Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Overpopulated


After our trek to the botanical gardens, we went for lunch and then breathed deeply.  Our next life bird, the Black Turnstone, was going to be a challenge.  It wasn't finding the bird that was the challenge as it was more about finding the patience to get to the area! 

Surbird(left) and Ruddy Turnstone(right)

I have never been in a more crowded space than Los Angeles.  Well one could argue that Mexico City as well as many other urban spaces are just as bad. I don't know.  LA traffic is the worst. To get to our location, Marina Del Rey, we had only to go 14 miles.  It was the longest 14 miles I have ever driven.  Everywhere we turned there were people.  Every inch.  Every space.  Full of people. 

Spotted Sandpiper
Micheal said that this would be a bad place to escape from the zombie apocalypse. I agree.  He bases our birding locale safety on Walking Dead standards. It took us TWO hours to drive fourteen miles.  Our birding destination, however, was pretty amazing.  But the trek getting there was not. 

The WHOLE walkway was like this the ENTIRE time. 
Once we found a parking spot, we mentally unwound and stretched out. That in itself was a miracle!  Why??  Well, everywhere we turned there were bikers, skaters, walkers, runners, fisher folk, and drivers! Some listened to 80's boardwalk music! We ran into one birding couple from Vermont who declared there were no birds in the area, but they were stuck in a bad spot afraid they'd be hit by oncoming traffic. And I don't blame them. There was very little room to bird.  One wrong turn and we would have smacked into someone.  So the challenge was to tune out all the noise pollution and watch out for the traffic. As for the Vermont couple? They gave up and left.

Caspian Tern
Okay, enough complaining:) You've been warned.  Just know that birding this spot along the Ballona Wetlands area is one of LA's best birding hotspots.  

 I had a lot of special challenges for this trek.  One was capturing cormorants in their breeding plumage.  Cormorants can be tricky, but they are really beautiful birds when breeding season arrives. 



There were birds everywhere and it was difficult to focus.  The weather was gorgeous and there certainly was a lot happening around us.  Normally when people see the common Double-crested Cormorant above, they just think, "Meh."  But I dare you to look at them in their breeding plumage.....


Double-crested Cormorant
They have orange faces with "ears" and some even come with whiskers!

Brandt's Cormorant
The blues of the Brandt's Cormorant mesermize. Their sapphire eyes and chin are gorgeous. 

Pelagic Cormorants

And then there's the deep purples of the Pelagic.  Their breeding color preference?  Red. It was a real treat to see these birds up close and personal.  Stunning birds!



Of course, SoCal winter birding would be incomplete without the sighting of a beautiful Surf Scoter. 


Surf Scoter
Eventually we found a quiet causeway and walked out towards the ocean.  There, on the rocks, we found our lifer Black Turnstones.  I couldn't believe our fortune!  

Black Turnstone
We enjoyed our views of the birds and then slowly walked back to our car at sunset.  Instead of watching birds, we sat and watched the people.  Many wore headphones and seemed to need their space.  



Personal space.  There is nothing quite like it, especially when there is constant noise all around you. We left Los Angeles for the last time.  I will never be coming back here again.  We have two more return treks left for Southern California(outside the LA area) before we start heading up into the Pacific Coastal regions. Here is my ebird report from the Ballona Wetlands area



Our journey required us to visit one last space.  And it was absolutely gorgeous and far away from the urban sprawl.  Next week we explore the beautiful Santa Catalina Island for another exotic bird, the Spotted Dove.  For you ABA listers out there, this one is countable.  So stay tuned for more....

22 comments:

  1. Congratulations on Black Turnstone! Great photos! The Double-crested Cormorant and Brandt’s Cormorant looks so gorgeous. I like your writing.

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    1. Thank you Anu for following. Glad you loved the Cormorants. They are pretty amazing birds that are related to our Pelicans! Have a great week!

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  2. Having been to Los Angeles twice and flow out of there three times I would rather have my fingernails pulled than subject myself to it again. Ditto for Miami!

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    1. LOL:) Sometimes you do what you gotta do. Never again. It was a fun memory but the stressful driving not so much:) Yes. Miami and Florida during Spring break is the worst. But at least i can get up at 3 AM and get to my destinations before everyone else does.

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  3. How do people live like this? I admire your patience.

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  4. Always interesting to see what birds you find even in such a crowded place. Glad for my wide open spaces in general. 14 miles in 2 hours. No way.

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    1. Yes! There is something to be said about wide open spaces where you can spin around and not bump into anyone:)

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  5. I have been to LA a number of times. It always amazes me how people can live like that! Even in the middle of the night - the roads are crowed. I do love the ocean, the art cents, the gardens - but the crowds can Kill the sense of well-being I try to have in my life. JC

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    1. Yeah. Once you get to your destinations, it's a amazing. But it's getting there that drives me nuts. Hey! We are going to meet this summer! I will be in Wisconsin for a month. Several weeks I'll be on the road but once I get back, I'd like to finally meet you and the garden!

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  6. I certainly could never live there. Thank you for showing me it's beauty through all of the hectic things going on around you. It was a peaceful ride.

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    1. Yes:) Somewhere in that chaos, there is peace:) But not like in Minnesota. Way more beautiful and the people are waaaay friendlier:)

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  7. The things you do in the name of birdwatching amaze me, Chris. LA sounds as attractive to me as New York. It's inexplicable, to me, why so many Brits want to go to New York for a weekend (or more). I'd pay the cost of such a trip just to avoid having to go!

    I can certainly see your reasons for going, however - those various Cormorants are wonderful, particularly the Pelagic.

    Best wishes to you both - - - Richard

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    1. I know Richard. I don't get it either. But that's part of the birding challenges I face. Japan scares me the most. I'm a giant of an American person(is there any other kind?) I hate tight spaces full of people and I know I will have to deal with these issues as I become more involved in my pursuits. I remember teaching a class of Japanese students. They are like 4 or 5 feet. Not me. I towered over them. Sometimes my knees don't fit in the spaces because my legs are so long. Although I have since met taller people than myself! Anyhow, the birds and their experiences make it all memorable:)

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  8. There's a reason I stay behind the "Orange Curtain" down here in the OC. We have traffic, too, but it generally pales in comparison to LA. Loved your photos of the cormorants showing their colors and glad you found your Black Turnstone, too!

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    1. I was thinking of you while we were down there. Yeah, the OC is a nice area. The traffic is less crazy. It's busy but not as cramped as LA. I do like SoCal though. So many great ocean areas to explore.

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  9. So many super birds, it's hard to find a favourite, but I do like the Surf Scoter and the waders.

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    1. It's hard to pick a favorite. Many are not common for me here in AZ so it's a treat to see them all again.

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  10. WOW! Those Cormorants in breeding plumage are fantastic.

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  11. I absolutely HATE L.A.! The birding excursion looks great by your photos...but I would hate having to drive through there. I'm with Micheal...anything that would be difficult ie Walking Dead or Fear of the W Dead is NOT a place I want to be! :-)

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  12. The birds look unique. Wondering natural's creativity!

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  13. Well done on finding your Black Turnstone amidst all that madness Chris :) I'm quite happy to say LA is never going to be on my travel agenda!

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