I Forgot Earth Day Yesterday

Actually I didn't forget it I avoided it. Why just one day? The hypocrisy of inviting people to the beach here to clean up a beach that is supposed to be cleaned daily by the city is upsetting to me. Weekends at Cabrillo Beach is a weekly holiday celebrated by bringing a years supply of bottle water, several outdoor grills and more. During our walk this morning (the dogs and me) didn't see any difference and the place was a trashed as normal with the homeless tent camper next to the County Life Guard Station and the beer bottles in the sand by the swing set. Several broken sprinklers by the bath house spraying the grass and sand. Happy, the German Shepherd, thought it was a new doggie drinking fountain

One of the life guards was washing his new personal pickup which is standard practice. Nice to be able to get paid $26.00 an hour to wash your own truck. 

Inside the breakwater there was a nice 1 foot right break running that would be great for SUP learning.

My cameras are in my backpack when I start out. I stop at the tennis tables to take off my jacket and get a camera out. On the walk to the beach I saw a small bird with a bright red breast that was smaller than a Robin. One needs to be prepared: Every tenderfoot knows that

Need to enjoy the sunshine today and stop my grousing. Maybe ride a bicycle other than traveling to the store but again I need to go to the store again today.

These pictures are from my archives and an earlier date. Percy the Pelican shown here hung out by my sailboat for a while and I took him for a walk.

Most people don't realize that pelicans eat things you would never have thought of.  If it will fit they will eat it. Pigeons, dogs, muskrats and even poodles are fair prey.

Found several nice Cooper Hawk tail feathers and put one in my hat.

My Pelican Pictures

This is an update of an old blog.

These first pictures were taken close to White's Point from the path that leads down to the water by Royal Palms. The pelicans are actually below me in several shots.

That is Point Fermin in the background

These were taken in March of this year.

They soar in small groups or in large ones. They start flying along the breakwater in Cabrillo Beach then ride the uplift along the cliff edge to Royal Palms then turn around and fly back close to the wave tops.

California Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis californicus

Now the pictures shift to two pelicans following in a returning fishing boat.

They know there will be something to eat.

The beggars are very good at panhandling

A flock of gulls also followed the boat into the dock but they stay in the air above the pelicans hoping to get some left overs.

It is not uncommon for gulls to steal from a pelican when they try to swallow their catch. The pelican stays in one spot above the water then dives and when it resurfaces the gull is ready to steal.

The fisherman cleans out the dead bait from his bait tank and gives the pelican an early supper.