Natural History Journal

When most people visit San Diego, they hit the beaches.  Or Balboa Park, or Old Town, or the many other iconic San Diego destinations.  Generally speaking, they do not drive an hour east into the desert to the tiny border town of Jacumba Hot Springs.  But all those people on the beaches are missing out on seeing some very special birds that have moved into the neighborhood from across state lines, and now call the quiet town of Jacumba, California home. It probably goes without saying that a high priority on my  somewhat unique list of things to do on our recent visit to San Diego was to make the drive over to Jacumba to find these birds.  But, you might ask, what kind of bird would entice me away from the heart of sunny San Diego, into a tiny town of 597 people, nestled in the rocky desert and known for its "magical, mystical waters," "energy vortex," and excellent view of the border wall? The answer: Harris's Hawks. Most commonly a resident of scrubby desert r...

What began seven or eight years ago as an innocent enough attempt to learn the birds in my neighborhood and nearby habitats has rapidly ballooned into an all-out, fully-fledged quest to see as many of these incredible feathered creatures as possible.  There is no denying it now: I have well and truly become an unapologetic  birder .     And as such, I've also begun dipping my toes into the thrilling pursuit known as "chasing," that is, traveling away from my local patch to seek out previously reported rare birds.  As a general rule, I only chase the rarities that show up within a couple hours' drive of home, but these are my own personal parameters: serious chasers would never let silly things like time, distance or money come between them and a mega rarity! Chasing rarities is not something I do very often, however, and generally only indulge in the pursuit when I'm pretty sure that I will be unlikely to see that species any other way.  Two years ago,...

A world set apart.  The Galapagos of California.  Ancestral home of the Chumash people.   Located some 25 miles off the coast of Southern California, the archipelago of eight islands that collectively make up the Channel Islands have been called many things throughout their ancient history. But for birders across the globe, one of the islands in particular is known as the home of the world's only population of one very special inhabitant: the Island Scrub-Jay.  Island Scrub-Jay Santa Cruz Island, the largest and northernmost of the Channel Islands, measures approximately 24 miles long by 6 miles wide.  Yet this windswept rock, rising from the Pacific and riven by canyons and creeks, has given rise to a rich assemblage of plant communities, from grasslands to coastal sage scrub and chaparral.  Sheltered canyons hide stands of oak woodland and, perhaps surprisingly - owing to a long history of European settlement and ranching - groves of eucalyptus trees...

It's no secret that I love nature, in all of its incredible, intricate detail.  And it's also no secret that I believe the natural world around us was designed and created by our wise and loving God, for the ultimate purpose of drawing humanity to himself and revealing his divine nature to us through his marvelous handiwork. His glory is on display everywhere we look, from the starry night sky above, to the rocks beneath our feet; from the sheer magnitude of the ocean depths to the complexity of infinitesimally small cells and atoms.  Throughout the entire mind-blowingly amazing universe he has made for us, his great power and goodness are on display for all to experience. I'm reminded of one of my favorite hymns, "How Great Thou Art," which begins with the lyrics: "O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder Consider all the works thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed..." The picture pa...

Another winter storm, another head cold, and another week's packed schedule means... more time spent window birding!  It's been a weird winter for me bird-wise, with rain and subsequent floods preventing access to a couple of my favorite local birding spots, and a bevy of other obligations to keep me from venturing afield very often.  But, the birds in the yard have been particularly good this winter, as Oak Titmice , Lincoln's Sparrows , Bushtits and Purple Finches have been more common and numerous than in past years.   In other parts of the country, particularly the Northeast, the Winter Finch Forecast  is a big deal for birders, who eagerly await annual predictions regarding a handful of nomadic species whose movements depend on the success of cone and berry crops.  (Will this year be a good year for redpolls?  What about crossbills?  Or Pine Grosbeaks?  Check the Winter Finch Forecast to find out!) Here in Central California, we can onl...

When less-than-favorable weather conditions and the general routine tasks of daily life prevent me from getting out into the field as often as I would like, the birds that hang around our garden are an absolute delight: a literal God-send, in my opinion!  To be able to glance out the window and see the beautiful abundance of life on display in an array of winged creatures is a wonderful blessing.   In addition to the Oak Titmice that have been hanging around outside the windows lately, here are a few more of my feathered friends, whose presence never fails to cheer and entertain. Anna's Hummingbird Several Anna's Hummingbirds can be counted on to liven up the garden with their feisty presence year-round.  They visit hummingbird feeders, strategically placed outside the windows, as well as swaths of flowering plants offering enticing nectar-rich blooms these little gems can't resist!  Here, this male Anna's Hummingbird perches on a cluster of dogwood buds... his...

The gray, stormy days of January have been livened up lately by the continued presence of a pair of Oak Titmice that have been hanging out around our yard and frequenting our birdfeeders.  I wrote about these feisty little mites of the oak woodlands a few years ago , but only recently have they shown up in our neighborhood. While some describe them as plain or drab, I think Oak Titmice are endearing - and full of lively energy!  This pair is routinely seen nabbing sunflower seeds from our feeders before flying off to perch in a tree or shrub where they hold the seed between their feet and hammer it open with their stout bills.  I suspect these two little birds were drawn to our neighborhood by an abundance of mistletoe in a nearby ash tree - and enticed to stay by the steady supply of sunflower seeds in our feeders!  In any case, they are a delight to watch and a welcome addition to the usual sparrows, finches and doves that call our yard home. Hopefully they stick a...