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On the late afternoon of April 18, 2007, Kyle Braunger noted 1000-1500 Western Sandpipers, along with Dunlin and Semipalmated Plovers, hunkering down in the very strong winds on the beach between Campus Point and the Marine Sciences Building.
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Campus Point is the best place to see the migration of shorebirds and seabirds, which is by far the most dramatic animal migration available to us in this part of California. From late March to early June, huge numbers of seabirds funnel into our region as they approach Pt. Conception on their northward journey. Some species trickle while others flood past Campus Point. The species seen in largest numbers are Surf Scoter, Brant, Red-throated and Pacific Loon, and California Gull.
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| A large flock of Brant flying past Campus Point, April 20, 2007. |
The shorebirds are more likely than the seabirds to use our restoration areas. For example, shorebirds rely on the three sand dune “depressions” that interrupt the otherwise continuous bluff-backed beaches bordering Campus Lagoon. These depressions offer shelter when the wind is intense or storms rage. CCBER has been working on restoring native plants to these once iceplant-infested areas. On the late afternoon of April 18, Kyle Braunger noted 1000-1500 Western Sandpipers, along with Dunlin and Semipalmated Plovers, hunkering down in the very strong winds on the beach between Campus Point and the Marine Sciences Building. On May 15, several common migrant species were seen during a Campus Lagoon survey: Olive-sided Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, Western Tanager, and Warbling Vireo.
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Western Sandpipers sheltering on the beach between
Campus Point and the Marine Sciences Building, April 20, 2007. |
Our campus monitoring is greatly enhanced by the observations of our on-campus naturalists in other departments. Thanks go especially to Florence Sanchez, Patrick McNulty, and Dan Fontaine for their contributions to our knowledge of birds and mammals in our restoration zones and elsewhere on campus. |
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