Observation date: 21 October 2014
Sad news from Shell Beach. Cleve Nash making one of his trips to the eyrie on the cliffs at Shell Beach was informed of the loss of a female adult falcon. She was below the cliffs on the beach with a large number of dead cormorants. Cause is not yet known on the death of either.
Surf at the north jetty Photo by Bob Isenberg
At Morro Rock we have had high surf advisories which means no vehicle access to the south side parking lot for a while.
Stat Park high surf restrictions denied us access to the parking lot…peregrines and beauty remain Photo by Bob Isenberg
I have been relegated to the north side amid the dust and high winds across the huge dirt parking lot. Needless to say, you can’t set up any optics, just hunker down behind the truck and observe with binoculars.
We still have more migrants every day, mostly waterbirds. We have been looking for “Doris.”* You might remember her from previous writings that she is an adult female falcon that has wintered in the south part of the Morro Bay Estuary six years in a row. Three different times she has arrived on the 25th of October and within a day or so the other three years.
The high surf advisory should subside and I’ll be back on my perch on the south side.
Happy trails, Bob
Item: A new female falcon has been seen by Cleve Nash flying with the Shell Beach widower. We are awaiting close up photos.
Photo By Heather O’Connor
* Doris – Go to the tag for “Doris” to find other stories about her. Cleve Nash checks regularly for her in the Monterey Cypress.
