Remember Me

I left my good camera behind for a nice walk, but thankfully I had my cell to capture this wonderful moment.  It reminds me of UP!

Locked inside of urban sprawl, green spaces provide places for birds to live, nest, or rest (during migration). They are "islands" surrounded by an ocean of concrete buildings and roads. Is it possible for both humans and birds to coexist together in a shared space?  As I am discovering, it is a very complicated story for each bird species. 

It seemed that the entire coastline was "owned" and for much of it, our ocean views were blocked. Many homes had lots of non-native plants around their very green gardens.  Currently, much of California is in a severe drought right now. It was very obvious who had money and who didn't as the landscapes either reflected green or dusty brown. 

One of our target birds was the California Gnatcatcher.  It took us a couple hours to locate several of these birds around a protected estuary.   This species is very endangered in Southern California due to habitat loss.  It prefers the coastal scrub along the ocean that humans also enjoy.  I discovered that a lot of people in the general public were very angry at this little gnatcatcher.  The CAGN was referred to as "That bird." Apparently, "that stupid bird" was blocking progress!  For the first time in my birding travels, I heard anger from the opposition. Those who were not angry were apathetic.  Real estate was MORE important. Never have I encountered this attitude while on my treks for endangered birds. 

Hermit Thrush

As I stood in the "wild" space being passed by joggers on their cell phones, bikers, and cars, I strained my ears to listen for the catlike call. I was beginning to see why this bird was in trouble.  All around me, there were people and buildings along the border of the estuary.  Airplanes and helicopters flew overhead. Boats passed through the waterway. I was beginning to have my doubts.

Downy Woodpecker

It made me miss my open Southern Arizona landscape.  How do birds do it?  How do they survive within this massive human sprawl?  Turns out that some like it while others, like the CA Gnatcatcher, could unfortunately disappear from the area in the near future.

Western Grebes

After really studying the Orange County landscape well, I discovered that there wasn't really much space at all provided for these birds.  Hence the declining numbers!  Much like the Florida Scrub-Jay, its habitat is in decline.  These birds are now locked into areas, or fragmented, from other California Gnatcatchers. How will they maintain genetic diversity within their populations?

Savannah Sparrow(Belding's Subspecies)

It's amazing to me that so many people are apathetic about saving an endangered species. If this type of thinking was left unchecked, we'd be in a really bad place today. Some say it has already happened. On a global level (and locally), we are losing little battles here and there.  At the end, all of these little losses will add up into something very sad and big.  But who cares about a little gray songbird that looks like all the other gray birds out there? I do.  And so do a lot of other people.  

Whimbrel

Now don't get me wrong, we had a blast.  I always enjoy the new challenges that come with the new territory.  So it was easy finding lots of new birds all cramped into these "green" spaces around Southern California.  The secret to birding around Cali is finding a central place inside the city and plan trips to nearby hotspots. Don't plan anything too far or you'll be on the road ALL DAY!  I learned that lesson well when I lived in the Bay Area many moons ago.

Acorn Woodpecker

There are so many wonderful California birds.  They have their own gnatcatcher, towhee, thrasher, gull and quail!  The Nuttall's Woodpecker featured below is also a California favorite....and a first for me!

Nuttall's Woodpecker-female

In all of this, I am somehow losing my mind as I try to process what is happening around me. There's no such thing as "It's just birding." anymore.  It's an obsession.  And to be honest, it scares me a little.  There are times I could just scream.  A new bathroom renovation or a trip somewhere exciting?  I get antsy.  I pace.  I need to explore and learn more stuff now.  There are times I get so tired that I don't want to do anything. But then someone will report something special and I'm back on the road! The fact is I feel good when I go out and do this. 

During our weekend trek, we stopped to check out the Tijuana estuary and walked 8 miles without even realizing it!  Micheal keeps track of our hiking.  Along the way, we meet weird people that tell us to follow them and see this "eagle" on a telephone pole.  Turns out the "eagle" is really a hawk. Another tells me about how her son would go out and shoot birds on the estuary and then tell her kid, "Hey son that's illegal. You're not supposed to do that."  From her "shared" stories on the trail, I don't think he ever listened to her. Then she told me to take a pic of a Great Egret that was too far away.  When is she going to turn off the trail??!!! Our nature trail connected with the local neighborhood for a time. Thankfully nature took over and we left the homes far behind. And the strange locals.

California Towhee

Officially we hear things are "protected" and yet, many times, there isn't anyone out "there" patrolling for poaching, shooting, etc. In many places, I see park officials stuck in information booths collecting entrance fees. I know they want to be out there working in the field.  So many of my friends in the business have told me about the endless paperwork that comes with the job.  And let's not mention all the time that goes into applying for grants to help cover the costs needed due to federal cuts, etc. We spend billions on war and killing and yet we don't have enough money to properly maintain and staff these wild areas.  Birders see it all. 

 Oak Titmouse

Imagine an oak tree without its tree sprite, the Oak Titmouse, jumping around the branches.  Or the empty holes in trees once used by the common Acorn Woodpecker. I couldn't imagine the landscape without these birds. Each species contributes something important to our environment. What will the fate of the California Gnatcatcher be?  Do we really care enough to protect it?  The real estate world is eyeing up their habitat for development and have not let this bird alone. They are pushing to have it taken off the endangered list this year.  Could they eventually win this seemingly uphill battle? 

California Gnatcatcher

For more about birds from around the world, check out Wild Bird Wednesday.