We see the gulls and lately pelicans fishing low over the surf each day. This morning we saw a solitary Canada goose. It is not the first time. There was a goose that hung about Asbury Creek a few years ago. It was there for weeks in the late summer and we hope it eventually flew off. The bird we saw this morning did not seem distressed. We told him he might find companions in Ecola Creek but he was not impressed. Gary insisted it was a young bird, though full size and avoiding the gulls.

The gulls rested in the creek closer to the ocean, a common gathering spot until someone walks too close with their dog. The gulls generally ignore Gary and me. We walk steadily toward a spot off to one side and do not make eye contact. Sometimes the gulls will move aside, walking further into the water, sometimes they merely watch us.

The other day the entire raven family was on the beach, all four of them. There were no ravens in our area when we first moved here in 1979. I first saw a raven on the coast during a run in the 90s.

I once saw a raven on the shoulder of highway 26, five crows walking and hopping about, the raven strutting. Once you have seen a raven and crow side by side, it’s easy to tell them apart.

Parents and youngsters are much the same size, and the only way for me to tell which are the adults is by their behavior. The “babies” are still begging for food. We saw a parents and child this morning too. The one crouching and tipping its head up, squawking for food. I laughed to see the parent firmly reject the open screaming beak.

We looked for and found starfish. These were all Pisaster ochraceus, the purple or ochre starfish, which suffered a huge die-off in 2014 due to a likely species-specific virus, and are supposed to be making a recovery. They once crowded the sea stacks, but we had to look hard to find a handful.

We almost never see the coyote or deer, though we were finding their prints in the sand most mornings.

A Pomeranian managed to squeeze under or through our garden gate yesterday. Tourists bring so many dogs that we ignored the barking for a long time. Finally, Gary went round to shut all the windows and spotted this one in the yard. Gary went out, opened gates and let Bronson out.

Over the years we have found many lost dog. There was the Boxer who managed to get out through an unlatched door in the rental next door. There was the Lab I found on my run two miles north of where his frantic owner was searching. My fingers still bear scars from the injured dog I pulled out of traffic in Seattle. The first Afghan Hound I ever saw up close was one I found running loose and quite lost. They all got home.

 

 

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