March 2011

Although March is “coming in like a lion”, there are already many signs of spring out on More Mesa.  Grasses are green (and high), wildflowers are starting to make appearances and our special raptors are courting and nest building.  The east kite pair is especially busy.

Kite watchers may be interested in a story from 2004, when Lynn Watson was fortunate enough to observe a White-tailed Kite pair on Vieja Drive – from nest-building, chick fledging to eventual foraging by the family on More Mesa. This photo-illustrated, most special of kite tales, is now available on this web site at Vieja Drive White-tailed Kites, 2004 or click on the image below.

vieja kites
Story Summary

Similar Posts

  • | | |

    September 2011

    Stories of More Mesa Last month we shared one of our “Stories of More Mesa”; stories that tell the world what More Mesa means to the people who cherish it.  This month we present a second story, a different story, but the same theme. (If you, too, have a story you would like to share,…

  • | |

    November 2017

    Big Day for More Mesa – County Approves Coastal Commision Recommendations As reported in our last update, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) was extremely supportive of MMPC’s positions on preservation of More Mesa, and supplemented them with even stronger language than currently existed in the new Eastern Goleta Valley Community Plan. At a meeting on November…

  • September 2010

    It’s Quadruplets! Last month we reported the presence of Northern Harrier Hawks on More Mesa … in summer … a most unusual occurrence.  And since early spring, we have also noticed some very atypical kite behavior.  That is, the historical “east” site, with its perching, hunting and nesting areas, has been nearly devoid of kites. …

  • |

    May 2008

    More Mesa Biological Resource Study – Status Update As reported in last month’s news, the County of Santa Barbara has selected Rincon Consultants to prepare the Updated Biological Resources study of More Mesa.  The Board of Supervisors approved the selection on April 15th , and the one-year study is now officially underway. White-tailed Kites We…

  • August 2013

    The Good Work Continues Last month we called on Citizen Scientists to help us document any evidence of kite nesting on More Mesa. That call has been answered … and with some very good news!  We now have documented evidence that there are almost certainly two nesting pairs of kites on More Mesa this year. First, not…