Category: Nature

General observations, generally during dog walks

The unperturbed falcon

I am unable to identify this bird. It landed on a branch maybe eight meters up, and stayed there as I approached. I was sure it would fly away, but it never did, and paid apparently no attention to the biped and several quadrupeds beneath.

Update: Carancho (Caracara plancus), a falcon. Thanks Syd!

Huge, and dead.

By far the biggest DTOTB (Dead Thing On The Beach) we’ve ever seen. Interesting that a week or so ago I paused for some while watching a flock of birds diving for fish 100 meters offshore. From time to time I saw what looked like a fin. From this sea lion? It was about the same location.

I haven’t been back to the beach since (that’s now our alternative, not main, dog walk) to know current status. As it was, I made a point of walking upwind of it. I’m not that curious.

Dog adds to waste pickup

The beach was quite filthy today, with a mix of organic stuff—shells and some kind of eggs—and the ubiquitous plastic.

For some reason (it not being tourist season), beach cleanup crews had been at work, as evidenced by the bags everywhere waiting for the tractor that will carry them away. So of all of that expanse of beach, where do you suppose my dog decides to take a shit?

You’re right if you said on top of one of those bags, and not only that, exactly where someone will reach to pick it up.

You really have to wonder.