Category Archive: birding
May 6, 2008 at 7:33 pm
by nancy
· Filed under ecotourism, attractions, events, birding
Join Mendocino Coast Audubon Society for their Spring Pelagic Trip on May 18, as they sail from Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg aboard the Trek II (departing at 8:00 AM and returning about 3:00 PM). To reserve your spot, please mail a check, PAYABLE TO MCAS, for $95 per person to: K. Havlena - Pelagic Trip, PO Box 40, Fort Bragg, CA 95437-0040. Please include name(s) of participants, mailing address, telephone number and email address. For information call 964-6835.
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April 24, 2008 at 2:05 pm
by bruce
· Filed under attractions, birding
The idea of climbing into a boat and motoring for hours out to sea to view birds seems a bit of an oxymoron. But of course, I’m a non-birder. In fact, pelagic trips are becoming increasing popular as birders look for varieties that don’t come to shore so they can expand their “life list” (all the birds they’ve seen in their life). One such trip, sponsored by the Mendocino Coast Audubon Society, is coming up May 18. Read the rest of this entry »
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December 24, 2007 at 4:35 pm
by dff
· Filed under general, hikes, walks, birding, parks, drives
A couple of days ago, I went down to Point Arena with Bruce because I heard that the tundra swans had returned to their local resting spot during migration. When we got down to the Garcia River, I was hoping I would see dozens of swans as I had in the past. On the south side of the river, there’s a huge green wetland that the tundra swans love. On Friday, though, there was only a single swan. Bruce thought he saw some off in the distance on the north side of the river, so we decided to return after visiting the Stornetta Preserve to see the waterfall after recent rains. It’s an easy mile-long walk out to the waterfall.
There was certainly more water coming off the waterfall than in the summer, but the real story was the ocean. The waves were at times quite large — large enough for the spray to obscure the waterfall! Unlike the last time we went down there, it was a sunny day, and we could see the Point Arena Lighthouse in the distance to the north.
After we headed back to the Garcia River wetlands, we went off on a side road on the north side of the river — but just around the bend, it was marked as Private Property. A man came along in a pickup as we were starting to turn around, and we asked if we could go in and take some pictures of the swans. He said it wasn’t his land, so we couldn’t get out there. But he urged us to follow him, and he took off. A couple of miles up the highway, he turned off on a dirt road towards the ocean. In a short while, we were entering the Clover Dairy — not only the sole dairy in the county, it’s also the only organic dairy in the county. He told us to join him in his truck, and he took us out a short distance to where the swans were hanging out in the fields. He introduced himself as Walt Stornetta, the owner of the dairy. He has about 400 cows on 550 acres of land. Each cow produces on average 67 pounds of milk — about 8 gallons a day. I felt really lucky to run into him like we did, and that he was so generous with his time.
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November 28, 2007 at 11:19 am
by bruce
· Filed under general, attractions, birding
He’s simply known on California’s Mendocino Coast as Al B. Tross — “Al” for short. And he’s back at Point Arena Cove for the 14th straight year.
Mendocino Coast Birder Bob Keiffer sent this email alert Monday evening and other local birders confirmed Al’s arrival Tuesday morning. Said Keiffer: “The bird apparently flew in yesterday evening (apparently near dusk) and was confirmed this morning as it was still there resting. I will check my records and update this message tomorrow about historical arrival and departure dates….but I believe that this will be the 14th (documented) consecutive winter period that the albatross has used Pt. Arena Cove as it’s resting refuge. The condition of the injured leg (from last season) is not known at this time.”
A Laysan Albatross, Al usually arrives in late November or early December near the pier at Point Arena Cove and stays for several months.
What makes Al unusual is that he is the only albatross anyone has seen on the West Coast. These large seabirds breed on islands in the mid-Pacific, especially islands in the Hawaiian chain. Intrepid birdwatchers who venture out in large fast boats occasionally see them in the ocean waters of the North Pacific and the Gulf of Alaska. But seeing Al in Point Arena is a huge event for mainland U.S. birders lucky enough to spot him on Mendocino County’s south coast.
The Laysan Albatross is a little more than two feet in length with a wingspan of over six feet. It has black wings and tail, a white head and body, pink legs and webbed feet. There is a soft gray and black patch around and under its eyes. It has a large gray to yellow-orange bill with a black hooked tip. Males and females look alike.
Al was first discovered on Nov 30, 1994 by a visiting birder. He left the sheltered waters of Point Arena Cove on March 18 of the next year. Then, to everyone’s surprise, he returned in the fall of 1996. County birders have recorded the bird’s arrival and departure dates since that memorable first encounter. Al typically arrives around Thanksgiving and leaves by the end of March. This will be his, or her, 14th consecutive winter vacation in Mendocino County.
He is often seen or photographed quite easily from the public pier. When storm winds blow from the south, he seeks refuge in more protected locations out of the public view.
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November 23, 2007 at 8:43 pm
by dff
· Filed under ecotourism, walks, events, birding, parks
Heads up bird lovers! Fred Andrews from California State Parks is leading a bird walk this Saturday, starting at 11 am; meet in the Cleone parking lot at MacKerricher State Park in Fort Bragg. It’s going to be a gorgeous day on Saturday, with temps in the mid-60’s. This is a don’t miss activity for the family!
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