Santa Cruz Sentinel - Dogs: Post and Reply

Post:

From the Santa Cruz Sentinel Saturday March 24, 2007
Think of the birds

Each morning, I am nonplussed by the apparent ignorance of dog owners who let their dogs run amok, off leash at the beach, and even more by the local policymakers who have decided that the hours of sunrise to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to sunset are the best times of day to let them enjoy this privilege. Don't any of them know anything about bird basics? Just ask any birder anywhere on the planet about the hours that most birds hunt for food.

Any casual observer at Lighthouse Field and the adjacent beach can witness the hundreds of wild sea birds whose morning attempt at foraging is continuously interrupted by a frolicking, barking canine getting its "required" exercise. Particularly revolting is hearing the "Good job, Rover!" encouragement from the owner as the dog chases these wild creatures off the beach and rocks where they must forage daily for their own survival. Do these dog "caretakers" not realize that wild sea birds [some rare and endangered] do not have the luxury of a doting human to feed them protein-enriched kibble out of a bowl?

If we must have off-leash hours at the beach, how about after dark when wildlife are safe on their roosts and little children are safe in their beds?

Our local policymakers are much in need of an informed view; one which any birder, anywhere, can fill them in on.

Larry Selman

Santa Cruz


REPLY:

From the Santa Cruz Sentinel Saturday March 28, 2007

Maybe a witch trial's in order

Yes, Mr. Selman. I, too, have seen dogs scare off the shore birds at Its Beach, all the while being observed by their "doting caretakers"

Surely, the caretakers and their dogs must be possessed by the devil. After all, birds are the only creatures of God and where else could the birds seek sustenance from their diet of eating other living creatures before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. without being on a leash?

Perhaps those of a similar mind should band together in the "Canine Calumny Cult" of Santa Cruz with the purpose of reviving a Salem court to objectively review the situation.

Jim Crandall

Black-legged Kittiwake

At 8 AM I was on Highway 1 north heading for Waddell Creek. Late for Todd Newberry's bird walk sponsored by the Santa Cruz Bird Club. The 3.5 hr walk was primarily about listening and identifying birds by sound. Just what I need. We did manage to see a number of different species and with Todd's dialoge it was a memorable trip.

Two of the birders on the walk, John and Mike, were trying for their 100 species in Santa Cruz County. They were trying to see 100 species in each of the counties in Californina. They needed some of the birds recently reported, so I took them to Natural Bridges, Antonelli Pond and the Santa Cruz Wharf. At the wharf we found the recent feeding frenzy still going on. I was able to photograph Black-legged Kittiwake, Bonaparte's Gull and Clark's Grebe and they got new county birds. Not great photos but all new species for me.

A long but eventful day.

See more Black-legged Kittiwake here.
See more Bonaparte's Gull here.

The swallows are back!

Cliff swallows come and go in swarms around the high ledge of the Santa Cruz lighthouse on West Cliff Drive. Over 50 nests are still plastered to the ledge and wall of the lighthouse. The birds were exploring almost all of them this morning. It will be interesting to watch as they pair up and start new families.

See photos of Cliff Swallows here.

More Brown Booby

Chased the Brown Booby for a few more days. Seems to be gone now -at least from Natural Bridges State Park. See more photos at Web site.

This photo has added clouds. All photos on the web site have not been manipulated.

See photos of Brown Boobys here.

Brown Booby

Last week was the call from David Sudjian - "Can someone photograph the Brown Booby". It was the day of our live Ebay paperweight auction and I had to be at the computer until about 1PM. I took off right after the auction and headed for the parking lot at Natural Bridges State Beach. The bird was on the ledge visable from the end of West Cliff Drive. The sun was on one side of the bird and I was on the other. Terrible conditions for a good picture. I gave it my best and sent a photo to him that night.