is 'holding' the Prairie Falcon, as the bird is mostly simply perching on his hand.


The falcon waits until the breezes are understood and correct, and when the time is right, he spreads his wings...

.... And flies away!

Being a true falcon, the Prairie Falcon is great in the air, as are Peregrine Falcons and American Kestrals - which we also find in Santa Barbara County. The goshawk while an accipter (like our smaller Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks), hunts much like our own Red-tailed Hawk, from a perch or pole as seen in the first photo.Hunting on the wing, the leg straps (jesses) and transmitter are visible trailing behind.

I heard Dave use a whistle, and he also swings a leather pouch holding small pieces of dried meat as a lure. He said that the falcon can see him swing that lure from several (10?) miles away and return in seconds! So much for me thinking I'm 'sneaking up' on a raptor for a photograph from only 25 yards away...

2008 From End-to-End in Two Pictures

First Light of the New Year - 2008; Sunrise El Capitan State Beach 1Jan08

The Year 2008 was like most years in many ways: some good weather and some natural disasters, politicians being politicians, the Santa Barbara mountains, ocean and islands remained startlingly beautiful, friends continue to be wonderful and supportive, birds and plants continue to amaze and inspire me, and the love of a good (great!) woman is a wonderful thing.

However, 2008 also saw changes from the 'norm': The BIG change is the ChangeMasterObama himself, bringing me a true sense of hope after feeling like an alien in my own country for nearly eight years. 2008 also had an extra day - something that Leaps out at us only every four years.

The Summer Olympics were also different from a normal year, following in each Leap Year - with Michael Phelps making us all feel like underachievers, as well as being too short and too fat.

Continuing my search for our 'next adventure', I traveled to Bozeman, Montana, Decorah, Iowa and TWO visits to Singapore.... which is becoming very appealing! Many friends and all family remain sequestered on the East Coast, while we continue to find new friends on the Left Coast. Birding became a focus; I was able to devote enough time to it, and I got to know Adam, a very good new friend in birding, sports, and life.

I paid $4.69/gal regular (ALWAYS seeking the lowest price!) in early July and now find myself paying $1.77/gal. Now I'm NOT complaining, but what's up with THAT price range? Didn't you find it odd that eight years ago Dick Cheney convened a secret/private meeting with oil ambassadors to consider his administration's new 'energy policy'... and during the Bush/Cheney years the price of oil topped $150/barrel - only to be 'done in' by their complete lack of financial regulations which put our economy in places where the sun don't shine, dragging the price of their oil with it...

So, what will 2009 bring? Who the heck knows??? Who could have predicted anything or much of anything about this year? At least I am able to ring in the New Year with my Sweet Darlin' Baby Doll who is at least as healthy as I am, and know that we will be GREAT, no matter where our adventures take us.

Oh, the year in only two pictures? That was much easier than sorting through the nearly 30,000 images I took this year and finding the best. Hopefully, they will show themselves here on my 'blog' in the coming weeks and months. And the "First Light" photo at the top won a FIRST PLACE Award in the Carpinteria Valley Arts Council's art gallery's (855 at the Arts Center) show titled 'Atmosphere, Wind and Shadows' and juried by Thomas Van Stein! Thomas OBVIOUSLY knows quality when he sees it!!!

While the year 2008 ended photographically within a fog bank at El Cap StBch, I remain hopeful that I will have sunny days and sharp shadows for 2009.

Happy New Year.

Mike

Last Light of the Year 2008; Sunset El Capitan State Beach 31Jan08

Surf's Up at Hendry's!

A change in the weather has made the leaves fly all over town, folks are digging for that blanket they put away in April and surfers have headed into the water. A quick sunset look at Hendry's Beach/Arroyo Burro County Park at sunset Friday evening showed decent waves and a dozen or more surfers in the water.

As you can see, the waves were large enough to have some fun, although they didn't appear to be too predictable or regular to me - a non-surfer.

The waves provided enough fun to turn this surfer board-over-teacup - or some other equally cool surfin' lingo-speak....

This wave had a size and shape to attract more riders than it could hold. Surprise, here we all are!

Now who's gonna ride and who's gonna watch?

Well, maybe we both watch...???

All's well that ends with a grin.!.




This guy had some nice rides!

I found him on several waves.

Just another grand day on Hendry's....

Update on the Theory of "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow"

Devereux Slough November 8, 2007. The fall rains have filled the Slough to about 80% capacity. The Slough will 'break through' during the occasional heavy winter rain as high water builds up against the back of the Pacific shore and dunes. This break through will allow the Slough to become tidal for a period until a another storm moves enough beach sand to re-create another 'plug'.


I've found birding to be so unpredictable - which adds to the charm, adventure and amusement. Even with today's cell phones, Yahoo Groups (that can be instantly checked while in the field with your connected cellphone) and Google Earth, the birds just may not be there when you are.

Earlier this summer I was birding at Devereux Slough - a remarkable piece of coastal estuary - altered by many years of development and still functioning reasonably well. Owned by UCSB and protected, it is also under 'renovation' by many local groups, including the Santa Barbara Chapter of the Audubon Society. Agricultural run-off and expedited siltation are the major culprits, and new native plantings plus eradication of non-natives will go a long way to relieving both run-off and siltation.

This rich environment attracts many shorebirds, ducks, geese, swallows, kingfishers, pelicans, cormorants plus herons and egrets. In fact the most dependable 'good bird' of the summer was a juvenile Reddish Egret. This bird was seen more often than not for the months of July and August, 2008.

Reddish Egret in a calm moment.

The feeding/hunting habits of the Reddish Egret involve much activity, bouncing around the shallows as if fueled with amphetamines and having a serious case of 'ants in the pants'.

This hunting behavior is very engaging to witness and can be quite amusing to watch.

The sudden movements and flapping of wings as it chases fish make it identifiable at a distance from other more sedate herons and egrets.

In speaking with a friend this summer, she stated that "finding this rare bird (only the fourth Reddish Egret recorded in Santa Barbara County) was just too easy!"

Usually birds - and the egrets and herons below are a great example - can be "here" one moment and "somewhere else" the next. I was birding with a small group of similarly afflicted friends in the morning of 12Aug08, hoping to see something unusual at Devereux. What we saw was quite amazing. The normal summer dry period had begun to seriously dry up the Slough, creating smaller and smaller areas for fish to hide. The herons appeared to be pretty good at finding those places and gathered in numbers totalling nearly a hundred.

Mixed group of Great Egrets (larger w/yellow bills); Snowy Egrets (smaller w/black bills); and a single Great Blue Heron (at far left) at 9:30am.

Same spot of Devereux Slough as above, 11:00am.

Another earlier view in a nearby location within the Slough - 9:30am.

Again, the same view as above, just an hour and a half later, 11:00am.

So, when your buddy calls and says, "A White-bellied Fish Eagle has been seen at Devereux" you either need to know he is foolin' you - or get down the Slough PRONTO!

First SoCal Rain of the Season!

Chase Palm Park with the Wharf hiding in the mist

Fall has come to the Central Coast. Today was the first 'rain' I'd seen since the end of April. And that's normal! Growing up in the Tampa Bay area of Florida - one of the Planet's Thunderstorm Capitals where there can be up to 100 thunderstorms in a year - the idea of rain was a regular one. Here in Southern California, the Mediterranean climate results in virtually NO rain for six months, and then when it does rain, thunder and lightning are a rarity.

Ice Plant covering the misty dunes at East Beach - the Wharf is there - somewhere!

So when the first rain does come, it can be a big deal. Rain = Storm in California. Officially, this 'rain' was little more than a daylong off-again, on-again mist with light rain. No wind. No lightning. No thunder. But enough moisture to use the wipers! However, I NEVER got higher than 'three clicks' (of five) on the intermittent wiper setting, and that was on 'the 101' at 55mph. Yet in a short drive to a favored beachfront restaurant for breakfast, I observed THREE bizarre driving occurences. One car passed me on the right along the waterfront, almost clocking a parking car, another purposely broke loose the rear axle around a turn, then spun tires at the next light and the last one simply spun their tires in the rain. Locals say "Stay home!" during rainstorms.

Colors are super-saturated on a sunless and moist day, as seen in the 'cool colors' in the garden of friends where we are house-sitting in Santa Barbara.

While some good birdin' may be found when the weather changes, the light is not so great for long-distance photos, and the contrast is nearly nonexistent. Yet the colors are fantastic!

With similarly cool colors, enhanced by the weather, the Society Garlic makes a nice focus in the garden.

Remember, this 'rain' was officially a trace, although I bet a least one local/weekly paper will call it a storm. Heck, the 'rain' didn't even bring the little kids off the street in my neighborhood!

Kids in the street in the rain.

And upon closer look, the 'rain' didn't even penetrate a rather sparse Coast Live Oak along our driveway. You can see the dry pavers and soil in the center of the photo. So you see? Our first rain was more of a 'mist event'.

Dry pavers and soil under half-leafed out Coast Live Oak

One of the unfortunate happenstances of the rainy season's onset is the subsequent polluting of nearshore waters. All the oil drippings, transmission fluid drops, coolant overflows, and gas station topping off-overfillings lay around on the asphalt all summer waiting for rain to move them downhill - and into the ocean. So today when I parked at the 'honor-pay' parking lot enjoying the views at East Beach, I took a look around.

East Beach with the Pavilion in the mist - I promise!

The following view of the wet parking lot (with a support team for a local 'walk-a-thon' that was not deterred by the mist storm) shows how the water begins to collect on the pavement. The continuing photos show the water as a carrier for road-borne oil and dirt.

East Beach parking lot with accumulating water

The water collects and begins to show telltale signs of the summer's oil accumulation.

The water runs downhill, towards the ocean, through the curb-cut and collects in the sand - still bearing oil.

As you can see above, this collecting polluted water doesn't have far to go to reach the ocean. And that's not too bad unless you prefer to have life in your oceans and on your beaches - oh, and use them for recreation as well.

Oil - so far we can't live (well) with it, and we can't live (well) without it. Yet another reason to find a balance of energy sources to sustain our standard of living and power our transportation so that we can live with a lighter footprint on our Planet, the WATER Planet.

With the mist storm about most all the day, and having enjoyed the beach views in the morning mist/light rain/haze, the only thing left was to get to your little house and have your best buddy nearby.

Carbon allowing her dog, Cody to bunk down in her Little House.