Bolsa Chica Fieldtrip essays

Bolsa Chica Fieldtrip essays As we arrive at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve I notice that this day is particularly warm and sunny. In the distance a significant haze is visible, but there arent many clouds. Its 10:10 AM and weve just been handed our binoculars and data collection sheets. I am standing facing west to avoid looking into the sun, and off to my right I notice quite a few pigeons, which Travis informs us dont really count since they were introduced into the area by people. The air temperature is reported to be about 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The wind seems unusually strong in this area, but the weather reported a wind out of the south east of 10 to 15 miles per hour. My partner for the data collection today is Mariah. If I stick with her today I am bound to learn a few new bird names. As we begin our walk around the Ecological Reserve we stop first on the footbridge about ten feet from where we began. As I peer down into the water below I see a lot of shells littered about. Travis tells us that what we are seeing are razor clams, muscles, sponges, algae, and a few stingrays. I was surprised to find out that this is a hatchery for lots of small fish. I look around as he tells us about the fish, and I see nearly a hundred birds in the distance, and now I realize why they stick around this place. Theres a lot of food for them here. I also see some snails as we begin the rest of our walk. I am excited to see birds at this point and I keep noticing pigeons around the bridge hoping that they are some exotic bird that I can write down, but that will have to wait. I dont have to wait long though. Almost immediately I see my first feeding bird, a Caspian Tern I am told. Its scientific name is Sterna caspia. We watch the bird fly around and then into an Arial plunge dive. It appears to be about 100 feet from the waters edge and it is diving in the Inner Bay area. I cant follow it very well wi...