Living with the Lockdown – Treasure Hunt #9

Posted on May 30, 2020 | by MMPC

There are Trees…and Then There are “Trees”

If trees had personalities, I would have to characterize the Tamarisk, of our last Treasure Hunt, as the personification of evil, and today’s Treasure Hunt, as the personification of good. The California Sycamore is beautiful and interesting…in a different way…and during every season of the year. Moreover, it willingly offers sustenance, shelter, shade and safety to critters of all kinds…including us. After learning about our native Sycamore these past days, I can honestly say, I really love this tree!

California Sycamore

The California Sycamore, also known as the Western Sycamore, the California Plane and by several other names, can grow to 100 feet, with a trunk diameter as large as 3 feet. As a young tree, the Sycamore is pyramidal, but as it grows, the trunk generally divides into two or more large trunks which then split into many massive limbs and branches…giving the tree a wondrous rambling, often unsymmetrical, quality that just adds to its beauty.

The five-pointed green leaves of this lovely tree are extremely large, in fact the largest leaves of any native plant in North America. Moreover, when leaves first emerge, they are “fuzzy” on the top side and “very fuzzy” on the bottom side. But unlike many of our native trees, our Sycamore is deciduous, so that when the weather gets colder and the days shorter, these huge leaves put on a “fall show” by turning a striking golden and orangish color. And to provide a color show in winter, the tree boldly displays its bark, which is an attractive patchwork of white, tawny beige, pinkish gray, and pale brown. Indeed, some have described Sycamore bark as looking like a jig-saw puzzle. This colorful and interesting tree is native only to coastal California and the Baja, with its favorite habitats being canyons, floodplains and along streams. And like a few of the native trees of our area, it can live up to 250 years.

It’s Spring and Procreation is in the Air

The reproductive process for Sycamores starts in very early Spring. Both female and male reproductive organs can be found on the same tree. Male flowers form into small greenish spheres on “strings” that fall to the ground after the pollen of these flowers is released. The hope is that wind will carry

pollen from the male flowers to the dense reddish female flowers. These are larger spheres that look like fuzzy gum balls on a string, and are found on the same, or other, Sycamores. Once pollinated, the fruits of this tree are produced in the form of seed balls; golf-ball sized heads of tufted “fruits”, with each fruit containing a single seed. Three to seven of these balls hang on a stalk*, dry out, and then once again, call upon the wind to disperse the seeds for the new generation. To ensure seed dispersal, the individual carriers of the fruits have tufts of hair that act as parachutes…to catch the wind and travel long distances. This is especially helpful when there is a need to rapidly reestablish the species after a flood…smart Sycamore!

*Mature fruits can be seen in the photo at the top of this page.

The Sycamore is the Giving Tree

Sycamores give of themselves for critters all the way from small insects to large mammals like us. Starting with tiny animals, evidence of the use of Sycamore leaves for food may be found when you see holes its leaves. The holes tell you that the Sycamore Tussock Moth

caterpillar has been lunching. If you find a leaf with holes, you may also note that this caterpillar, and anything else that feeds on the leaves, does not particularly like the thick fuzzy coat on the leaves, or on new stems, so it pushes all that material to the side before dining. In some areas, the Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly also lays its eggs on Sycamore leaves…so its caterpillars may feast on them as well. Squirrels and other small rodents and birds, feed on the seeds of the Sycamore, while the bark is a dinner for beavers and fox squirrels. And at the top, these tall trees also provide safe nesting sites for many species of birds.

Sycamores have been giving to humans for a very long time. Native Americans used the inner bark for food and medicinal purposes, the leaves to wrap bread during baking, and branches in house construction. And after Europeans and “Yankees” arrived in California, our Sycamores were so prominent on the Central Coast that they were often used as landmarks. For example, newcomers to the Goleta Valley used sycamores as markers for property limits. Still living, and probably 250 years old, are two famous and gigantic Sycamores known as the Witness Tree and the Sister Witness Tree.

The Witness Tree still exists in the middle of the Butler Center on Hollister Avenue…surviving a recent fall of one large limb. Its relative, the Sister Witness Tree, just across the street, is credited with being the largest California Sycamore in the United States. These two trees are incredibly important as they were native before Europeans arrived on our coast and being genetically pure…they are extremely rare!

A little later, one tree, which stood on the south end of Milpas Street reportedly was used as a make-shift light house. Residents of Santa Barbara were purported to have hung lanterns in its upper branches to guide offshore sailing ships. However, this explanation for the lanterns probably does not tell the whole story.

The Whole Story

During the period when California was part of the Spanish empire, “the Crown” insisted that all goods to California must come from Spanish merchants. To enforce this unenforceable edict, they levied onerous customs duties on all goods that came from “Yankee” ports…like Boston. Sometimes these duties were as high as 100% of the value of the goods. The law was unenforceable because, beside the fact that there were not enough Spanish ships or goods to meet the demand, there were not enough Spanish officials in the colonies to enforce the law. So…in the late 1790s and early 1800s smuggling became a way of life all up and down the California coast. Since it would be another 70+ years for Stearn’s Wharf to be built, goods destined for Santa Barbara were offloaded onto smaller boats or simply thrown overboard to be retrieved on shore. For smugglers, this clandestine activity went on during the night, when the Customs office was closed. It is therefore, most likely the light in the Sycamore was probably used to indicate to the smugglers where the goods should be put overboard. Yankee goods made life easier for early Californians, and once again, our lovely Sycamore was part of it!

The importance of caring for the tree that gives and gives may not be recognized by everyone. It is, however, recognized by the state of California! In 2006 the California Sycamore was added to the list of trees in our state that are “fully protected”.

Where Are They?

Once you can recognize Sycamores, you will see they can be found all
over Santa Barbara. they grow wild in creeks and canyons and have been

Sycamore on Atascadero Creek
planted in many beautiful and special places all around Santa Barbara…places like the Museum of Natural History, Oak Park and along the Atascadero Creek bike path.They have also been welcomed in private yards, as well as beautifying freeway entrances, exits and parkways. The Sycamore is a tree for all…and we should be very proud of this truly “giving” native being such a big part of our lovely and special little town.

We are indebted to Santa Barbara Beautiful, University of Redlands and Ken Knight for much valuable information on the California Sycamore.

Remember: Six Feet Apart and Stay Safe,
Valerie

Living with the Lockdown – Treasure Hunt #8

Posted on May 20, 2020 | by MMPC

Then a Treasure, Now Trouble…BIG Trouble…The Invasives

fennel Some invasive plants move from their home territories via stealth. They hitchhike on boots, backpacks, clothing, packaging containers and ship bottoms. But, by in large, most were purposely transported from their homeland by humans who thought they were treasures that would be valuable in other, far-away places.

For this reason, our current Treasure Hunt looks at plants that seemed like something “heaven sent” at the time they were introduced, but today they are veritable nightmares. We will look at just a few of the current nightmares that plague our beautiful South Coast.

Rose Clover…Excellent, Cheap Fodder

On a recent More Mesa walk, I became aware of lots and lots of pretty clover. This plant was low to the ground with thousands of pinkish colored flowers. It was everywhere, with huge patches beside the main trails. I had not remembered a lot of clover in the past, but this has been a strange year…on many fronts! So, I did some investigating. It appears that this is “Rose Clover” a native of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa and introduced to California, from Turkey, in 1944. I uncovered a pamphlet written by an agricultural branch of the University of California that was written in 1949. This document had nothing but kudos for a plant that could survive in the absolute worst of soils and was perfect for “Range Improvement”, that is, it is excellent fodder for cattle, sheep and deer. Today, Rose Clover, which is defined as “naturalized in the wild”, continues to be used extensively for these same purposes, as well as ground cover for vineyards. What does it do for More Mesa and other wild areas? It chokes out all the natives that were here for thousands of years.

Pampas Grass…Great “Cash Crop”

Originally from Argentina, Pampas Grass is an attractive ornamental grass that is popular in landscapes and extremely easy to grow. Pampas Grass was originally introduced to California by sailors of clipper ships during the gold rush. However, our very own Joseph Sexton (of the Sexton House on Hollister) created an entire, and extremely lucrative, industry in 1872, when he imported seeds of Pampas Grass from Argentina and raised several hundred plants. These first plumes were exported to Europe and became a huge fad…and a huge business for Sexton. For a complete, and wonderfully illustrated story of Pampas Grass in Goleta, visit Goleta History.

Not only was Pampas Grass very easy to grow but each individual plume produces up to 100,000 seeds…seeds that are widely dispersed by wind, and develop without fertilization! Moreover, California’s climate was a veritable heaven to the Pampas Grass plant. It spread quickly all over the state and became a rampant weed*. It took over, clogging waterways and wetlands and crowded out native plants and tree seedlings. It also crowded out the native plants that wild animals feed on. And to add to the fun…when dry, Pampas Grass becomes a fire hazard! In short, it created and still creates, nothing short of environmental chaos.

Although this plant is difficult to eradicate and has been described as a veritable scourge, it is still used extensively for landscaping gardens. Until about 10 years ago there were several large stands of Pampas Grass on More Mesa. We have not seen any recently, but they are still to be found in various spots around the Goleta Valley.

*This behavior does not occur in its native South American environments, where Pampas Grass grows on river plains where part of the year the crown is under water while the rest of the year the plant is stressed by drought.

Fennel…Good for What Ails You

Fennel history dates back to early Ancient Rome when the aromatic herb was used for a large number of medicinal and other purposes. The Greeks used it as a diet aid and the Romans, Chinese and Hindus used it as an antidote to various poisons. And, in medieval times, British Royalty used is as a condiment and appetite suppressant. Some folks during this period also believed that fennel could protect them from evil spirits…so they hung it over doorways. (Myself…I prefer mistletoe.) As for Fennel’s medicinal properties, Alphonse Karr, a writer of the late 1800s tried to put claims of fennel’s healing properties to rest with his announcement, “At the end of three or four hundred years, it began to be perceived that fennel had never cured anyone.” Having said this, I found pages and pages of sites touting Fennel’s medicinal benefits…especially for digestive issues.

In general, Fennel has followed civilization, especially where Italians have colonized an area. It was originally introduced to North America by Spanish missionaries for cultivation in their medicinal gardens. However, after it escaped cultivation from the mission gardens, it may also have been aided and abetted by Italian immigrants who settled in the Goleta Valley. Among these newcomers was the family that ran the More Ranch Dairy and also began Jordanos. And speaking from personal experience, when I was a kid, my Italian family ate fennel root instead of celery…only we called it Finocchio…very tasty!

Fennel will reproduce from both root crown and seed. Seeds are dispersed by water and on vehicles and clothing. Birds and rodents eat the seeds and may disperse them as well. Fennel is all over the Goleta Valley and the coastal trail of More Mesa especially…outcompeting many natives…many of whom have disappeared. Fennel’s only “saving grace” is that it is a preferred food for Anise Swallowtails…as you may remember from our last Treasure Hunt. For more on Anise Swallowtails check out the butterfly section of our web site.

Tamarisk…Control Erosion

Since river running was a big part of my adult life, you are about to get another river camp story. We were again relaxing after an eventful day of Colorado River rapids in the deepest part of the Grand Canyon. I remarked that the trees we were sitting under were very pretty. The nearest river guide scowled and said they were Tamarisks. His face was not a happy face and the story that follows explains why.

What is Tamarisk?

tamarisk This treasure, also known as salt cedar, is a shrub or small tree originally from Eurasia and Africa. It took root, literally and figuratively, about 200 years ago…and did so with the blessing of the federal government. After importation, it was sometimes used as an ornamental or as a windbreak.
However, since Tamarisk loves water, its most important job was to prevent erosion. For this overriding consideration, it was subsequently planted along riverbanks across the United States, but mostly in the Southwest. It thrived and proliferated via seeds…with a single large tree producing 1,000,000 seeds per year.

It is interesting that the two previous plants and Tamarisk, all have feathery, fragile looking structures that totally belie their ability to “tough it out”, proliferate and totally eliminate natives; natives that probably have been here for thousands of years.

The Nightmare Begins

As it turned out, not only does Tamerisk have an insatiable thirst, but it has many qualities that are definitely not attractive! First, its tap root can reach down as much as 25 feet for water. Moreover, in the arid southwest most of water is very alkaline. So…the wily Tamarisk sucks up this alkaline water and then deposits the salt on its leaves…thereby increasing the salinity of surface soils when the leaves fall to the ground. Under these conditions, native trees like cottonwood and willows have no hope of survival. Tamarisk also burns hot in wildfires, complicating efforts of firefighters. And, to add insult to injury, after any burn, a reaction in the tree allows it to sprout back more vigorous than it was before the fire!

It Gets Worse

Erosion continued to be important but Tamarisk did not become a nightmare invasive until the beginning of the last century; a period when America began its love affair with dams. As a river runner, dams are not one of my favorite topics. However, as a scientist, objectivity must prevail.

Here’s how it works

With the construction of dams, rivers are no longer able to flush salt from ecosystems, and soils become even more alkaline. Since salt deters general plant growth, more salt makes matters worse for most plants. In addition, there are many more dry spells during which native plants die. But the Tamarisk is able to simply shut down and wait it out. This means that, in a Tamarisk laden, post-dam era, even greater amounts of salt will be brought up and deposited on their leaves and then onto the surface. Bottom Line:
Tamarisk plants, hoarding light, water and nutrients, have impacted natural systems and destroyed native wildlife habitat throughout the Southwest. Indeed, the Colorado River Corridor…where we were at the beginning of this story…is a national treasure, where Tamarisk has spread to such an extent that it has effectively wreaked havoc on all the natural functions and processes of the entire ecosystem.

Tamarisk now dominates riparian zones of arid climates over a million acres of the western United States. Indeed, it has the dubious distinction of being one of the top 100 invasives on the Global Invasive Species Database…which ranks all living material on the planet!

Can Anything Be Done?

When Tamarisk was first recognized as a problem, there was talk of eradication. However, since the period of dam building, Tamarisk is so prevalent that it will never be completely eradicated…the best we can hope for is managing it. Since the late 1980s various methods to deal with Tamarisk have been tried…with little success. Millions of dollars have been spent by government and non-profit groups in attempts to remove, or even subdue, Tamarisk. You can’t burn it – it grows back. You can’t pull it out without great effort, and herbicides don’t necessarily work. However, over the last 20 years a successful biological pest control method is showing great promise. A leaf-eating beetle from the Tamarisk’s native range has been introduced into areas infested with the plant. Results have shown that if the beetles feed on a given plant for 3-5 years, it eventually dies. Many success stories in various states show that the beetles seem to be doing their job, as well as spreading out to find new areas of Tamarisk to defoliate and eventually wipe out. Some states have backed away from the beetle solution because an endangered bird now nests in Tamerisk. It’s complicated.

You can find Tamarisk along creeks on the South Coast.

Remember: Six Feet Apart and Stay Safe
Valerie

Living with the Lockdown – Treasure Hunt #7

Posted on May 6, 2020 | by MMPC

First the Birds, then the Bees and now … the Butterflies

Decades ago I married into a family that loved insects, and most especially butterflies. As a result of this Lepidopteran love affair, we started raising butterflies as soon as our offspring could appreciate them. In fact, I seem to remember we were always writing excuse notes for our children’s lateness. The reason … the butterflies … perverse as they are, often chose to emerge just as the kids were getting ready for school. We still raise butterflies, and they continue to be a big part of our lives, to this day.

Happily, Santa Barbara is home to many kinds of butterflies, with more than twenty different species being recorded on More Mesa alone. Indeed, while researching our last Treasure Hunt, I came across a “West Coast Lady” on a Deerweed plant, and while researching this piece, I came across two “Buckeyes”. The butterfly season has arrived!

Butterfly Life Cycle is Very Short, but Complex …

The life cycle of most butterflies is two months or less, and has four distinct stages; Egg, Caterpillar, Pupa and Adult. Most of us see only the adult stage.

Eggs begin a new cycle and are laid on plants that the caterpillar likes to eat … and the caterpillar is usually a very picky eater!
The caterpillar’s job is to eat and grow. A tiny caterpillar emerges from the egg. Over several weeks, it will shed its skin 4 times to accommodate the growth needed to eventually become an adult. Indeed, when the caterpillar is ready to pupate, it weighs 3000 times what it weighed when it hatched from the egg. Its final task is to find a convenient and safe place to do its work as a pupa. At that spot, it will literally generate a hook to “hang” itself and turn into a pupal shape.
The pupa is the transformative stage. This is the time a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. It is at the very end of the pupal stage that a butterfly emerges.
The only job of the adult butterfly is to begin the cycle again. That is, it must find a mate, mate, and lay eggs. However, immediately after emergence, the butterfly must do some ‘prep’ work. First it pumps fluid into its wings and then dries them. Now it can fly. But it must also construct its proboscis, a long straw-like body part that will enable the butterfly to feed itself during the adult phase. During these 2-3 weeks, the butterfly only consumes enough food to stay alive until it lays eggs. Its food is the nectar of flowers and thus the process is called “nectaring”. (Notice that the food the adult uses to stay alive is different from the food the caterpillar needs to grow … and grow … and grow.)

* Thanks to the Museum of Natural History Butterfly Docent Program for the Life Cycle Graphic above.

Some Well Known Species Live Out the Whole Cycle on More Mesa…

There are at least two butterfly species that go through their entire life cycles on More Mesa; the Anise Swallowtail and the Common Buckeye. For the Swallowtail, that cycle can be anywhere from 6 to 10 weeks.

To start, eggs of the Swallowtail are deposited on the ubiquitous Fennel all over More Mesa. But while Swallowtails have been native to this area, Fennel is an introduced European plant. I wondered how that could work. Here’s how … Fennel is a member of the carrot family; a large family with many domesticated members, and many wild members as well. For example, the Swallowtail caterpillars may have used native Hemlock as caterpillar food before Fennel came on the scene.

The Common Buckeye life cycle is similar to the Swallowtail. However, Buckeye caterpillars are not as picky as most caterpillars. They eat several species of Plantain, a family of low growing flowering plants … also readily available on More Mesa. On the other side of our country, Buckeyes from Florida prefer False Foxglove, as well as other eastern plant types. Buckeyes tend to be found closer to the ground, whereas Anise Swallowtails fly much higher. Look for them throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall.

They Are Beautiful, But What Are They Good for?

There should be no argument that butterflies are beautiful and watching them makes us all feel really good. They are a truly charismatic family. But they are also a functioning part of their ecosystem. Although they are often referred to as pollinators, that service is more of an accident, and not extremely effective. While a butterfly can inadvertently fly away with some pollen on its legs after it has been nectaring, that surface area is extremely small compared to what a bee can carry off.

Caterpillars are food for other animals. For example, a tiny bird like the
Eurasian Blue Tit, which weighs less than ½ an ounce, will need to find
nearly 20,000 caterpillars to raise one average clutch of youngsters.

Grandaughter Discovering Caterpillars on More Mesa

Most importantly, because butterflies are indicators of a healthy environment and healthy ecosystems, they become effective indicators of environmental disturbances and can be used to find answers to complex scientific questions.

All of the above aside, and in the final analysis, most of us would agree with Alan Watts when he said …

BUTTERFLIES ARE NATURE’S WAY OF WRITING POETRY.

Remember: Six Feet Apart and Stay Safe,
Valerie …

This Treasure Hunt is a family affair … all photos by Donley Olson

Living with the Lockdown – Treasure Hunt #6

Posted on April 28, 2020 | by MMPC

A Tiny, but Powerful Member of the Animal Kingdom

Prologue: When I sat down to write this week’s Treasure Hunt I had planned to introduce one of my favorite and hard-working little plants, Deerweed. But as I got deeper into the research about certain aspects of Deerweed, I discovered a world of mind-boggling information on the major pollinator of Deerweed; Bees. Because of this, I added a section on bees that I thought was fascinating. As I have been doing, I passed the text off to a good friend and colleague to get his comments, edits etc. He, replied … nicely of course … “You got it all wrong, it should be all about the bees“.

When I thought about it, he was absolutely right! And here’s the reason … if you have been following our Treasure Hunts you will remember that 4 of the 5 of the “Hunts” published so far have discussed reproduction. After all … it is Spring, reproduction is in the air, and bees are a major player in this vital process. And happily, while bees are gathering nectar to raise their own young, they are simultaneously pollinating the plants they visit, thereby helping produce the next generation of that plant.

Bees are Premier Pollinators and Vitally Important

Busy Bee Photo by Chris Brems — Busy Bee
Photo by Chris Brems

Scientists consider bees to be a keystone species and the USDA estimates that 80% of insect crop pollination is accomplished by bees. They are critically important to ecosystems of at least 90 commercially grown crops that depend on bee pollination for survival. Bees are the undisputed champions of the
pollination world. However, bees are in trouble. Like many in the insect world, bee populations are declining precipitously. While pesticides and climate change, are part of the problem, die-offs are happening largely because bees, like many insects, are losing their habitat to both development and urbanization.

The Superhero Bee

If a bee were a superhero, its sight would be its super power. Bees have two types of eyes, with each type having a separate function. The three smaller eyes in the center-top of a bee’s head are called ocelli; a word from Latin, and meaning “little eye”. These little bee eyes each have a single lens, with the three of them helping the bee maintain stability and navigate.

bee eye Vision is accomplished using two very large compound eyes. These eyes are amazing examples of nature’s engineering. A bee compound eye is made up of thousands of tiny lenses called facets. Each of these facets takes in one small part of the insect’s field of view. The bee’s brain then converts these signals into a mosaic-like picture made of each image. Some bees have up to 8,600 facets.

Bees Cannot See Red: Humans base their color combinations on red, blue and green, while bees base their colors on ultraviolet light, blue and green. This is the reason why bees can’t see the color red. Things that appear “red” to us, look black to bees. On the other hand, bees are able to see ultraviolet patterns on various flowers.

bee vision

About the Deerweed … Never Mind, It’s Done!

Deerweed Stalk-Red and Yellow Flowers Photo by Chris Brems — Deerweed Stalk-Red and Yellow Flowers
Photo by Chris Brems

Bees go mad over the bright-yellow flowers of this California native. And, as mentioned above, they are simultaneously gathering nectar and pollinating. However, once pollinated, the flower gets to work producing seeds for the next generation. Since the bees are no longer needed on the pollinated flower, that flower turns red and a bee can’t “see” it anymore. It is therefore common for us to see both red and yellow flowers on the same stalk of Deerweed. Why does the plant do that? The pollinated flower appears black to the bee, so it is not attracted to it, because it can no longer see it. Bee vision then becomes another “Mother Nature win-win” situation; the bee doesn’t waste time on the pollinated flower and that particular flower is not disturbed while it is busy preparing for the next generation.

You can find Deerweed along the coastal trail of More Mesa and many other habitats in our area. You can find bees everywhere.

A Word in Support of the Bee

Lastly, have you ever noticed when someone mentions bees, the first thing, and most times the only thing, that gets discussed is a stinging incident? Unlike mosquitos and other stinging insects, bees are merely reacting to a perceived threat to the colony or the hive. There is no benefit to the individual bee who stings someone. In fact, it is committing suicide, since the stinger is stuck in the wound (with several other body parts) and the bee can no longer function.

Please Help!

People who love More Mesa have a long tradition of not only carrying out their own trash, but picking up trash left by others. Since the lockdown many more people are visiting More Mesa. These new people don’t know about our More Mesa traditions and therefore do not know that they should be very respectful of this place we love. Also, with the current situation, it is not as easy to pick up after those who are “not in the know”. One way to help would be to educate the newcomers … shouting from six feet away … that More Mesa is a very special place and we need to take care of it. Ask them to PLEASE pick up their trash and carry it out.

THANKS SO MUCH!

Living with the Lockdown – Treasure Hunt #5

Posted on April 20, 2020 | by MMPC

More Mesa and Treasure #5 Photo by Chris Brems — More Mesa and Treasure #5
Photo by Chris Brems

Today’s Treasure May Be Flying, Wading or Standing Still – But Always Breathtaking

heron-egg — Egg facsimile courtesy of Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Today’s treasure starts with this lovely, pale blue egg. What emerges from this egg, after being incubated roughly a month? It’s a Great Blue Heron Chick!

During that month it will have been lovingly and periodically rolled (to keep its temperature constant) and “sat on” by both Mom and Dad. (Dad helps during the day, but Mom gets all the night duty.) The newborn will weigh about 1¾ ounces, and when it emerges, it may be surrounded by up to 5 other chicks who have hatched earlier. Nestlings can verbalize immediately and the parents will then feed them by regurgitating food they have gathered. Although the youngsters can leave the nest, and sit on a branch after only a few weeks, Mom and Dad will still feed for 49-81 days. After that, the nestlings are on their own.

gbh What do we know about the adult in addition to their being elegant royalty of the bird world? Full grown Great Blue males, at 50 inches tall, are the largest of the North American herons. Their wingspan can reach 80 inches. But all this height and wingspan weighs a mere 6-8 pounds because, as for all birds, their bones are hollow. They have long legs (see “Fun” below), an “S” shaped neck, a thick dagger-like bill and an amazing 9 inch stride.

They Look Like and Move Like Royalty, but Eat Like a Peasant … Just About Anything

Great Blues are opportunistic feeders and hunt 90% of their waking hours. They will eat anything within striking distance: fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, insects, and other birds. In freshwater creeks and ponds, as well as salt water lagoons, they grab smaller prey in their strong mandibles or use their dagger-like bills to impale larger fish, often shaking them to break or relax the sharp spines before gulping them down.

The Great Blue hunting style involves wading or standing like a statue. Moreover, they are very skittish, so approach slowly … or not at all. If they have perceived you as a threat, they will take off by beating their wings hard, catching the wind and then gracefully cruising at speeds of 20-30 mph. You may see Great Blue Herons on More Mesa this time of year because its wetland areas are well … wet … and therefore good hunting grounds. You can also see Great Blue Herons almost all year at Goleta Beach County Park.

Completing the Circle of Life

In order to complete their life cycle, adult Herons need to find mates, and produce eggs. Since the young are vulnerable to predators, Great Blue Herons generally choose to build their nests within 2 miles of feeding habitat, in high trees, and in large colonies consisting of other Great Blue Heron nests*. To start with, like many birds, Great Blue Herons have elaborate mating rituals where the male does most of the chasing, while the female sits in one place, sings a little and expects to be impressed. Male Great Blues perform by flying in huge circles around the colony and fighting off other competitors for the lady of their choice.

Once the monogamous pair (at least for that season) is formed, the nest must be built. This is an elaborate affair, with the male choosing the nest site and gathering materials. He presents the materials (usually twigs) to her and then lays them at her feet. At this point, the female takes responsibility for the creation of the nest. She uses the “gifts” the male brings her and either builds a new nest or uses the supplies to repair an old one. For the final touches, the female lines the nest with leaves and plants to create padding for the three to six eggs she will lay over the next 10 days or so. Viola! Back to the egg!

*They are called heronries and you can look for one at Goleta Beach Park.

A Fun Thing to Think About

Birds have legs with all the same structures as we have. But there are some big surprises. The sketch at the right, with the parts of the leg illustrated, shows that: gbh-skeleton

Birds walk only on their toes
Their feet never touch the ground when walking
Their ankles are in the middle of their legs
Their knees are up under their feathers where you can’t see them!

How Can I Identify Things I See on More Mesa?

smartphone Three guides, “Birds”, “Insects” and “Plants” have been created and uploaded to our web site. And, since our web site is mobile friendly, these guides are especially useful when citizen scientists and other visitors to More Mesa are in the field. So … when you are out enjoying lovely More Mesa and see something you want to identify immediately, grab your smart phone, bring up our web site and look for the appropriate Guide; Birds, Insects (includes butterflies) or Plants. It’s the perfect option!

Remember: Six Feet Apart and Stay Safe,
Valerie