Bolsa Chica Fairy Shrimp!
A substantial rainstorm poured down on Bolsa Chica in the third weekend of January 2023. A few days after the storm past rare vernal pools were spotted on the…
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Animals
Mammals of Bolsa Chica
Bolsa Chica’s Furry Residents By far the most visitors to the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve (BCER) are here to see birds. It’s a world class birding site and well deserves…
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Birding with Babs: The Brant and Fall Migration
Fall Migration of Waterfowl to Bolsa Chica by Babs Levitan It’s Fall at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve (BCER) and migrating water fowl are arriving daily after flying as many…
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Bolsa Chica Ground Squirrels
by Mike Armstrong PROBABLY the most visible native mammal on the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve is Otospermophilus beecheyi, the Beechey’s Ground Squirrel. They are seen in many parts of the…
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Vulture Culture: The Ups and Downs of the Turkey Vulture
Written by Mike Armstrong (updated 2025) Everybody knows something about the California Condor: endangered, awesome and so on. But this article is about one of his relatives that isn’t endangered…
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Bolsa Chica Bugs and Their Relatives
Written by Mike Armstrong If you do habitat restoration that involves planting native plants, at some point you have to get down and dirty in the dirt. Down here you…
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Bird of the Month- February 2020 is American Pipit
While they may be called the American Pipit, these little birds can also be found in Greenland, eastern Russia, and parts of northern China and Mongolia. February’s bird of the month…
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Bird of the Month- January 2020 is Allen’s Hummingbird
If you’re not quick, you might miss this speedy little bird as it whizzes past defending its territory from an intruder. These birds are small, fast, and territorial, but you…
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Bird of the Month- December is Northern Shoveler
Why such the long face? Because these birds are dabbling ducks and use their long bills to forge for yummy food in the mudflats. The males show colorful plumage when…
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Bird of the Month- November is the Sage Thrasher
Shy, secretive, and rarely seen, this bird species is a unique visitor to Bolsa Chica’s Mesa coastal sagescrub habitat and cactus stands. This is the smallest thrasher in North America…
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