March 18

The afternoon sky is sunny with temperatures in the mid 60’s and a cool sea breeze as Caroline, Riley and I explore rocky, White Point Beach on the Southern California coast. As the waves spill over the rocky shoreline, I pause to notice a perching Western Gull and a perching Whimbrel. Near my feet, Ground Squirrels scurry among the large boulders where they’ve built a network of tunnels. Away from the water, I look up the cliff at the rock face, outlined against an azure blue sky. Nearby, I notice both a large patch of Prickly Pear cacti and Ice Plant are blanketing the slope to stabilize it against future landslides. Gazing skyward, I watch three Brown Pelicans soar overhead. On the ground, I pass by a large boulder of volcanic Pumice and some shells of Blue Mussels before I pause to observe an invasive White Snail feeding on Wild Mustard leaves. Sometimes known as the Italian white snail, this gastropod can be a serious pest of landscape ornamentals, including trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and herbaceous plants. Although it has been established in California for at least 100 years, it has been mostly inactive until recently. Next, I pause to listen to a peeping sound from the ground. Eliminating the source as a bird song, it can be from a tiny frog called a Spring Peeper. However, while this amphibian is common in Michigan, it has never been officially reported in California. The only other possibility is it’s one of the many sounds made by an insect called a Katydid (stock photo). Just ahead, a ½ inch resting Flesh Fly catches my eye. The life cycle of their larvae has been well researched and is very predictable. Different species prefer human bodies in different states of decomposition, and the specific preferences and predictable life cycle timings allows forensic entomologists to understand the progress of decomposition and enables the calculation of the time of death. Turning around to retrace my steps, I spot a Rock Wren, perched on a rock. This bird usually builds a pavement or walkway of small, flat stones that leads to the nest cavity (stock photo). The nest is usually located in a rock crevice out of sight, but the pavement may give away the nest's location. In some cases, both foundations and walkways become elaborate, incorporating hundreds of objects, many human-made. The function of this pavement is unknown. Focusing once again on the surf zone, I notice several Cormorants perching on a black, rocky islet. Making my way back to the car, I catch a brief glimpse of a few dolphins surfacing in the glistening water. 

Month of March

Halfway through

Edge of spring

Ocean blue

Hail to Neptune

God of the sea

Vista so vast

Waves so free

From rolling surf

To pelicans high

Nature’s artist

Paints the sky

 

D. DeGraaf