A Bird's Eye View by Mike Stiles
If you don’t already keep a yard list, I guarantee that you will be astounded at the variety of birds that visit your yard. Soon after I started birding, my uncle became interested in the sport. He was a farmer and worked outside almost every day of the year, and knew a few of the common birds around. Within a few years he had a bird list of over 200 species on his property. I grant you his “yard” was much bigger than most, with a creek running through it, but my point is that most birds go unnoticed in your yard. Read More
A Sense of Place: Your California State Parks
Al Stevens was recently a presenter at one of our Monday morning Mindwalks at the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History. He is a retired geologist, and gave us a "brief" geologic history of the Central Coast (read a "'Brief' History of Time").
According to Al, we Central Coasters are literally living on "broken glass," because of the earthquake faults criss-crossing our region. He also says we just keep shaking a little most of the time which keeps us safe from the big one, and that the main north/south plates are moving on average of 4cc a year. Oh, except for 1857 when the fault moved 20 feet after one quake (noted by displaced fences). He said, "Imagine the pressure of that one, if the average yearly movement if 4cc a year." Read More
Elfin Forest Activities by Jean Wheeler
Ecology Walk: Les Bowker will lead us on an exploration of the Elfin Forest to find out what strategies the plants use to survive in difficult environments. Although the Forest is mostly green all year, its residents have to adapt to hot, dry summers, attacks by "predators" such as herbivores and caterpillars, and air-borne plant diseases. Plants in the estuary must endure alternating salt water and fresh water environments every six hours. How do they do it? Join our walk with Les to find out. Read More
Eye on the Estuary by the Morro Bay National Estuary Program
Estuaries are among the most productive places on earth, providing shelter and food for a surprising number of species. Roughly 80% of the fish we eat spend part of their lives in the sheltered water of an estuary, earning them the nickname ‘Nurseries of the sea.’ Learn More
Let's Go Green by Lawson Schaller
Frugality is good for the environment. I was going to write this column in November but was concerned about being called a scrooge during the holiday season. Encouraging my fellow citizens to spend less and conserve more during the biggest time of the retail fiscal calendar could be controversial. Many of you may have noticed the articles and books that were out over the holidays on making (vs. buying) gifts for others, or buying used, and consuming less.
Encouraging people to consume less, spend less, and conserve more can be seen as downright un-patriotic. Not that long ago we had our highest office in the land encouraging all good citizens to be patriotic and go to the mall, and spend (OMG!). Read More
Observations of a Country Squire
Back in the 20th Century, circa April 1978, my wife, Judy, and I purchased three Central Coast acres while we still lived and worked in L.A. County. For seven subsequent years, we periodically tooled north from Whittier and sprayed the fecund poison oak fence line to fence line. In December of 1985, we finally moved into our newly constructed, functionally comfortable, wood framed retirement cottage. From the dining room window, we casually overlooked the northeastern portion of our land - including a wide swath of real estate owned by two neighbors. Read More
Ocean Creatures
Lingcod fish are unique to the west coast of North America, dwelling on rocky reefs and ocean bottoms in depths between 30 and 300 feet. Young lingcod prefer sandy or muddy bottoms in bays and inshore areas. These fish grow to five feet long and weigh up to 70 lbs, with females larger than males.. They have a large mouth with eighteen sharp teeth and mainly eat octopus, crabs and other fish. Their meat and skin can change colors, and can be black, dark brown, blue, green, or orange, yet the meat turns white when cooked. Some think the color change is due to the ink that gets released into their system when they eat octopus. Read More
State Parks Events
Please join us on Monday, March 8th in Sacramento for our 8th Annual Park Advocacy Day and help us make a difference for our state parks! Over the last seven years, this event has helped to heighten awareness of the need for state park protection and share with policymakers the importance of state parks to all Californians. The powerful showing of support made by Park Advocacy Day participants last year helped stop the Governor’s FY 09-10 budget proposal to eliminate General Funding for California’s state park system, which would have resulted in the closure of up to 220 state parks. See What Else Is Happening
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