Saw three new duck species today!!

I bet a lot of people think if you've seen one duck you have seen them all. Dead wrong, not only are there ducks of surprisingly different colors out there, but some ducks don't look anything like what you might think of as the textbook duck (i.e., the mallard). On the Ballona Creek there are about 16 different species in the duck family alone. Of the three new ones I saw today, the Red Breasted Merganser is probably the most unusual, as it has a punk-rock style hair-do. I also saw a Lesser Scaup notable for its jet black head and bright orange eyes, The Red winged Teal may me slightly more common but it has a distinctive white stripe on its head. Don't get me started on the Surf Scoter with its lumpy looking red yellow and white beak and black feathers!

Anyway, I have a new found respect for the duck family!

Skatebirding with California State Senator Ben Allen!

Late this afternoon I had the pleasure of sharing my skatebirding experience with State Senator Ben Allen. Since Senator Allen's District 26 includes the Ballona Creek area, he was interested in learning more about the bird species there and about the kinds of recreational activities that local residents enjoy. I showed the Senator a number of birds, including the Great Blue Heron, Grey Pelican, Stilt, Willet, Bonaparte Gull, Coot, and Green winged Teal. He was quite impressed by the number of species we saw in a very short time. Senator Allen is a strong supporter of environmental preservation and appreciates all that the Ballona Creek has to offer.

Invest in High Performance Wheel Bearings

I just discovered the benefits of high performance skateboard wheel bearings. Bearings are what make your wheels spin around the axles. They are ring-shaped and sized to fit snugly inside your wheels. Better bearings make you glide longer with each push from you pedaling foot and when you are on the rough asphalt of the Ballona creek path you need good bearings to counteract the high friction of the ground surface. In an earlier post I mentioned the importance of soft wheels since they make the ride smoother, but you really need both soft wheels AND good bearings. Soft wheels for a smooth ride and good bearings for more efficient pedaling (i.e., less exertion per distance traveled).

Saw a group of Ancient Murrelets today

These birds are not even in my introductory guide. Thanks to some local birders (the non-skateboarding kind) that were out today I learned that these Ancient Murrelets were spotted in the Marina Harbor (just over the spit from Ballona Creek) a few days ago and have attracted some attention in the birding community. These Murrelets are rarely seen south of Point Concepcion so I was lucky to see them. I saw four of them together.

In general, if you want to learn more about birds I suggest you make friends with your local bird enthusiasts. They are the ones with the fancy "bird scopes" which are essentially telescopes designed for birding. They require tripods and are not very mobile but there are great for spotting birds that are far away. Most birders with scopes are happy to share them so you can get a good look at something that are either too small or too far away for even for a good pair of binoculars. Scopes are not practical for skatebirding (too big and bulky) but you won't miss too much if you don't have one (see my earlier post on binoculars).

Why go birding on a skateboard?

If you are a bit more interested in birds than in skateboards, I encourage you to get a skateboard. If the last time you were on a skateboard was more than 20 years ago (I'll admit that it was a bit longer than that for me), its time to get back on. It will take you a few days to get comfortable but it's worth it. You only need to move in a straight line and there are no cars or curbs to contend with when you are birding. Just be sure to put your binoculars strap over your head and shoulder and push them toward your back while you are riding so that they don't dangle--it's much harder to keep you balance if your binos are dangling and bouncing against your chest. Also, be sure to wear pants with a big enough front pocket to fit your birding book--I don't advise holding anything in your hands while you are skating.

Binoculars are the window to a new perception of your surroundings

Binoculars make the experience of birding come alive. Without binoculars, especially if you haven't begun to distinguish among bird species, looking out on the creek or the ocean  shore will give you a vague sense of the presence of birds. But when you can see their finer features and behaviors magnified through good binoculars, you suddenly become more attuned to the incredible diversity and natural beauty that these birds represent. Seeing these birds up close gives you the feeling of being a part of your natural surroundings and puts you in touch with all the non-human animal activity that had been happening around you but that, until now, you had been largely ignoring.

Imagine if you went to a party and all the people looked like they were 100 feet away. You would feel detached from your surroundings. Humans, especially modern age humans living in cities, have a hard time feeling the proximity of nature when aided only by the naked eye. Binoculars are a balance shifting game changer. With binoculars you suddenly feel like you and the birds are at the same party. With a super close-up view of a Great Blue Heron you can imagine yourself being much less distant from this amazing creature.

Saw a group of Brants today

I have identified about 30 species so far and today I got my first glimpse of a Brant. Brants are a small member of the goose family with a jet black head and a cool white ring around the neck. Geese have an elegant vibe that distinguishes them. Bird books don't get into vibes but they are definitely there.