It’s hard to miss these peculiar brown birds gliding, in small groups, above braking waves of the ocean edge, disappearing into the fog. The Brown Pelican is the smallest of the 8 species of Pelecanus. It’s mesmerizing to watch them glide 30 feet above the surface looking for aggregations of small fish, bomb-diving for them, once spotted, head straight down, wings half-stretched, often disappearing completely […]
A small but dedicated group has sprung up in Humboldt. They show up on beaches, early in the morning, rakers in hand, ready to leave their mark. They take nothing but pictures. They avoid leaving footprints. What they do leave in the wet sand are geometric figures, some quite large. They make labyrinths for themselves and others to enjoy. Inevitably, the tide comes in, burying
I’ve been spotting California sea lion and harbor seal pups lately around beaches from Fields Landing to Crescent City, California. As adorable as they look, it’s not a good sign that they mingle so closely with people. Being so young, they are very trustworthy and the Crescent City-based Marine Mammal Rescue Center has been busy capturing and rehabilitating them. Last week, I almost tripped over
One of the perks of my California Department of Fish and Game job is that I get sent from Arcata to Crescent City, California several times a week. It’s an hour and a half drive one way, which takes me through several Redwood State and National Parks. On those days, I often get up at 4 am, just so I could spend a couple of
Driftwood, scarred from fire. Beached. A wandering soul, tucked in the sand. Nearby. Fiery hair gently clinging to the grain of the wood.