It’s humorous the lengths that a few of us select to visit see birds. You’ll have heard stories of “large yr birders” or “large listers” flying around the nation when a rarity displays up that they nonetheless want for no matter present record they’re preserving. I at all times mirror on my good fortune when a Collared Plover confirmed up simply sooner than midday at a playa, which was once a 30 minutes pressure from my paintings in Venture, Texas. We patiently waited for the clock to tick against 5:00 pm so shall we cross seek for it. By the point we arrived so as to add it to our record, a birder had already flown in from Michigan to look it. That have opened my eyes to checklist and listers and the aggressive facet of this pastime.
And despite the fact that I’ve neither the time nor passion for embarking on a right kind Large 12 months, the truth is I can’t assist however care about a few of my birding lists. So, when the risk arises to seek for a brand new hen – I take it. A up to date alternative to move on a repositioning cruise with Princess Cruise Strains out of Los Angeles as they transition the send from the wintry weather Mexico cruises to summer season Alaska cruises gave us an opportunity to hunt out a species this is extremely remoted however will have to be simple sufficient to look and might be one of the most rarest birds in america: Island Scrub-Jay.
Island Packers Cruises gives day by day journeys to Santa Cruz Island from Ventura, which is solely north of LA. We weren’t fairly certain what to anticipate from this present day commute instead of that we had 5 hours to fill as soon as at the island and restricted get admission to to crucial sources. We packed our baggage with water and granola bars, headed to the quay, and was hoping to look our goal hen. Upon arriving on the marina, we checked in with the team of workers and looked for espresso. Harbor Cove Café, a fab Hawaiian-vibed spot, was once simply against the top of the harbor, and the espresso and truffles hit the spot. A long line to board the 65’ vessel had shaped on the supplier’s headquarters. As soon as at the boat, we briefly discovered a spot at the bow to benefit from imaginable hen sightings whilst in transit.
At about 10:30 am, we disembarked the Island Journey and set foot on Santa Cruz Island, an island inside the Channel Islands Nationwide Park. The 1½-hour experience over to the island was once uneven, which the thirty or so youngsters aboard perceived to experience. They attempted to time their jumps with the waves in order that they may get some air – the boat’s group weren’t enthused. It was once amusing to observe those youngsters benefit from the nice outdoor, a few of whom had by no means perceived to ever be aboard a ship sooner than and have been understandably nervous. All of us ooh and ahh over the typical dolphins that rode on the boat’s bow. Teams of dolphins sought out the incoming vessel to sign up for within the amusing and would dive underneath us.
Upon arrival at the island, we attended a required briefing by way of a naturalist with main points relating to waste, toilets, climbing, and getting again to the mainland. After listening in, we accumulated ourselves sooner than in search of our hen. Then, it gave the impression proper subsequent to the desk we have been sitting at. The Island Scrub-Jay was once only some toes away.
I really like making plans my birding tour to understand what to anticipate. Having a look at eBird, I may just now not get a transparent image of ways simply available and constant the Scrub-Jays could be. The reportings are sporadic and unfold out over the entire island. It’s simple to assume that the island will have to be quite simple to discover in one day; on the other hand, it spans over ninety-six sq. miles. Island Packers can drop you off at both Scorpion Cove or Prisoners Harbor; it appeared like the previous could be our easiest guess.
There are a handful of hikes from Scorpion Cove, some extra strenuous than others. In keeping with eBird experiences, we had mentally ready for the Higher Scorpion Canyon hike. And now that we noticed the Scrub-Jay instantly, we have been at just a little of a loss for easy methods to spend the remainder of the day. Thankfully for us, the naturalist who gave us the briefing had a scheduled hike that we determined to sign up for at the Cavern Level path. The hike took us in the course of the campground and up a grassy hill to the northern facet of the island, overlooking mainland California the place tagged Commonplace Ravens soared at the winds.
The island has been occupied for over 10,000 years, with the Chumash as early citizens. They depended on marine harvest and business with the mainland. Maximum not too long ago, sooner than the island got here to be controlled by way of the Nationwide Park Provider and The Nature Conservancy, ranching and agriculture have been the main makes use of of the island. The grassy hills would were stuffed with farm animals, sheep, and horses sooner than being got rid of in 1999, and the pigs have been eliminated in 2006.
Rather than its attention-grabbing historical past, Santa Cruz Island is notable for it’s island endemics. But even so the Island Scrub-Jay – which our information claimed appears similar to the Scrub-Jays in his yard – there may be the Santa Cruz Island Fox. Each species are certainly one thing to behold, now not only a tick to your record. Even if intently associated with the California Scrub-Jay, which it diverged from over 150,000 years in the past, it’s better and is visibly extra brightly coloured. Scientists speculate that this species arrived at Santa Cruz Island because of a typhoon, floated in on driftwood, or most likely all through a length of glaciation when the ocean channel was once now not as huge. The Island Fox is noticeably smaller than the mainland species, which put it in danger from the burgeoning Golden Eagle inhabitants that naturally colonized the island once we confronted a DDT-induced decline of Bald Eagles – the entirety is hooked up.
Our information completed the hike once we reached Cavern Level, a scenic vista at the north facet of the island overlooking plunging cliffs into the Pacific and Brown Pelicans fishing means under. It was once as much as us to proceed the loop that led again to the place to begin and extra alternatives to revel in time with our island endemics. We wandered back off to the campground the place the Island Fox can also be simply seen below a grove of non-native Eucalyptus timber and a couple of extra Scrub-Jays in search of no matter campers may have unnoticed.
We had a number of hours left sooner than our commute again to the mainland, which gave us abundant time to experience staring at the jays on the Scorpion Ranch and notice an excessively daring fox exploring the campground. A couple of extra ravens handed overhead and a surprising Area Finch sunned itself at the rocks.
Our boat experience again was once very eventful, with spouting whales, gliding shearwaters, and an overheard dialog from American overlanders. The coed crew that rode out with us should were wiped out as they slept a lot of the best way again. However I used to be all abuzz as we discovered what we have been in search of, and it was once now not even that onerous.
I pay attention criticisms of listers that they aren’t taking part in the revel in or appreciating the birds. And I will be able to admit that, from time to time, I will be bird-bird-bird. However you will need to take journeys like this to in reality experience a very powerful position’s panorama, historical past, and natural world. In the case of going to nice lengths to look birds and chasing rarities, it’s great to understand that for now, Island Scrub-Jay is a lock in case you are in the appropriate position.
Take a look at this Hannah and Erik Move Birding podcast episode for extra: https://www.buzzsprout.com/187049/episodes/15160425-santa-cruz-island-island-scrub-jays