Mashabu

Marbled Godwits

Marbled Godwits are among the birds that autumn’s migration has brought to Zuma Beach. Having spent the summer breeding in shortgrass prairies and eating insects, earthworms and freshwater fare, they now forage for small fish and seaside invertebrates. All About Birds indicates that the bills of Marbled Godwits change color depending on the season; just now theyContinue reading “Marbled Godwits”

Raccoon appearance

The genesis for this project was an attempt to document, literarily and pictorially, some of the species in our Southern California neighborhood. A coyote yipping outside our window one evening resolved the question of whether the 2018 Woolsey Fire drove animals into Point Dume in greater numbers. Having heard from neighbors that raccoons were inContinue reading “Raccoon appearance”

American Crows Eat Prickly Pears

To our astonishment, spines of the prickly pear do not deter our neighborhood American Crows from eating the fruit of the prickly pear cactus. Who knew this was a source of sustenance for them? Moreover, might the crows’ digestion of the fruit disperse the seeds to start new plantings? We marveled at how they couldContinue reading “American Crows Eat Prickly Pears”

California Scrub Jay

A frequent birdbath visitor is the California Scrub Jay. In the corvid family, this species appears fond of emitting calls while bathing. Slightly smaller than the American Robin, these western Los Angeles County California Scrub Jays enjoy multiple visits to the bath over several minutes. If you have bird observations from your garden which you’dContinue reading “California Scrub Jay”

California Towhee sightings

Almost every day since putting out our birdbath, California Towhees have visited. We rarely see them drink the water. Bathing is their top priority and we enjoy their antics. After splashing, they fly to the soil for dust bathing. The California chapter of the National Audubon Society published a profile on bird behaviors. Dust bathingContinue reading “California Towhee sightings”