Category: Uncategorized

El Niño: A New Feature on our Web Site
Weather is critical to what happens on More Mesa. Drought and its effects on More Mesa have been discussed over the last several years. Now with a “too-big-to-fail” El Niño about to alleviate some of that drought, a new section Ecology->Climate and Weather, has been added to the website for more information about our local weather. Two of the videos from that section are repeated in this post.

Droughts to Floods: Weather and Climate in Southern California and Potential Impact of El Nino

by Eric Boldt of the National Weather Service
Click on the heading if the video does not display in this page.

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El Niño – La Niña by Keith Meldahl

One of the clearest explanations of El Niño, La Niña and the southern oscillation, with excellent animation.

Finally … we urge you to please use extreme caution in windy weather and after it rains!
There is a reason they call Eucalyptus trees “widow makers.” They are brittle and often break off branches or fall during wind-storms. We have always advised visitors to More Mesa to stay away from these trees when it is windy. However, all our trees and especially Eucalyptus are in a very weakened condition as a result of the drought. This means they will be much more likely to splinter and break after severe rain events as well. Unhappily even our sturdy oaks, native to the area and generally adapted to droughts, are weakened and failing as well. 

White-tailed Kites Have the Last Word!

In the March News of this website we reported that there was evidence of potential nesting for the White-tailed Kite. This was welcome news as our famous signature raptor, a bird that historically lives and breeds in profusion on More Mesa had not produced a single chick for at least three years. And as the months went by with no further nesting signs we despaired that 2015 would be yet another “no chick” year. Now, we are delighted to report that the kites have found a way!

One of our most avid and dedicated birders, Jessie Altstatt, had been seeing one or two kites, all through July. Then, in late August she suddenly noted four kites. They were in the oaks close to Atascadero Creek on the north edge of More Mesa. Even more exciting was the conclusive identification of three juveniles among these four! The markings of juvenile kites are clearly shown in the accompanying photo, courtesy of Mark Holmgren. These are bold white margins on most of the dark feathers and gold breast feathering.

On another note, further identification revealed that this group was definitely not the family that bred in July at Lake Los Carneros.  Bottom line … this sighting, while it is exciting news for More Mesa, it is only our second kite breeding event in the entire Goleta Valley this season.

An additional observation about food, yields even further “food for thought.” The four birds reported were observed feeding on a larger mammal; perhaps a ground squirrel. This food choice is extremely interesting in that kites in the Goleta Valley almost always rely on California Voles, or to a lesser extent, on other vole-sized mammals as a food source.

Independent gets it wrong, but MMPC gets it right!

While the announcement of potential development was no surprise to any of us at the More Mesa Preservation Coalition, a recent article in the Independent (30 July 2015) , in response to a More Mesa Press release (here and here),  got it wrong. We have been tracking the possibility for development almost on a day-to-day basis for more than a year now. And while we did not know exactly when the owner of More Mesa would choose to announce the potential for development, we were expecting it.

We were also expecting the developer to take exception to restrictions which have been in place for More Mesa for decades, as well as to seek approval for a much larger development. Which they did as well; in an attempt to expand the development envelope in the Community Plan. Finally, while none of these moves by the developer was a surprise, the task ahead is daunting and we will need all the volunteer time and financial help our community can muster.

I will keep you posted.
Valerie

LATE BREAKING NEWS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT …

Well, the day we knew was coming, but wouldn’t welcome, has arrived.

On Tuesday, Kenneth E. Marshall, President of the development consulting firm Dudek, notified the Santa Barbara Planning Commission that he represented the Kalid Saud Al Shebaily Group (KSSG), the owners of More Mesa. He is joined by Jack Theimer and Kim Kimball.

The new group has sent their opening salvo in the form of objections to a number of the provisions in the updated Eastern Goleta Valley Plan. The centerpiece of their early effort is to raise the number of houses permitted to be built on More Mesa to more than the 70 that are currently allowed.

Mr. Marshall’s objections came just two days before this morning’s Planning Commission hearing to approve the plan. We were also there … as we have been throughout this entire nine year process. Dudek’s letter seems to be an initial feeler about development. We know there is probably much to come and we will keep you posted. We are assured by the Planning Department that no plans have been submitted and it is not clear whether or not any plans currently exist.

Look for further news in special alerts, monthly e-Updates and in the Monthly News on our web site.

Thanks for caring about More Mesa!

Lots of Special Birds

A wide area of More Mesa has been surveyed within the last few days. We are most happy to report that 34 different species were identified during this one survey. Among them were two raptors, a Peregrine Falcon and a Cooper’s Hawk. Also of very special interest were eight singing Grasshopper Sparrows and five Blue Grosbeaks. Moreover we are most pleased to relate that fledglings of these two species were observed as well!

We are indebted to Mark Holmgren for this extensive report, the details of which can be found at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23709737

And, they are still with us … a kite was reported hunting on the west side of More Mesa on May 31!

Locations of Grasshopper Sparrow and Blue Grosbeak sightings.

  
Grasshopper Sparrows