TimeOut

We started very early today, hoping to find some wildlife before it got hot and crowded, as is typical of summer in San Diego. We headed south, stopping a few exits before reaching the border, at a walking path for the bird sanctuary. We heard background noise but couldn't see the source.

We walked a bit, crossing the river and the bicycle path until we had a clear view of the bay.

Whoa! I have never seen so many sea birds! Nor have I heard so many squawking at once.

There weren't enough birds for me to miss the rabbit at our feet. Here it is.

We got as close as we could, but it was still way too far, so I concluded we should drive over by the SEAL training facility (seen in the background), park there and walk back out a spit of land we know. You may have seen it too in this post SUNRISE IN SOUTH BAY.

That got us closer to the western edge of the birds, where we found a large but not remarkable cluster of terns around one pelican.

He seemed bemused, and not bewildered or bothered.

Of course there were many other birds along the shoreline, of all sizes.

A group of pelicans flew over us.

While we slowly made our way back to the car.

We decided we had enough time to try one more location.

So we upped our pace a bit.

The tide was going out. Every little white spot on the mud flats was a bird, searching for food in the recently-uncovered shoreline.

We only saw one person, heading out to where we had come from.

We came to the bike path. Cars nose up to it, the vehicles on the highway behind are doing 65-75, and runners, walkers, cyclists and speeding electric skateboards make up a constant stream of activity. I suppose the birds look at the people like we look at them...

We went over to observation site #3 and found the best place for viewing. The noise was much louder here,

as we were considerably closer now to the eastern flocks.

I took some video (link at the end of the post).

I managed a few glances at the foliage, to be sure nothing was waiting to trip me up!

and so I didn't fall into one of these deep holes or spider webs.

We worked our way back to the car, and on the way had a conversation with one of the neighbors who lives below the big tree in the next photo. She indicated that the bird noise is fairly constant and that she loves it, whereas it drives some folks crazy.  I was reminded of friends Bud & Dee, who lived on San Diego Bay and reported that sea lions bark loudly all night long... and there are no owners to complain to!

I won't forget this morning walk, which reminded me a bit of Essex, or the Norfolk Broads, in the UK.

DETOUR. We stopped for my wife to get something from Hobby Lobby. I was dressed for the upcoming fall season decor. Notice how the MIH goes with anything.

She insisted on a photo.  Thanks for reading!

Cazalea

PS Here is The Birds, The Movie (my 6-min. homage to Alfred Hitchcock?)

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