Beach Birds of Mission Bay

In May of 2013, I wrote this article about the birds I see around Mission Bay, an easy place for people to visit here in San Diego.  Now that it's fall, it's a great time to go see these birds.

Assorted shorebirds

Godwits and Willets

I don't know how many people go to the beach or bay not to hang out, but to check out the local wildlife. In San Diego, there is a recreational area called Mission Bay where people don't usually sunbathe or swim (though a few can be seen doing so). This bay was dredged out so people can use jet skis, boats, fly kites, row or kayak, run their dogs loose (on Fiesta Island only), or play a game call "Over the Line" among other activities and events. But, Mission Bay is also a place for the birds-literally. 

Brant

Thousands of birds call the bay their home as they have done for thousands of years.

Before the bay was dredged for human use, it was more marsh-like and many birds populated and bred in it. There are still pockets of these marshes preserved throughout the bay and one of them, the Kendall-Frost Marsh, is fenced off from people. However, a good variety of birds can be found on the beach just outside the marsh. Other areas that are fenced off include several least tern nesting sites which are managed by the city of San Diego and the San Diego Audubon Society. Each year, the nesting sites have to be weeded because the disturbance of the soil from dredging allowed many invasive plants to take root. The California subspecies of least tern is endangered mostly due to loss of breeding habitat.  

Willet

Even in more disturbed areas, birds are abundant. Despite the fact that loose dogs run all over Fiesta Island, many birds don't seem too bothered by them. In the water, brant geese, ducks, and grebes continue to feed among the speeding watercraft. Willets and marbled godwits seem to be the most common type of shorebird along the beaches. Killdeer often nest in the least tern nesting habitats, usually well before the terns arrive.

Horned larks

When visiting the bay, be mindful of the birds around and don't intentionally harass them. Winter is the best time to see the most variety of birds with just about every type of shorebird that usually visits the San Diego area can be seen. In the summer, most of the birds seen are terns, gulls, raptors, sparrows, horned larks, and other small birds.

While I based this article on my own experiences, here's a few links that might be of interest to readers:

Natural Reserve System: Kendall-Frost Marsh 
San Diego History: Mission Bay Aquatic Park 
Mission Bay (Wikipedia)

Was that poison oak?

This was originally published in June of 2008 on Associated Content.  I still think the points are relevant.  I had just gotten a bad attack from poison oak even though I thoroughly checked for the plant.  Here are some tips on poison oak and what to do about it.

One February, I went out hiking in an unfamiliar area of the mountains near where I live. I had a great time, but about a few days later, I started getting these itchy, red spots on various places on my skin. I have skin allergies and other problems, so I figured it had to do with something like that. After a couple days of itchiness, I decided to go out and get some calamine lotions. While reading the label, I realized that I might have been exposed to poison oak. I've had a poison oak rash once before and should have recognized the symptoms. This exposure was a little worse than the last time, but still not that bad.

But, I wondered, how did I get exposed to poison oak? I only went off the trail once and there definitely weren't any signs of poison oak that I could see. I had some photos of the area and I still couldn't see any poison oak in them. Usually, what I look for are the leaves that usually grow low to the ground and the base of trees. I talked to someone who was a nurseryman and he told me to look up some sites on Rhus Diversiloba, the scientific name for poison oak. After browsing some sites for a while, I found an exact picture of what I was looking for: poison oak without leaves and it looked just like what I saw while hiking. There were no signs of green on them at all, just some reddish brown stalks that stuck straight up.

Generally, identifying poison oak can be down by looking at the leaves. Poison oak leaves are oval and broad in shape. They are usually grouped in three and a grow at the end of a long, sometimes reddish, stem. The plant will often grow in a large group, together, or they can be spread out along the ground. It likes to live off of other plants, so it's usually found under brush near bushes, rocks and on the base of trees. But, it's much harder identifying dormant poison oak plants. Often, they will grow low on the forest floor, hidden by leaves and other debris, or they grow straight and look like grass that has dried out.

The first time someone pointed out poison oak to me was on a hiking trip with an archaeological group that I was volunteering in. The plant looked pretty harmless and was even fairly out in the open. It was partially covering some morteros with a winding vine that attached itself to a rock. If we had wanted to study that site, we would need some heavy gloves and clothing to remove it. At that time, I hadn't been exposed to it at all, but I was amazed at how close to the trail it grew. A kid or a dog running around the area would have definitely been in trouble.

The second time I encountered it was by accident when I was hiking the Pacific Crest Trail near Ranchita and lost the trail. While I was trying to find it, I had passed through some brush looking for where to pick up the trail. At the time, I was wearing shorts and short sleeves and didn't see the poison oak I was constantly brushing. After about three days, I began to get a rash that was pretty itchy. It wasn't until I went to the doctor that I knew it was poison oak. I used cortisone and calamine lotions and it went away pretty easily. That was actually my first and only exposure up until that February hike.

While out hiking, poison oak should be avoided at all costs. The oil in the plants is similar to oils found in poison ivy and poison sumac, Urushoil and is found in both the leaves and the stalks. So, even if you don't see the leaves on a particular plant, the stalks can still be a problem. So, it's imperative that one knows all parts of this plant in order to avoid it. The Urushoil causes an allergic reaction and each time a person is exposed to the plant, the more sensitive the allergy becomes. Often, a person can touch the plant two or three times before they get a rash. Burning the plant is also very toxic, too, and eating it can be deadly.

The best way to avoid it is to stay on hiking trails. But, even that is not entirely fool proof. Sometimes, the plant will grow very close to trails and walkways. And, Urushiol can be carried on pet hair and clothing. If a pet runs off the trail, rubs against some poison oak, and then touched by someone, the oil can transfer to a person's hands. It can also transfer from the hands to other parts of the body, too. Scratching or touching an affected area within 20 minutes of exposure can spread the oil. After hiking, clothing and pets that have come into contact with poison oak should be washed to prevent repeated contamination.

In southern California, especially in San Diego County, poison oak is extremely common. Mostly, it is found in the less populated areas in the mountains, but still close to a lot of major trails. Most people who are regular hikers in these areas have either seen it or been exposed to it. It's rarely seen closer to the coastal areas and I have never seen it in the low deserts in all my years hiking there. I usually find it in areas where certain types of brush and trees tend to grow. It likes the cooler, more moist, air of the higher elevations.

If one knows that they are hiking around poison oak, they should take precautions. The main precaution being not to go off trail unless one is sure there is no danger. Long paints and sleeves are always useful, but not always practical, especially in summer months. In that case, taking a wet nap or a cloth to wipe off any possible Urushoil as soon as possible can be helpful, but is not a fool proof solution. Taking precautions will make the hike more pleasant. Happy hiking!

Hiking in the Desert With Flowers

In April 2009, I did a very long hike down almost the entire length of the California Riding and Hiking Trail.  I've actually done the entire trail from north to south.  It's a nice trail with lots of interesting scenery and wildlife.  Here's what I wrote about back then.

In early April, 2009, I took a really long hike on the California Riding and Hiking trail which is located in the western part of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The area that I hiked is in what might be considered the "high desert" at about 3500 to 4000 feet in elevation. But, the trail actually starts in Borrego Valley at Hellhole Canyon and goes up and down in elevation until it reaches the Vallecito Mountain range.

While I was hiking there, I saw a large variety of tiny yellow flowers that I don't know the name of. I have included photos of it attached to this article as well as in my accompanying slideshow "Hiking the California Riding and Hiking Trail" already posted on Associated Content. Parts of the area were covered in yellow, especially at the higher elevations. There were also tiny white, pink, purple and blue flowers, too, but I didn't take pictures of them as they don't look too good when I photograph them.

The area that I chose to hike was hardly used and much of the trail was overgrown with plants and flowers. I regret that I had to step on many of them to make my way down the trail. But, this is a good sign that there was enough moisture this last season to have this many flowers. And, the flowers are very hardy and tough. Nothing much seems to phase them as long as you don't pull them out of the ground. One thing I did notice was that there seemed to hardly be any bees out pollinating them. That could have been due to the cold and windy weather that day.

From talking to people, I've noticed that many people really don't make any effort to see desert flowers. The best way to view them is by getting out of the car and actually hiking. So many of the flowers are extremely small and can't be seen by driving around. Also some flowers only grow in very specific places where the wind and water is just right. A few weeks before, I hiked an area where there were pretty much no flowers visible at all from the main road, but by hiking, one can spot several of many different colors and sizes.

If one can't handle hiking, many desert flowers can be seen near the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor's Center in Borrego Springs. There is a paved sidewalk and a lot of different species of flowers can be seen there during peak flower season. Flower season runs from about late January, peaking about mid-March to mid-April.

Here is the phone number to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park's Wildflower Hotline for updates:

(760)767-4684