| Jan. |
06 |
D.
Pryor, P. Knapp, B. Schallman, and W.L. Ross count wintering
WSP (Western Snowy Plovers) — |
| |
|
(130 OC
and 63 SOSB; 91 Royal Terns) |
| |
|
|
| April |
30 |
Crow seen
taking something round from inside colony. Egg? |
| |
|
|
| May |
01 |
Crows seen
eating something pulled from the ground. |
| May |
01 |
Wally and
Dave search for crows, treat squirrel burrows in SE. |
| |
|
About 100
LETE, 1 WSP. Fencing is complete. |
| May |
02 |
Motorized
hang glider launched from river mouth. |
| May |
05 |
Terns making
nests, mating, eating small fish.. |
| |
|
5PM- 2 gliders
launch-Dave talks with them on landing. |
| |
|
4-5 pairs
of terns present. |
| May |
07 |
Many up-flights,
but no crows. Courtship displays. Crows get chased off. |
| May |
08 |
0800: 150-175
pairs present. |
| May |
08 |
Irene Horiuchi
sees (possible) Gull-billed Tern |
| May |
09 |
5 new volunteers
trained from Vic Leipzig’s bird class. |
| |
|
100 breeding-
plumage sanderlings. Dave chases crows to Talbert marsh.
New signs posted. Chick fence reburied. |
| May |
10 |
Lithgow
dog patrol says need more “No Dogs Allowed”
signs |
| May |
11 |
Spotting
scope gone. Crow seen with possible egg in beak. |
| May |
12 |
Crow (w/
missing 2nd) chased off to find and eat dead gull on
beach. |
| May |
13 |
2 GBG (Great
Blue Herons) just outside compound. Crow chased away. |
| May |
14 |
2 WSP..
Crow chased away. Massive uplfight from GBH. |
| May |
15 |
2 WSP. 4
monitors report 110 nests inside main colony. 1 adult
kill. 2 lost eggs. |
| |
|
Terminal
Island. has no nests, ~35 each at Seal Beach and Bolsa
Chica |
| May |
17 |
Runner with
off-leash dog at jetties counseled nicely-she said OK. |
| May |
18 |
Osprey and
helicopter caused up-flights, raven didn’t. 3
eggs in nest #279. |
| May |
19 |
1 WSP. Dog
tracks around front porch fence. Egg outside fence near
lifeguard station. |
| |
|
Put a stick
by it and called Dave. Picture taken. |
| May |
20 |
1 egg found
on sand with adult Killdeer moving off- moved to inside
wind fencing. Morning Dove egg seen also. |
| May |
22 |
Killdeer
egg not tended. |
| May |
23 |
262 active
nests, 4 depredated. |
| May |
25 |
Raven with
cheeto in mouth tried to land in Preserve-chased out. |
| |
|
Volunteer
dive-bombed constantly as she walked along front yard
fence. |
| May |
28 |
10 Girl
Scouts on bikes were given tern information. See gull
chased out. |
| May |
31 |
Dead grebe
on beach with balloon string wrapped around its legs. |
| |
|
|
| June
|
01 |
Total nests
338, eggs 606. First chick in front yard. BCNH seen
at rocks |
| June |
02 |
Empty egg
found on beach |
| June |
04 |
Homeless
man on bike was interested in the terns. Flock of 20-25
starlings kept stirring up the terns. |
| June |
05 |
First 2
fledglings seen by Irene. |
| June |
06 |
Quiet. No
fly-ups. Numbers way down. Picked up two bags of trash. |
| June |
07 |
AMKE (American
Kestrel) nabbed a chick, yet chased off 3 other times.
Wally trapped next day. |
| June |
08 |
Common Raven
and Black-crowned Night-Heron seen. |
| June |
10 |
AMKE seen
3 times with no take. |
| June |
11 |
2 AMKE seen
several times. Wally could not trap them. One chick
taken. |
| June |
12 |
392 nests,
340 chicks. No kestrels seen. |
| June |
14 |
Vagrant
sleeping in SE corner. |
| June |
15 |
0853: kestrel
takes chick. Wally Ross called. |
| June |
16 |
Crows hanging
out at trash bin. Can it be covered? |
| June |
18 |
Kestrel
seen approach Preserve 7 different times. Later seen
fighting with 2 crows over PCH. |
| June |
19 |
Fresh mouse
tracks around W and SW edge. |
| June |
20 |
International
Surf Day with tern booth, tours, and beach clean up. |
| June |
21 |
Kestrel
driven off by terns. |
| June |
22 |
2 kestrels
seen early, one took chick. Chased out later on. Wally
called. |
| June |
24 |
Kestrel
seen/not trapped by Wally. |
| June |
25 |
No kestrels
seen 0630-0930. Fence repair. Golden crownbeard pulled.409
nests and 168 chicks. |
| |
|
First year
Least Tern on beach. |
| June |
26 |
Wildlife
Care rep. released Elegant Tern on beach- flew to marsh. |
| June |
28 |
Lots of
trash on beach. Lithgows picked up 4 bags. |
| June |
30 |
Monitors
say only 1 more nest left and no one on it. |
| |
|
|
| July |
01 |
Seems to
be fewer birds. |
| July |
02 |
Several
fledglings practicing fishing. |
| July |
04 |
Sentovichs
biked in to monitor and chase off a great egret in compound,
answer simple questions like where’s the Santa
Ana River trail, see the costumes, dress, laughter,
and huge crowds enjoying the beach. |
| July |
05 |
Lots of
trash and a plastic kite in the Big Yard. |
| July |
07 |
Fledgling
Day with many “trying” to fish. Mom got
them to go onto the beach with a fish, and rewards them
with another after many futile attempts. |
| July |
08 |
Scope set
up by Sheakleys at end of path to show osprey and young
terns. |
| July |
09 |
Dead clapper
rail found along bike path by Felicia Lee. |
| |
|
Population
considerably down. 40-50 fledglings. Some courting. |
| July |
13 |
20 kids
pick up trash. |
| July |
15 |
Dead tern
in front yard, porch. Visitors use scope for tern views. |
| July |
16 |
County raking
beach on N. side of SA River w/in 6’ of fledglings. |
| July |
20 |
1 WSP adult,
4 juveniles. Hole dug under W. fence. |
| July |
21 |
50 fledglings
counted on beach. Red-tailed Hawk on PCH pole. |
| July |
24 |
“That
is all for the season.” Some adults and 16 fledglings. |
| July |
27 |
Beach very
dirty with plastic and Styrofoam from big tides and
surf. |
| July |
28 |
“Season’s
over” with 1 adult and 2 fledglings. |
|
| Birds
Noted at or around Natural Preserve: |
| Red-breasted
Merganser, duck, Clark’s Grebe, Brown Pelican,
Cormorants, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret,
Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Turkey Vulture,
Osprey, White-tailed Kite, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed
Hawk, American Kestrel, Clapper Rail, Black-bellied
Plover, Western Snowy Plover, Killdeer, Oystercatcher,
Whimbrel, Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Sanderling,
dowitcher, California Gull, Western Gull, Elegant Tern,
Caspian Tern, Forster’s Tern, Black Skimmers,
Parasitic Jaeger (May 1-Pryor, Ross), Mourning Dove,
Rock Pigeon, Black Phoebe, American Crow, Common Raven,
Barn Swallows, European Starling, House Finch. |
|
| Quotes
of the Day: |
| “We
saw peeps (5/9) – yellow, orange & pink”
(left over from Easter) |
| “It
looks like Halloween” (the blinds moving) |
| “Thanks
for taking care of the birds and picking up trash.” |
| Runner
with dog said, “It’s OK, he likes birds!” |
| “The
terns sound happy.” |
| “Beach
primrose in bloom everywhere (pretty).” |
| “When
I saw the blinders it was the blinder leading the blind.” |
| Man
walking dog. “I’ve only been here since
the 60’s.” |
| Favorite
soap opera—“As the World Terns” |
| “Was
the fence moved out? Front enclosure looks larger.” |
| “A
bad day tern watching (which doesn’t exist) beats
a good day at work!” |
| “Don’t
worry-May gray turns to June gloom.” |
| Patti
missed seeing a chick on Tuesday so, “we re-terned
and found one!!” |
| Favorite
movie- “Terns of Endearment.” |
| Commercial
fisherman- “Least Terns are better indicators
of fish than electronic equipment. Tern drive small
fish deeper which brings up large fish.” |
| “We
were decent docents because it was our Tern!” |
| “Glad
to see Heermann’s Gulls back from breeding and
on the beach.” |
| DPR
engineer on burnt restroom #3- “It’s
a tear down.” |
| “One
good tern deserves another!” |
| Favorite
song- “Tern It On Again”-Genesis,
1980 |
| “Why
do juvenile terns put their head down like they are
guilty of something? Are they bad because they can’t
fish on their own? Or, are they like Waynes’ World
Movie saying, “Oh, we are not worthy!” |
| “Do
the lifeguards really need to drive the beach where
terns and plovers are resting? Couldn’t they go
south on bike path and right to visit the guard at the
river? “ |
| “Tern
out the lights, the party’s over for 2009 Tern
Watch!” |
|
