A
Bird's Eye View by Mike Stiles
Mid
to late summer is shorebird season. As you read this, birders are
scouring estuaries, creek mouths, and all small bodies of water along
both coasts for shorebirds. In late July of this year, birders have
found New Jersey's first ever European Golden Plover and Florida's
first ever Red-necked Stint. It does pay to keep an eye out. Read More
Elfin
Forest by Jean Wheeler
August
is one of the driest months of the year and the past rainy season was
the driest ever recorded, yet some flowers continue to beautify the
shrubs in the Elfin Forest. The signature flower of this season is the
bright yellow of Mock Heather, a low growing shrub widespread in the
Elfin Forest and blooming almost exclusively in August and September.
Coyote Brush has yellow male flowers and white female ones with fluffy
white puffs developing to carry their seeds in the wind. This is the
middle of a very long blooming season for them. California Goldenrod
also carries yellow blossoms, and is not the allergy producing form of
goldenrod. Read More
Marine
Sanctuaries by Carol Georgi & Karl Kempton
The
proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (CHNMS) is located
along the pristine south Central California coastline, from Gaviota
Creek to the south to Santa Rosa Creek in Cambria to the north. The
western boundary of the CHNMS would be west of the submerged Santa
Lucia Bank along the Santa Lucia Escarpment. The eastern boundary would
be the mean high tide line along the coastline. These pristine coastal
waters are between the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
(CINMS) and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). There
are seven nationally and internationally important core areas within
this proposed sanctuary that were originally identified in the 1990
proposal to become the Central Coast National Marine Sanctuary;
however, the proposal died because of Congressional inaction. Read More
Pacific
Wildlife Care
PWC
rehabilitators work hard to care for injured animals. We try to ensure
that they will have every chance of surviving in the natural world. But
there is no way of knowing what happens after release. The National
Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) (Department of the Interior) strictly
regulates tagging or marking wild birds. Obtaining a permit requires an
approved application and time served as an apprentice to a master
bander. Most permits are for gathering data about breeding habits,
migration, dispersal, social structure, life-span, survival rates and
population growth. Read
More
Whale
Watch Adventures
Sub
Sea Tours and Kayaks offers the whole family an opportunity to observe
the unmatched beauty of Morro Bay in a unique new way…under
water! The 21-passenger Coast Guard approved
(semi-submersible vessel) SSV SEAVIEW boasts a viewing room located
beneath the surface of the water, with windows located on both sides of
the boat and a roomy bench perfect for relaxed viewing. With
Sub Sea Tours even young children can scope out marine life like
schools of fish, jellyfish and kelp, from inside the boat! You also get
a chance to see our local sea otter, harbor seal and sea lion
populations. With the calm conditions of Morro Bay, the Morro
Bay Sub Sea Tour provides adults and children alike with an educational
and fun experience that can't be beat! Read
More
Female Elephant Seals in
Dispute Over Space by Kevin Cole
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