Montaña de Oro - Black Oystercatcher Monitoring Update

Montaña de Oro State Park - Danger Sign Site - Update on Black Oystercatcher (Bloy) monitoring.  Thirty-one days have passed since I began monitoring the Bloy pair at Danger Sign.  The shale formation they are inhabiting is close to the bluff but not connected.  Most of the time, with the exception of very low tides, it is surrounded by water.  Numerous formations that jut into the sea protect the pair's rocky home from the pounding surf.

Beginning May 21, I have monitored the site eight times.  On June 10th, as I neared the site, I could hear alarm calls.  More than likely the pair were chasing off Oystercatcher intruders.  Within a couple of minutes the pair returned.  Neither of them settling onto the nest.  Perhaps there had been a successful hatching.  One of the pair flew off, soon to return with a white morsel clutched in its bright red bill.  A chick appeared for a few moments.  At the same time I thought I might have seen a smidgen of a second chick.  Yeah!!

Two days later I was back.  There were two chicks.  The parents were occupied in full-time provisioning. One was usually standing guard while their mate was off gathering food. 

My last visit was on Friday the 19th. - Two chicks - Parents bringing in the food.  One chick was visible, the other one mostly hidden.  When both parents are foraging both chicks remain out of sight.

In the above photo, this adventuresome little chick is about nine days old.  My next monitoring date is Tuesday the 23rd.  Can hardly wait.

Sightings While Not Really Birding

Montaña de Oro (MdO) - Bluff Trail -7:30 am -31 days since the "lock down."  The morning was absolutely exquisite!  The sun was attempting to ease its way through the clouds.

First sighting - A flock of turkeys with three males engaged in a slow turkey trot.  Nearby females were not impressed.  I found their display most impressive.

Only a few cars were parked at the Bluff Trail head.  The trail appeared to have been trimmed a bit.  I had only gone a few feet when I saw a Wrentit, a Spotted Towhee, and a bunny nibbling on a stalk of California Sage Brush.

Smugglers Cove - Two years ago a pair of Peregrine Falcon attempted to nest in a horizontal hole located in Smugglers Cove.  Now, two years later, Great Horned Owls are raising two owlets in the same hole.  Yeah!  (photo of adult owl take by Gary O'Neill last Thursday)

The clouds were playing "hide and go seek" with the sun.  There were a few runners and a few walkers, but most of the time no one in sight.  A male Northern Harrier swooped low over the scrub brush.  Fiddleneck glowed in the morning light.

Islay Point - Very tranquil - Fiddleneck in the foreground -  Locoweed Center right.

Locoweed is an early bloomer and prolific along the coastal side of the Bluff Trail.  Locally it is referred to as Rattleweed.

The last time I walked by this railing a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk was perched on it.  This morning three Turkey Vultures were warming their wings prior to flight.  I see Turkey Vultures as  gentle, patient and beautiful.

Located a tad north of Quarry Cove is the rock formation where a pair of Oystercatcher, successfully, raised one nestling to maturity.  To my delight the pair appeared to be establishing nesting rights.  Bloy pairs often nest in the same area as the prior year.  The two Bloys are located on the upper edge of the light beige colored rocks.

During my walk I could hear the sounds of Oystercatchers.  Pigeon Guillemot bobbed in the surf.  Despite everything that is happening, our earth continues its seasonal cycles.  Spring abounds at Montaña de Oro.

An unexpected delight - On the way out of the park, barely past the Hazard Peak Trail head, an adorable Long Tailed Weasel crossed in front of my car.  Fortunately, due to an abundance of young bunnies along the roadside, I was driving slowly.   (photo by Gary O'Neill)

Highlights of The Black Bloy Competition

January 3, 2020 - Montaña de Oro - The day was beautiful, sun warming, sea and sky a quiet azure.  Parking was not a problem as many of the Bloy (acronym for Black Oystercatcher) fans had either hiked, biked, or kayaked into the park.  For those who were unable to attend the events, a podcast will be available online.***

      Highlights of the Competition

Race to Hazard Reef - A paired race - From Islay Point (above photo) to Hazard Reef.  Each Bloy had to collect a food morsel, hold it securely in its bill and and fly back to the starting point.  Food morsels could not be eaten until after the morsels were weighed by the judges.  (many of the athletes could not resist eating their morsels)  The pair with the shortest flight time and the heaviest morsels won the event.  Briana and Bruce Bloy from Rug Rock were the proud winners.  As you can see in the photos they have a close relationship.

Pebble Toss - A precision sport - A pebble is tossed into a slight depression similar to the size of a Bloy nest.  The toss is judged on distance and how close the pebble comes to the center of the depression.  Too strong a toss could cause the pebble to bounce out.  Brandy Bloy from Point Buchon had been practicing her toss all year.  Brandy has a loyal following, as she is an environmental activist on climate change.  If it wasn't for the waves pounding against the rocks, you could have heard a pin drop when she executed her winning, no bounce toss of 12.38 feet.  Although shy, she posed for photographers.

Feeding Pose - Considered a difficult event - Participants had to hold a pose for a considerable period of time.  Since none of the entrants lasted more than three minutes, not much was expected of the last performer.  Brayden (below) the teenage son of Briana and Bruce Bloy astounded the crowd with a time of 9.35 minutes.  Brayden said he owed his success to his parents love and support.

Mussel Relay Race - A timed event - 5 teams of 5 were up for the challenge.  Team members were stationed about every half mile between Islay Point and Coon Creek.  The team member at Islay point began the race by collecting a mussel and flying it to team mate #2.  When the mussel finally reached team mate #6 at Coon Creek the mussel had to be relayed back to #1 at Islay Point.  If the mussel was dropped, the team member had to find a replacement.  The event was chaotic as all 5 teams were racing at the same time.

Team captain Bridget and her mates (below photo) won first place as they were the only team to complete the race with their original bivalve and all their original team mates.  Each Member of the winning team received a portion of the mussel's tasty adductor muscle.  In the above photo Bridget is demonstrating her winning grip.

Moments before the start of the next to the last event, a Marathon Flyathon between point Buchon and Morro Rock, there was an announcement - The competitors would be taking a four hour break to feast on a smorgasbord of delights that had been exposed by a minus tide.

As a consequence of the announcement, the "Black Bloy Competition" was officially placed on hiatus.

Photos by - Gary O'Neill, Mike Baird, J.A. Cory

***This is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to actual events is entirely coincidental.  

Breaking Bird News

                    

***The 2020 Morro Bay Winter Bird Olympics has been cancelled.  Unusually stormy weather along the Pacific Flyway caused many of the migrating athletes to abort their flights.  At the point of desperation, seeking food and rest, a rag tag flock finally found respite at the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the Sacramento Delta.  A smaller flock from Alberta Canada came down at Mono Lake on the eastern side of the Sierra.  They immediately chowed down on the abundant supply of brine flies.

Unfortunately, Alexy Kuznetsov (center of photo), the captain of the Siberian Scaup Synchronized Diving Team, was struck by lightening while crossing the Bering Strait.   RIP Alexy

The news is not all bad.  Local Black Oystercatchers (Bloys) will be presenting, for the first time, "The Black Bloy Competition."  Montaña de Oro State Park (MdO) will host the competition along its rocky coastline.  The date is January 3, 2020 - from dawn to dusk Bloys from MdO and Point Buchon will demonstrate their extraordinary athletic abilities. (below photo by Gary O'Neill)

From left to right Briana, Brayden, and Bruce Bloy.  Admission is free - Parking limited.  Refreshments and Bloy memorabilia available at the Ranch House and Quarry Cove.

***This is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to actual events is entirely coincidental.