Sierra Nevada resorts and national parks brace for season's first winter storm

The first winter storm of the season is due to arrive Friday and that's welcome news for skiers, snowboarders and other winter sports enthusiasts traveling to such places as Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park and Yosemite National Park for the Thanksgiving holiday period.

Here's a Wednesday afternoon alert issued by the National Weather Service: 

THE FIRST WINTER STORM OF THE SEASON WILL MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA INTERIOR FRIDAY AFTERNOON...AND PERSIST OVERNIGHT. SNOW
LEVELS NEAR YOSEMITE WILL DROP TO AROUND 4,000 FEET FRIDAY NIGHT.
TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS OF 4 INCHES ARE LIKELY ABOVE
5,000 FEET...WITH UP TO A FOOT POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS.
 
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE
TO KINGS CANYON... 

Eastern Sierra hikers asked to keep eyes peeled for Karma, the red-tailed hawk

Hikers, birders and other visitors to the Eastern Sierra are encouraged to be on the lookout for Karma, an adult male red-tailed hawk that for the past two-plus years had resided at the Eastern Sierra Wildlife Care facility in Bishop.

The majestic raptor was believed to have been kept illegally as a pet before it was abandoned in the wild. It could not fly when it was discovered floundering and suffering from heat prostration and brought to the center, which cares for injured and abandoned critters.

But Karma learned to fly at the facility and was regularly driven afield for brief falconry-type flights. He always returned to his handlers, but last Thursday in the Keough Hot Springs area west of Highway 395, he dipped behind an outcropping and disappeared.

Cindy Kamler, who runs the facility, told Outposts that people have been scouring a two-square-mile area but have not spotted the bird, which is wearing black leather bracelets on both legs and might be trailing a short orange cord. 

It's feared that Karma will be unable to fend for himself or find his own food, but Kamler is hopeful and cites a few instances where the bird captured and killed sparrows that had entered its enclosure.

Interestingly, it had recently begun communicating with wild hawks during its flights, notably a juvenile red-tailed hawk that was present during Karma's last controlled flight. Could Karma simply have answered the call of the wild and sought freedom?

Kamler concedes it's a doubtful scenario, since the bird had been raised in captivity. "It'd be unique," Kamler says, "but not impossible."

Anyone who spots the hawk is urged to call the center at (760) 872-1487.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Karma the red-tailed hawk courtesy of Chris Morrison

National Parks to offer free admission on Veterans Day, Nov. 11

What better place than the wide-open spaces within a national park or wildlife refuge to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy and the sacrifices made by members of the armed services to protect those freedoms?

In honor of these heroes, all public recreation land managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation will waive entrance fees for them and the general public on Veterans Day next Wednesday.

(This was reported previously by colleague Jane Engle in the L.A. Times travel blog.)

“The Department of the Interior is honored to offer this fee-free day to thank our nation’s service men and women,” Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a news release. “The sacrifices and achievements of the brave men and women of our armed forces can never be understated. We invite all of our visitors to enjoy this fee-free day and take time out on this national holiday to remember our service men and women who are currently serving overseas in harms way. ”

Only entrance fees are waived. Fees associated with camping, lodging or other activities will be collected.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Yosemite's El Capitan and the Merced River by © Darrell Gulin/CORBIS

White pelicans arrive to help liven things up at Bolsa Chica wetlands

American white pelicans have begun to arrive at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, helping to usher in the winter birding season at the vast wetlands adjacent to Pacific Coast Highway and Bolsa Chica State Beach.

I counted five Saturday afternoon, including the three in the top image, and heard many more have since landed. The large, unwieldy and sometimes comical birds spend their summers in the northern U.S. and Canada. Many winter in Southern California.

As for brown pelicans, they're always around and often amusing. If you have a camera and are patient, you'll be rewarded with exceptional photo opportunities from the footbridge, just steps from the parking lot. 

Most but not all of these dive-bombing birds are adept at catching fish.

Service reductions, weekday closures announced for Inland Empire state parks

Inland Empire hikers, bird enthusiasts, campers and anglers will be disappointed to learn that five popular state parks in the Southern California region will experience considerable service reductions and even weekday closures beginning Sunday.

The reductions are part of a statewide effort to save money and prevent the total closure of perhaps more than 100 parks. The Inland Empire district announced its reductions Monday. They are:

--Lake Perris State Recreation Area: Park closed to public and vehicle entry for day use and camping Tuesday and Wednesday until March 31, 2010.  Park will be open for day use and camping Thursday through Monday and any holidays until March 31, 2010.  Day-use hours changed to 7 a.m.- 6 p.m. Starting April 1 to June 30, 2010, park will be open seven days a week with day-use hours changed to 6 a.m.-8 p.m.

--Silverwood Lake SRA: Park closed to public and vehicle entry for day use and camping every Wednesday and Thursday until March 31, 2010.  The park will be open for day use and camping Friday through Tuesday and any holidays until March 31, 2010. Day-use hours changed to 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Starting April 1  to June 30, 2010, park returns to being open seven days a week with day-use hours changed to 6 a.m.-9 p.m.

--California Citrus State Historical Park: Park closed to general public and vehicle entry for day use Monday though Thursday until June 30, 2010.  Park will be open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and any holidays until June 30, 2010. Day-use hours changed to 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Weddings and Sunkist Building rentals will still be available seven days a week through the California Citrus Non-Profit Management Corp.  School tours will also still be accommodated by park volunteers on a case-by-case basis. The main park sector office located at the Citrus Park will be completely closed to the public until June 30, 2010. Business and phone operations will temporarily be transferred to Lake Perris SRA.

Search-and-rescue operations in national parks numerous and costly, but effective

A new report that appears in the online journal "Wilderness & Environmental Medicine" includes some interesting statistics involving search-and-rescue operations in national parks.

Notably, they're costly and numerous, but effective. "Without the presence of NPS personnel responding to SAR incidents, one in five of those requesting SAR assistance would be a fatality," the report concludes. "Future research and the development of any prevention efforts should focus on the five NPS units where 50% of all SAR incidents are occurring."

The report, published by the Wilderness Medical Society, has a catchy title: "Dead Men Walking: Search and Rescue in U.S. National Parks." Its authors looked at the NPS' annual search-and-rescue reports from 1992 to 2007 and SAR statistics from all NPS units in 2005. Some key findings:

--From 1992 to 2007 there were 78,488 people involved in 65,439 SAR incidents. These included 2,659 fatalities, 24,288 injured or sick people, and 13,212 "saves," or saved lives.

--On average there were 11.2 SAR incidents per day at an average cost of $895 per operation. Total cost from 1992 to 2007: $58,572,164.

--In 2005, 50% of the 2,430 SAR operations occurred in five NPS units. Grand Canyon National Park (307) and Gateway National Recreation Area (293) reported the most. Yosemite National Park (231) was third.

--In 2005, Yosemite accounted for 25% of the total NPS SAR costs ($1.2 million); Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve ($29,310) and Denali National Park and Preserve ($18,345) had the highest average SAR costs.

--Hiking (48%) and boating (21%) were the most common activities that required search-and-rescue assistance. Hiking (22.8%) was the most common activity resulting in fatalities. Suicides (12.1%) were second. They were followed by swimming and boating (10.1% apiece).

Perhaps all of this will serve as a reminder to be extra careful while exploring our great national parks and to be thankful that there are emergency teams close by if we need them.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: View of the Grand Canyon at sunrise. Credit: Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times

Federal duck stamp contest winner announced

The artwork that will grace the 2010-11 Federal Duck Stamp has been chosen.

The beautifully detailed painting of an American wigeon done by Waldorf, Md., artist Robert Bealle was selected from 224 entries in the oldest wildlife art contest in America. (The contest dates back to 1949 -- earlier stamps were done by commissioned artists.)

"The magnitude of this moment has not escaped me," Bealle said. "I'm so humbled and appreciative of this, I just don't know what to say."

The stamp, produced by the  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which all waterfowl hunters age 16 and older must possess, will go on sale in late June for $15. The stamps also allow free admission to any public national wildlife refuge.

Purchase of the stamps, also prized by philatelists, birding enthusiasts and conservationists, helps to support migratory bird habitat, raising about $25 million annually to fund the acquisition and preservation of wetlands for the National Wildlife Refuge system.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Winning 2010-11 Federal Duck Stamp artwork by Robert Bealle. Credit: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Snowy egrets can save the day for budding photographers at Bolsa Chica wetlands

Terns, gulls, pelicans, herons, egrets, hawks, ospreys, grebes, sandpipers and many other types of birds are on glorious display these days at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.

Also prevalent are hikers, dog walkers, joggers, bikers and, most of all, birders and bird photographers: big-time photographers with tripods and bazooka lenses, budding wannabes, casual shooters and folks with pocket cameras who most times are unable to get close enough to their subjects to fill a frame.

I fall into the casual-shooter category and cite the accompanying images as evidence. They were captured over the weekend during a 90-minute lap around the sprawling wetlands across the highway from Huntington State Beach in Orange County. A sampling from my field notes:

-- Snowy egrets abound. They're one of the easiest large birds to photograph, far more active and less shy than the much larger great egret, which is an ambush hunter that stands perfectly still, its long neck outstretched, and strikes snakelike at passing prey.

-- A particular snowy egret is shuffling through a shallow mudflat with webbed feet, trying to stir up a morsel. These downy-white birds with long black legs and yellow feet will do this for hours with little or no success, but I've arrived just as the bird plucks a shrimp or some other small critter (see above photo). Time to move on.

Registration open for docent-led sandhill crane wetlands tours

Birding enthusiasts may want to register for one of the sandhill crane wetlands tours taking place at the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve (a.k.a. Isenberg Sandhill Crane Reserve) near Lodi.

Scheduled for the first three weekends each month from October through February, the docent-led tours are the only way to access some of the prime viewing areas at the reserve where the large birds migrate for the winter.

The Department of Fish and Game tours begin about an hour before sunset at the South Site and usually last for two hours.

An $8 per-person donation is requested and pre-registration is required as each tour is limited to 30 people.  A nice feature on the DFG website registration page is that it shows if a certain date is full and, if not, how many spots are available.

Lodi will be holding the 13th annual Sandhill Crane Festival on Nov. 6-8. A separate, expanded tour schedule will be offered those dates.

Greater sandhill cranes, one of the state's largest birds at 5 feet tall and with a wingspan up to 7 feet, are considered a threatened species; an estimated 7,000 are left in California.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: A sandhill crane wades in a marsh. Credit: Brian Vander Brug/Los Angeles Times

Angeles Crest Highway drive reveals moonscape in wake of Station fire

*Updated to reflect it was an Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department escort

Scorched earth is a depressing sight, especially when it had been lush with chaparral and old-growth forest.

The extent of the devastation caused by the Station fire, which has burned almost 250 square miles within the Angeles National Forest but finally is close to being contained, will be unfathomable when assessments are made.

Dead animals are said to litter the blackened and barren countryside. Rattlesnakes -- those that had burrowed and somehow survived the inferno -- slither across a moonscape hunted from the sky by raptors.

Campgrounds and important structures have been destroyed and trails are ruined. A once-verdant paradise is lost for who knows how many years to thousands of campers, hikers, bikers, runners, birders and horseback riders.

The Angeles Crest 100-Mile Endurance Run had been scheduled to begin Saturday. Obviously it has been canceled as its route is off-limits.

The scenic Angeles Crest Highway also remains closed, but a video shot by a couple touring the road behind a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept. escort is making the rounds on YouTube. It reveals a charred countryside, melted road signs and guard rails that simply lie atop or alongside the pavement, their wooden support beams burned to ashes.

If you're familiar with the highway and forest, click on the video and tag along. It's a surreal odyssey, to be sure.

-- Pete Thomas

Video credit: Courtesy of YouTube

   

Trapping, like hunting or fishing, is a way of life for some people

I've always been curious about people and their pastimes, whether it's hiking, fishing, hunting, climbing or bird-watching.

I've never given trapping much thought, until picking up the premier issue of Turkey Country magazine and reading a story on Jill Easton Spencer, who last year was named Arkansas Trapper of the Year.

The woman is clearly passionate about the outdoors and does not care how she might be perceived by others. She has learned to read signs and to anticipate what routes various critters will use around her home in Calico Rock, Ark.

She uses mostly small traps and says of the appeal: "When you're trapping you're an apex predator and that's pretty exciting. You become part of the animal's world and you become part of nature."

Jill and her husband, Jim, sell their fur and she proudly wears fur. She explains that trapping, like hunting, improves the ecosystem. "For example, the raccoon population is exploding in this country, and trappers help keep the numbers in check. Raccoons devour more eggs and female ducks in a year than hunters kill in five years."

Of those who might not understand trappers or hunters, she implies they've lost touch with reality. "Kids have no clue that food comes from anywhere but a hamburger package at McDonald's or a plastic container from the grocery store. Trapping puts you in a reality you can't get anywhere else."

Turkey Country invites readers to check out Jill's recipe for baked 'coon. Thanks, but no thanks.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A coyote appears from low fog on a hillside near grazing livestock in San Luis Obispo County in this 2001 photo. Credit: Associated Press

Camping increases in popularity, in part because of recession

I've noticed during recent travels to the Eastern Sierra that more people seem to be utilizing campgrounds. I've also seen more Cruise America RVs on the roads.

Now it's official. More people are camping, in tents and RVs. Why? Because more people are trying to save money by enjoying  a simpler existence.

The Outdoor Foundation, in partnership with the Coleman Co., have released a report stating there was a 7.4% increase in RV, car and backyard camping in 2008.

"In today's economy, people are returning to simpler lifestyles -- the 'less is more' ethic," said Christine Fanning, executive director of the Outdoor Foundation. "Reservations for campsites and sales for camping gear are up. Camping provides fun, affordable opportunities for families to enjoy time together."

Among the "Special Report  on Camping's" key findings:

-- 33.7 million Americans participated in car and backyard camping in 2008, an increase of 7.4% over the previous year.

-- 16.5 million Americans went RV camping in 2008, compared to 16.2 million in 2007.

-- Camping participants made more than 597-million outings in 2008, averaging 14 camping days per participant.

-- 56% of campers were male and one-third of them were between the ages of 25 and 44, and most campers have a household income of $50,000 to $74,999.

Unfortunately, during my recent travels in pursuit of wary trout in creeks that happen to be close to campgrounds, I've noticed a drawback to all of this: a lack of solitude.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A recreational vehicle at Yosemite Falls in 2007. Credit: Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times

Peregrines' comeback in East prompts return of limited capture for falconry

With the comeback of the northern peregrine falcon along the East Coast comes the limited return of opportunity for hunters to capture the birds for use in falconry.

"We are restoring a prized opportunity that was taken away from falconers several decades ago," said Jim Ozier, a wildlife program manager with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. "We believe opportunities for traditional, regulated and sustainable wildlife uses should be permitted and safeguarded when possible."

This week the Georgia Board of Natural Resources approved regulatory changes allowing the capture of no more than five migrating juvenile peregrines along the state's coast this fall.

That's part of an allotment of 36 northern peregrines that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies approved for capture in the Eastern U.S. The raptors breed in Canada, Alaska and southern Greenland, and winter in South America.

Though animal rights groups will squawk, the limited capture program is not expected to affect the breeding population of peregrines. 

Georgia's five lucky falconers will be picked in a drawing and will have one month, beginning Sept. 20, to capture a migrating bird. Limited trapping also is being allowed in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Peregrine falcon; credit: Idaho Statesman

Osprey finds privacy fleeting at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

The osprey didn't seem too bothered by the small hawk or falcon trying to encourage the larger fish-eating bird -- with a series of buzz tactics -- away from its turf in the far, wooded corner of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.

The osprey seemed more concerned about the pesky two-legged creatures following along and pointing long camera lenses its way as it flew from treetop to treetop.

I was among the guilty parties late Wednesday afternoon. I followed the raptor 100 yards and to four different perches, but because I carried only a 300-millimeter lens I was unable to capture the quintessential osprey close-up. (And I was not able to get any sharp images of the hawk or falcon as it flew erratically around the osprey.)

But I enjoyed trying. I'm not a serious birder or a professional photographer, but the wetlands across from Huntington State Beach have turned me into a little bit of both. They've become one of my favorite local hiking destinations because of the astonishing amount of avian activity amid the waterways and mudflats.

Pot farm discoveries in Mono County prompt warning for hikers

Illegal pot farms are widespread throughout the wilderness and hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts are strongly urged to be on watch for telltale signs -- and to flee these areas as quickly as possible.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park has been in the news regarding this issue in recent months, but the latest discovery was made last week in Mono County in the Eastern Sierra, specifically in remote areas of the Glass Mountains and Wildrose Canyons. 

The Mono Narcotic Enforcement Team (MONET), with help from numerous other agencies, spent hours eradicating more than 26,300 marijuana plants from the combined sites.  Potential street value was estimated to be more than $78 million. No arrests were made.

The sites were on U.S. Forest Service land and that agency has planned an extensive cleanup and restoration of the areas damaged by the cultivators. Meanwhile, the Mono County Sheriff's Department has issued the following warning to people planning on recreating in the area wilderness:

"MONET would like to warn outdoor enthusiasts of the dangers of locating one of these grows while enjoying the outdoors. If you see anything that looks out of place such as cleared areas of forest that should not be, fertilizer bags, black plastic pipes, large camps where there should not be, or growing marijuana, you should immediately leave the area and note the location if possible and notify the appropriate law enforcement agency. 

"These large scale marijuana cultivators are known to be armed and will sometimes protect the gardens at any expense."

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of pot plants by Associated Press

State parks closure list is coming soon, but not eagerly anticipated

California residents probably will learn within a few weeks how many state parks will close.

Because of extensive cuts in funding, 100 or more parks probably will be shut down, and when they might reopen is anyone's guess.

When the dreaded closure list does emerge and the specified parks become off-limits and begin to deteriorate, it'll be a sad day for residents who enjoy hiking, biking, horseback riding, bird-watching and animal viewing. It'll be just as dark a day for a state that presently boasts the nation's most extensive state parks system.

However, some other states are dealing with the same issue, and seeking creative ways to keep parks open. 

In Washington state, drivers who renew their license tabs in September will have the option of donating $5 to state parks. The contributions could generate about $22 million over the next two years and spare dozens of Washington's 125 state parks from being closed.

There was a fairly similar attempt in California. A state parks access pass would have placed a $15 surcharge on vehicle license fees for noncommercial vehicles. The general fund would have realized an estimated savings of about $143 million annually. But that plan failed and now we're in this hard place.

Outposts, barring a minor miracle that will prevent the closures, will share the closure list when it becomes available.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A king snake enjoys the view from a branch in Malibu Creek State Park. Credit: Pete Thomas/Los Angeles Times

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Bird-watching participation boosts U.S. economy according to report

A report released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reveals that bird-watchers are a boon to the country's economy, contributing more than $36 billion in one year.

The report -- Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis -- shows that there are 48 million bird-watchers age 16 years and older in the nation.

An addendum to the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, the new information focuses specifically on birders in the U.S. It identifies who birders are, where they live, how avid they are and what kinds of birds they watch. 

The study states that the average birder is 50 years old and likely to be female, with a better than average education and income.

Bird-watching participation rates in the U.S. average 21%. The top five states with the greatest participation include Montana (40%), Maine (39%), Vermont (38%), Minnesota (33%) and Iowa (33%).

California is near the bottom of the list at 15%, a percentage greater than only four other states (New Jersey, Texas and North Dakota at 14% and Hawaii at 10%).

By understanding who birders are,  they can be more easily reached and informed about issues facing birds and their habitats.

--Kelly Burgess

Photo: A group of birders walking a wooden trail search out a bird brought to their attention by host and guide Dee Zeller, second from right. Credit: Ken Lubas/Los Angeles Times
 

Farallon island webcam makes it possible to view remote refuge

Twenty-eight miles beyond San Francisco, a chain of rocky islands form a mostly undisturbed wildlife sanctuary that some biologists refer to as California's Galapagos.

And now bird-watchers and marine mammal enthusiasts have access to the area, thanks to a recently installed webcam.

The solar-powered camera is atop a lighthouse on Southeast Farallon Island, part of the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge that is home to approximately 350,000 seabirds of 13 species.

The 211-acre refuge consists of four island groups and is one of the oldest and most remote sanctuaries in the nation. It also is a renowned seasonal haunt for great white sharks.

"Since the islands are not accessible to the general public, the webcam will be a valuable tool not only for scientists, but for casual observers as well," Jack Dumbacher, curator of ornithology and mammalogy at the California Academy of Sciences and lead scientist on the project, said in a release. "The observations that we glean from this webcam will assist with ongoing research, guide conservation decisions and hopefully inspire citizens to care about this valuable resource right in San Francisco's backyard."

The result of a partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Academy of Sciences and PRBO Conservation Science, the webcam offers 360-degree views of the island and surrounding waters. The webcam can be viewed via the Academy of Sciences website, which includes bird identification guides, research and conservation information and island history.

"We're proud to have this outstanding partnership and pleased to provide virtual access of these beautiful and amazing islands to the public," said Gerry McChesney, acting refuge manager. "This way anyone can appreciate what it's like to be on this very sensitive wildlife refuge."

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: A Western seagull swoops down from the top of Southeast Farallon Island at the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: Eric Risberg / Associated Press

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Costa Rica is happiest, greenest place on earth, survey says

Costa Rica is for many outdoors enthusiasts the most magnificent place on earth. The Central American nation is blessed with good surf. It teems with more than 800 bird species. Its fishing fleets ply waters that abound with sailfish and tarpon. Its eco-lodges are watched over by tall green trees and monkeys.

Its volcanoes are sights to behold and with this in mind we share an image captured recently by Zach Smith of Arenal.net, a website promoting tourism to and around Costa Rica's spectacular Arenal Volcano.

Now Costa holds another distinction: happiest and greenest place on earth.

A survey by the New Economics Foundation, a British think tank, made the determination after looking at 143 countries that are home to 99% of the world's population and using an equation weighing life expectancy and happiness against environmental impact.

Costa Rica, whose rich biodiversity is breathtaking, emerged just ahead of the Dominican Republic and well above the United States with its 114th ranking. Australia was third.

The survey found that Costa Ricans, with their pura vida or "pure life" outlook, have a life expectancy of 78.5 years, and 85% of those interviewed said they were happy. That combined with the nation's tiny ecological footprint helped place it atop the Happy Planet Index.

The happy part is somewhat surprising as I've been there many times and witnessed poverty and know that lots of women and even girls there are drawn to prostitution, which sadly is also a primary tourist attraction for some. 

As sociologist Andrea Fonseca said in an Agence France-Presse story about the survey, Costa Rica's rise to the top of the happy list "has a lot to do with social imagination." Not that there's anything wrong with that.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica. Credit: Zach Smith

Hikers, campers, anglers this weekend are cautioned to be bear aware

Southern California hikers, campers and anglers will flock to local mountains and the Sierra Nevada during the first holiday weekend of summer. They ought to know that bears are no longer hibernating and many are hungry. So here are some tips for those bound for the forests and streams:

--Do not intentionally feed bears and do not leave garbage strewn about.

--Enjoy your favorite pastime in groups (this should not be a problem on the busy weekend).

--Keep the kids in sight at all times, and keep pets on a leash.

--Try not to get caught between a female bear and her cubs.

--If you encounter a bear and it does not see you, stay calm and continue facing it while slowly backing away. True, this is easier said than done.

--If a bear does spot you or strolls into your camp, yell and make other loud noises and bang pots or pans together. Black bears do not like confusing unfamiliar noises.

--Do not run from a bear unless it's dangerously close. Running can trigger an attack response and no human can outrun a bear. 

--If a bear attacks fight back with whatever means you can muster. This doesn't work against larger and far more powerful grizzlies, but there are no grizzlies in California.

Lastly, do not let any of this spoil your mood or prevent you from visiting the woods. Your chances of seeing a bear might be fair, but your chances of getting injured by one are extremely slim. Happy Fourth and stay safe!

--Pete Thomas

Photo: A black bear hunts for fish along Taylor Creek near South Lake Tahoe, Calif. Credit: Associated Press

Federal and junior duck stamps available beginning Friday

To mark the first day of sale Friday for the 2009-10 federal and junior duck stamps, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will host a ceremony at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store in Nashville.

Attending will be the winning artists whose work will grace this year's stamps. Watertown, S.D. resident Joshua Spies' painting of a long-tail duck and decoy (above) was chosen from 270 entries for the federal stamp, and 16-year-old Lily Spang from Toledo, Ohio won the junior stamp contest with her design featuring a wood duck (below).

To continue the 75-year tradition of a postmaster selling the first stamp to the Fish and Wildlife Service director, Nashville postmaster Dave Vale will be at the ceremony to sell the first stamps to USFWS Acting Director Rowan Gould.

The Bass Pro Shops in Rancho Cucamonga, along with 16 other locations, will hold events and have first-day cancellations and related collectibles available for purchase.

State parks access pass might be key to preventing their closure

Those following the issue of funding for California's state parks will note there is bad news but some good news this week.

The bad news: The Budget Conference Committee on Monday afternoon voted to eliminate $70 million in general fund money earmarked for support of the state parks system for the 2009-10 fiscal year.

The good news: The committee also voted to adopt the State Parks Access Pass and create a dedicated funding source to keep parks open. This still needs to be passed by the Legislature, as part of a budget bill, and approved by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But it makes sense. The access pass would place a $15 surcharge on vehicle license fees for noncommercial vehicles. That won't go over well with those who do not like outdoor recreation and have no plans to enter any of California's 279 state parks, beaches and reserves.

But it's a bargain for those who frequent these vast wilderness refuges, as they'd be allowed free day-use access to state parks. More important, it would prevent 220 of these parks from closing and deteriorating to a point where it'd become extremely costly to reopen them.

With the surcharge the general fund would realize an estimated savings of about $143 million annually.

Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation, declared in a news release: "At a time when the state desperately needs to generate revenues for many other critical state services, it makes sense to keep state parks open and available for the public. The Committee recognized that closing state parks won't save money, it will cost the state dearly."

Goldstein cited a Cal State Sacramento study that found park users spend an average of $57.63 per visit and, across the state parks system, generate more than $4.2 billion in positive economic effects.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: The scene within the walls of Sutter's Fort State Historic Park in Sacramento, where the Mexican flag still flies. The park is slated for closure if state parks funding disappeared. Credit: Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times

Birds of summer now playing at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, which thankfully is not a state park and is not slated for closure, is one of those rare locations where weekend crowds do not severely affect the quality of wildlife viewing.

That's because the Huntington Beach reserve is comprised of vast wetlands and the primary wildlife are birds, which are far too concerned with feeding and mating to be bothered by people strolling the pathways and aiming cannon-like camera lenses at them.

Birds thrive here, and it appears the summertime transition is underway. On most afternoons, black skimmers can be viewed flying low patrol and literally skimming the surface with large beaks, trying to nab small fish. The footbridge adjacent to the parking lot is the best location from which to witness this phenomenon.

Winning entry chosen for California duck stamp

For the first time in nearly 15 years, a contest was held to select the image to appear on the duck stamp that will adorn 2009-10 licenses of California waterfowl hunters.

Above is the winning design chosen from 18 entries, and it's a beauty.

The painting by Indiana artist Jeffrey Klinefelter depicts a pair of northern shovelers, the species for this year's competition and stamp.

The contest was close, with the second-place finisher losing by only one point. The judges, which included California Waterfowl Assn. President Robert McLandress and Harry Curieaux Adamson, who painted the image for the current stamp, said the vibrant colors in the background gave the winning entry the edge.

The stamps go on sale in August, with proceeds going to waterfowl-related conservation projects. The Department of Fish and Game also typically produces and sells limited-edition prints of the image, some signed by the governor. Since it began in 1971, the California duck stamp program has raised more than $22 million.

The entire library of California duck stamps can be viewed on the DFG site, and there is some amazing work displayed -- so much so that I am hard-pressed to choose a favorite.

--Kelly Burgess

Photo: The winning artwork for this year's California waterfowl hunting stamp. Credit: Department of Fish and Game

Concealed, loaded guns in national parks: What are your thoughts?

News item: Legislation to allow citizens to carry concealed, loaded firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges passes overwhelmingly in the U.S. House. It essentially ratifies a late-Bush administration rule that was challenged this year in federal district court in Washington. (As reported earlier this week in the Times' Greenspace blog.)

Reaction: Not sure how I feel about this, but part of me, since I do not carry a gun, is against it simply because I don't like the idea of others around me being armed. I know the ruling makes the National Rifle Assn. folks happy and feeling safer now that their 2nd Amendment rights have been protected. After all, they're largely responsible for implementing the new policy,

But wouldn't it be appropriate to have places where nobody is allowed to be armed? And what better places than our national parks? What kind of world is one in which you have to be armed to feel safe?

I guess I'm being idealistic and simplistic, and if I had a loaded gun tucked away somewhere maybe I'd feel less leery of what might lie around the bend in the trail. But I do not buy into the NRA's implication that murderers, rapists and drug manufacturers are nearly as likely to confront hikers and bikers in the woods as they are pedestrians in dark alleys. Isn't that an alarmist, perhaps paranoid attitude?

Anyway, I'd like to hear from others: hikers, campers, bikers, bird-watchers, anglers, etc. How do you feel about the ruling? Good or bad, right or wrong? Please let Outposts know.

--Pete Thomas

Photo: El Capitan provides the backdrop for Yosemite National Park's valley floor. Credit: Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times

Chinook salmon fishery policy on Sacramento River explained in detail

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday afternoon or Friday, lists a portion of Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column and provides a link so viewers can read its entire contents. Here's this week's lead topic:

Question: With the collapse of the salmon fishery in 2008, what was the reasoning for allowing people to fish for salmon in the Sacramento River? I saw numerous pictures of king salmon taken in the Sacramento River last year, but if there is a downfall in the species, this makes no sense. These fish have been traveling for miles only to be snagged by some angler. They are full of eggs and are a future resource. If we can't fish in the ocean, how can we allow the river anglers to kill the spawners? Please have the powers that be answer why when we are worried about the number of fish [salmon] returning to the rivers, the Department of Fish and Game allows river fishing. (Todd F. and Bill G)

Answer: There are four distinct runs of Chinook (king) salmon in the Central Valley: fall run, winter run, spring run and late-fall run. The fishery closure in 2008 was enacted to protect the Sacramento River fall run Chinook. The limited 2008 fishery opportunity was designed to target the late-fall run Chinook (a different run of salmon) after the majority of the fall-run Chinook of concern had moved upstream and out of the small area opened to fishing.

According to Senior Fisheries Biologist Scott Barrow, late-fall run Chinook have had a stable status of 10,000 to 18,000 adult salmon in the last five years with a historic range of 1,000 to 40,000 adults since 1996. The California Fish and Game Commission approved the 2008 recreational fishery from Knights Landing to Red Bluff Diversion Dam to target this stock, and it was successful with negligible impact on Sacramento River fall run Chinook.

Economically, the 2008 late-fall run fishery provided $1 million of economic benefit to the inland salmon fishing communities during the otherwise declared 2008 salmon disaster year (with its projected $255 million loss for the State of California.)

Waterfowl groups oppose proposed Central Valley power line routes

Ducks Unlimited and the California Waterfowl Assn. are calling on members, waterfowl hunters and conservationists to voice their concern and opposition to a new power line construction proposal, stating that the suggested routes will negatively affect many of the waterfowl habitats and hunting areas in central California (for maps of area involved click here).

The Transmission Agency of Northern California Transmission Project would place transmission towers and lines along approximately 600 miles, including portions of numerous wildlife refuges.

"Ducks Unlimited and waterfowl hunters are not opposing the new energy in the region, we would just like to see wetlands and other wildlife habitat protected from the placement of power lines in these proposed routes," Rudy Rosen, director of Ducks Unlimited Western Regional office said.

The DU website states that less than 250,000 acres of wetland remain of an area that once encompassed 3 million to 5 million acres. The proposed power lines will threaten this relatively small acreage that wintering and breeding waterfowl are dependent on.

Waterfowl experts say that large power lines impact birds, especially in foggy conditions when large waterbirds such as geese, cranes, herons and swans are killed or injured when they hit the lines.

"California's Central Valley winters or provides migration habitat for 60% of the Pacific Flyway's waterfowl and 20% of North America's waterfowl population," added Rosen. "This is not just a California issue but should be addressed by everyone in the U.S."

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: A great blue heron appears contemplative as it wades in the shallows. Credit: Dan Ocampo/Bakersfield Californian

Swine flu hysteria spanning global outdoors realm; is any place safe?

The swine flu scare is now global and some of the world's premier outdoors destinations have become swept up in the hysteria.

So if you're a bird-watcher with plans to visit, say, Costa Rica, you may wonder whether it's safe. Of course it is, but there are no guarantees, just as there are none while staying home.

People are contracting the virus in Southern California and New York and in U.S. points between. The virus reportedly has been detected in Australia, New Zealand, England, Canada, Spain and numerous other countries.

There are wonderful destinations where it has not yet surfaced, among them Hawaii, Cuba and Costa Rica. Oops, check that: Two hours ago the Tico Times reported that "a 21-year-old Costa Rican woman has become the country's first case of swine flu and is in stable condition."

This does not mean that tourists should avoid Costa Rica, just as they should not strike every single location in Mexico off their travel list. But don't step onto the airplane with a cough, or you might be turned away after you land. Seriously. It's happening.

Is Costa Rica becoming a new major theater for drug traffickers?

Costa Rica, one of the world's most beautiful countries and a paradise for all manner of outdoors enthusiasts, is concerned about increased drug trafficking and its ability to effectively deal with the issue.

A story in this week's English-language Tico Times cites a series of recent incidents and arrests and suggests that drug cartels, which may be finding it more difficult to move product into the U.S. via Mexico, are seeking new arenas in which to operate.

Could it be that Mexico's war on drug trafficking is having this unfortunate side effect? Perhaps. Cocaine seizures in Costa Rica, for example, increased from 2,955 kilos in 2002 to more than 32,000 kilos in 2007.

Bruce Bagley, editor of the book "Drug Trafficking in America," and the department chair of International Studies at the University of Miami, told the Tico Times: "Drug traffickers are finding Mexico to be too dangerous, violent and risky, which has caused them to look for other routes through Central America and the Caribbean."

What will this mean for tourism in a land renowned for surfing, fishing, bird-watching and whitewater rafting? It should not be a major issue, but consider what's happened in Mexico. Many have stopped visiting that country because of a perceived danger to tourists.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Costa Rica's Arenal volcano, situated along Lake Arenal, flares up in this 1992 handout file photo.

White pelicans on the move over the Owens Valley

I'd heard of birds of a feather flocking together, but this was ridiculous....

The sight of thousands of American white pelicans soaring northbound in multiple flocks over the Owens Valley late Monday afternoon was so spectacular that I felt compelled to pull over on U.S. 395 and snap photos.

But alas, I was pointed southbound and these magnificent birds were so high and moving so swiftly in the opposite direction that I managed to capture only a few images before they began to fade into the blue twilight somewhere near Lone Pine, bound perhaps for points as far flung as northern Canada.

As I pondered their ultimate destination, there was no doubt where I'd soon be: mired in traffic on the 405 Freeway.

--Pete Thomas

Photo by Pete Thomas/Los Angeles Times

California condor found shot; second one in three weeks

*Updated with additional reward being offered

A California condor was found to have been shot and is the second condor in less than a month to be discovered with lead shotgun pellets lodged in its body.

The juvenile female was trapped by biologists from the Ventana Wildlife Society, who three weeks ago discovered an adult male condor with 15 shotgun pellets in its wings and torso.

"We were alarmed when one condor was found shot," said Ventana Wildlife Society Director Kelly Sorenson. "Now with two birds in such a short time, we are deeply concerned."

Although both birds are still alive, it remains unclear whether either will be able to return to the wild.

Each bird was tested and found to be suffering from lead poisoning. They have been transferred to the Los Angeles Zoo for long-term treatment.

Cats and the environment: Is Fluffy really a major threat?

Cats come in many colors, but they are not very green.

Fluffy, it turns out, is a serious threat to birds and other wildlife. But especially birds, which are in steep decline, according to a recent State of the Birds survey, which lists among factors predation by non-native animals and house pets (mostly cats).

As a kid I used to watch my family's two Siamese cats stalk alongside a short brick wall in the backyard. They'd wait for a sparrow or jay to land and pounce with about a 3% success rate. We did not consider them to be threats to the avian population, but apparently they were not helping.

Today, backyards are increasingly important as bird havens — even as human populations, the most serious threat  to all wildlife, swell and pave and construct and pollute. But as the Seattle publication Crosscut points out, there are 77 million pet cats in the United States alone.

Crosscut cites a New York Times op-ed piece that implies cats, with their insatiable appetite for fish, represent a threat to fish stocks. "The pet food industry now uses about 10% of the global supply of forage fish," the piece states.

Lastly, cats are believed responsible for spreading disease to wild animals and even marine mammals, which can become affected by parasites found in cat poop delivered to the ocean, along with kitty litter, via sewer systems and storm runoff.

All of this is certainly worth considering, when seeking your next pet.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo is a handout from the 2000 Orange County Fair

Whooping crane population declines for first time in almost a decade

 

A flock of endangered whooping cranes has begun its spring migration to breeding grounds in Canada, but it has experienced a population decline for the first time in almost a decade.

This past winter was the worst on record in terms of bird deaths, according to Tom Stehn, whooping crane coordinator with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

"Total winter mortality is estimated at six adults and 15 chicks, a loss of 7.8% of the flock," Stehn stated. "When added to the 34 birds that left Texas in spring 2008 and failed to return in 2009, 20% of the flock was lost during the last 12 months."

Stehn attributes the winter losses to poor habitat conditions at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, which the birds migrate to each fall. Low rainfall totals resulted in saltier bays and also fewer blue crabs, the primary food source for the cranes.

California brown pelican may be removed from state endangered species list

The California Fish and Game commission has voted unanimously to remove the California brown pelican from the state endangered species list. This is the first time the commission has voted to delist an endangered species due to recovery.

"Every Californian should be proud of this landmark decision," commission president Cindy Gustafson said in a news release. "This is a story of magnificent success. In the 38-year history of our protection of endangered species under the act, the California brown pelican is the first species to fully recover. We hope to have many more."

The delisting recommendation made to the commission by Department of Fish and Game biologists is based on studies showing an increased breeding population of brown pelicans on West Anacapa Island in the Channel Islands, where there is now an estimated 8,500 breeding pairs. This is the only area in California where these birds nest.

The decision will move on to review by the state Office of Administrative Law before the birds can be officially removed from the list. 

No matter the outcome, it will remain illegal to harm or kill a brown pelican in California.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: A California brown pelican dives into the water, successfully grabbing a fish with its beak at the Los Cerritos wetlands in Long Beach. Credit: Al Schaben/Los Angeles Times

Armageddon? In wake of so many disasters, one can't help but wonder

It feels like Armageddon.

Part of Australia becomes a raging inferno, killing more than 180 people and perhaps millions of animals, and elsewhere Down Under, floods have forced people from their homes and into watery streets they now share with crocodiles.

Costa Rica is still reeling from an earthquake and subsequent landslides last month, which killed more than two dozen people and left hundreds homeless.

In parts of the continental United States, ice storms and tornadoes in the last two weeks have caused death and destruction.

Meanwhile in Alaska, a volcano near the Cook Inlet appears ready to blow its top and threatens to rain smoke and ash over much of the Pacific Northwest.

All of this -- plus a good deal more, I'm sure -- at a time when the economy, thanks to years of corporate greed and consumer naivete, has tumbled into an abyss so deep and gooey it might not climb out for years.

Reaction: What is the cause of all this? Can anyone age 50 or younger recall a more depressing or frightening time on this planet? Are all of these disasters some karmic response to man's blight-like existence on earth, or pure coincidence?

Malibu Creek State Park, and others, soon to flourish thanks to needed rain

I was able to get a hike in before the storm, at Malibu Creek State Park, and managed to snap a nice photo of a gray squirrel gnawing on what looked like bark while perched on a branch (pictured).

I hiked the Cage Creek Trail/Lookout Trail loop and on the way back, at dusk, I inspected the main creek that flows through the park's beautiful valley.

It was depressingly dry before the first winter rain, but it contained enough water to attract mallards and other waterfowl. I even frightened a large hawk from a creekside branch.

Now it's on the receiving end of the most abundant rainfall of the winter. That's going to do more than fill the creek; it will turn the park, as well as all of the Santa Monica Mountains, lush and green.

So the weekend might be a wash. After three consecutive weeks of parching dry weather, and with winter on the wane, this drenching is just what our region needs.

--Pete Thomas

Great Backyard Bird Count about to begin across North America

As I type, there's a black phoebe outside my window, chirping its single-syllable call for all the neighborhood to hear.

Which reminds me to remind birders and aspiring birders that the annual Great Backyard Bird Count will be held across North America Feb. 13-16.

People of all ages are urged to click on the above link and get involved. Last year, birders turned in 84,784 checklists. They counted 9,787,367 individual birds and identified 634 species.

It's a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, and offers an opportunity for people of all ages to monitor the bird activity in their neighborhoods.

In doing so they'll help scientists understand bird population trends.

"The Great Backyard Bird Count benefits both birds and people. It's a great example of citizen science," said Judy Braus, Audubon Education vice president. "Anyone who can identify even a few species can contribute to the body of knowledge that is used to inform conservation efforts to protect birds and biodiversity."

All that's required is an appreciation of nature, a good bird book and binoculars.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of hummingbird by Pete Thomas/Los Angeles Times

Manny Ramirez rejects $25-million contract offer---who cares?

News item: Manny Ramirez rejects the Dodgers' $25-million one-year proposal.

Reaction: How do you think this kind of news feels to all those fans -- and I mean virtually all of those fans -- who have lost their jobs or are worried about losing their jobs?

Major league baseball ought to take these dealings out of the public eye or people ought to find something more worthwhile to do with their free time, such as getting outdoors and enjoying cheaper and healthier pastimes like hiking, climbing, fishing, surfing, snowboarding, skiing or bird-watching.

I for one am finding it increasingly difficult to support big-time athletes who earn obscene salaries -- and whine through their agents when they aren't quite obscene enough -- while a growing number of ordinary hard-working Americans are jobless or out on the street.

Sure, baseball is entertainment and top entertainers demand millions. But you don't see -- or at least I don't see -- actors or their agents squabbling over such grossly high contracts in public.

Baseball is notorious for this, and the Manny money headlines are sickening to me during a gloomy economic period during which teachers, nurses, salesmen, truck drivers and people in just about every regular line of work are deeply concerned about how they're going to get by.

I think I'll skip baseball this year and support state parks and their incredible hiking trails instead. Spring training will be spent on my surfboard or alongside a trout stream. Summer weekends will be enjoyed on the beach, not at the ballpark, and the fall classic might be fighting a giant tuna at one of the outer banks.

Now that will be something to cheer about.

--Pete Thomas

Costa Rica earthquake aftermath: return to normalcy slow and painful

Tourists have gotten out of Costa Rica safely but residents and business owners are still reeling in the aftermath of the 6.2-magnitude earthquake that shook the Central American nation Jan. 8, killing at least 23 people and destroying more than 400 homes.

Leland Baxter-Neal, a reporter for the English-language Tico Times, wrote a story for the Wednesday edition of the Miami Herald, in which he described the damage and provided a sense of what transpired that day in a country renown for its remarkable biodiversity and natural splendor.

In an email to me he provided the following tidbits:

--About 1,500 people remain in shelters and seven people who remain missing are presumed dead.

--The government is trying to move families from shelters into homes by offering to pay the first three months' rent, plus deposit, as long as rent doesn't exceed $200. "Which isn't much in the city where I live," Baxter-Neal said. "But I guess that might be reasonable in the little villages where they're trying to resettle people."

--A Chilean agency called Un Techo Para Mi Pais, or A Roof for My Country, has begun a campaign to build 200 temporary houses to get people out of shelters, but needs help raising the $1,000 it will cost to build each house.

Woodpeckers in Rossmoor may soon end up in sharpshooter's cross hairs

Woody Woodpecker was annoying, but real woodpeckers are incredible birds with complex social systems and an affinity for drilling holes in trees, in which they store food.

So why would anyone want to kill them?

In the upscale Bay Area retirement community of Rossmoor, it's because acorn woodpeckers (like that pictured above) have been mistaking wooden homes, built within the birds' natural habitat, as trees.

So after months of discussions, one homeowner's association has voted to shoot and kill the birds, while another association has decided to postpone plans to do the same for up to two months.

The California Audubon Society, which has been trying to help the associations find an alternative, told the San Francisco Chronicle it was fed up with both associations and is trying to persuade the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to revoke the kill permits.

Costa Rica earthquake: the heart-wrenching aftermath

It has been five days since a devastating earthquake struck Costa Rica, and there are people outside the country who have yet to make contact with family and friends.

Leland Baxter-Neal, a reporter with Costa Rica's English-language newspaper, the Tico Times, has been reading comments on Outposts and this morning sent me a note that might be of interest to those still trying to locate loved ones, and to those who have developed close relationships with residents of the beautiful Central American nation.

From Leland:

I've been covering this disaster for The Tico Times since it struck last Thursday and was in the area walking through some of the damaged towns (Fraijanes and Poasito) and talking with evacuees and officials at a shelter/tent camp/rescue command post. Perhaps I can help your readers get a better idea of what happened, and what is happening.

First off, to all the readers that are worried about friends and family traveling, studying or living down here in Costa Rica: there is a 99% chance they are fine. If they were in any part of the country except for a small radius near the Poas Volcano, they did not feel much more than a startling shake, if even that.

The only tourist area that was affected was the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, and the Peace Lodge Hotel, which are right next to each other. I spoke with the manager of that hotel today who said the worst injury was a woman with a broken ankle. He said there were no deaths at the hotel or in the gardens.

Costa Rica earthquake death toll climbs; shaking continues and nerves remain frayed

The search for victims continues in Costa Rica in the aftermath of Thursday's 6.2-magnitude earthquake, which is believed responsible for as many as 34 deaths, according to CNN.

On Saturday, the Judicial Investigation Police released names of nine of the victims: Ana María Rodríguez Picado, Yitsi Tatiana Oliva Díaz, Maricela Argüello Díaz, Miguel Arteta Montoya, Roberto Jara Jiménez, Jeremy Alfaro Arias, Roberto Chavez Solis, Edwin Masis Villegas and Fabián Andrés Díaz Solis.

Forty-three people were still missing in the Vara Blanca and Cinchona areas, which are closest to the epicenter and about 20 miles northwest of the capital city of San Jose. Many residents are without water and there have been reports of looting in vacated areas.

The Tico Times quoted the tourism minister as saying many of the tourists stranded in the Vara Blanca area near the popular La Paz Waterfall Gardens left the area on foot. The newspaper added, "accounts from tourists that made it out described the elaborate and renowned gardens as 'totally destroyed,' and the hotel as seriously damaged."

From his home in San Jose, college student Francisco Quijano said in an interview that there was another aftershock this morning and that residents remained on edge.

Quijano said a large truck drove past his home late last night, causing the walls and floors to shake, "and my mother nearly had a heart attack."

Here's hoping for less shaking and a speedy return to normalcy. Outposts, again, offers heartfelt condolences to those who have suffered losses.

Photo: Fishermen ply the San Juan River in a dugout canoe. Credit: Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times

Costa Rica endures strong earthquake; two deaths reported in national park

Two children who sold candy to tourists inside a national park in Costa Rica were killed today when a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Central American nation.

The quake, whose epicenter was about 20 miles north of the capital city of San Jose, also injured several others.

The two girls were buried in a landslide within Poas National Volcano Park, Reuters news agency reported.

Several buildings in San Jose were damaged and local television footage showed buildings with shattered windows and damaged walls. There were no reports of widespread injuries.

Costa Rica is known for its natural beauty and abundance of wildlife, luring visitors from around the world. I've been there many times but only once was I concerned about natural disasters: while fishing Lake Arenal while its namesake volcano burped out rocks and rained ash upon my group.

My condolences to the victims' families and good wishes to anyone affected by the earthquake.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Scarlet macaws are among the many beautiful critters found in Costa Rica's national parks. Credit: Ron Magill

A Christmas wish list, checked twice

A Christmas wish, brief version, minus materialistic desires:

-- May this latest storm further blanket our mountains, for the benefit of skiers, snowboarders and resort operators. More important, may it saturate a landscape that remains so parched that creeks remain dry and waterfalls without cascades. We need lots  of precipitation in 2008-09.

-- May the economy improve sooner rather than later. This would be our Christmas miracle. Being forced from a home onto the street is the worst possible kind of outdoors experience, and it should not be happening.

-- May children receive more gifts that introduce them to our spectacular natural resources--surfboards, skis, snowboards, hiking boots, binoculars, tents, fishing poles, etc.--and fewer computerized gadgets that contribute to obesity and create a disconnect between kids and their parents.

-- May more parents get out of the house with their children, to a lake shore, a state park, aboard a whale-watch boat or wherever there is sky and a vast surrounding. Most outdoor activities are inexpensive. Generate fond memories. Instill an appreciation for open spaces and critters that inhabit them. You won't regret it.

-- May Japan and other whaling nations stop the slaughter. Most if not all species of whales were on the brink of extinction at one point in our recent history. Haven't they been through enough?

-- May people lose the taste for shark fin soup. Unlike whales, sharks are being driven methodically to extinction because of the demand for this so-called delicacy and the brutal practice of "finning" live sharks. This is perilous for sharks and the environment. Is a bowl of soup worth all this?

-- May more people go green. May we see fewer Hummers and Suburbans and more hybrids. May the warming trend reverse (another miracle, please) and may the polar bears somehow survive the shrinking of their icy realm. People are trying, and that's a positive first step.

-- May at least some of your Chritmas wishes come true. Happy holidays, everyone. May better times prevail in 2009!

-- Pete Thomas

Photo credit: Greg Zook, Big Bear Lake Resort Assn.

National forests not as popular, but Inyo may be an exception

These findings are not surprising and yet another sad reminder that today's gadget-minded kids and even their parents are spending less time tuning in to nature: The U.S. Forest Service recently issued a report stating that visits to national forests have dropped sharply -- from 204.8 million in 2001 to 178.6 million in 2007, a 16.6% decline.

Some areas are worse than others. In the Pacific Northwest, visitation is down by nearly 30%, but in California it's down only 7%.

Indeed, California has its bright spots, one of them being the Inyo National Forest, which includes such breathtaking parcels as the Ansel Adams Wilderness and John Muir Wilderness (and its towering centerpiece, Mt. Whitney).

The Inyo Register, quoting an Inyo National Forest officer and using anecdotal evidence from retailers, reports that preliminary findings indicate an increase in visitation.

The INF's Jeff Marsolais told the newspaper that visitor sampling was done in 2002 and 2005 and a draft of these findings was produced in July 2007. Data are still being refined but point to an upward trend expected to continue for the next several years.

As for the rest of the country, who knows what's going through people's minds. Outdoor recreation is, compared with most sporting events and other types of vacationing, a great value. It helps keep the fat off children and provides them with an understanding and, hopefully, an appreciation of the natural world.

That's healthier for them and essential for the future health of our national forests.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Snowmobilers negotiate an Inyo National Forest trail near Mammoth Lakes. Credit: Pete Thomas / Los Angeles Times

At Bolsa Chica wetlands, like everywhere these days, life is a daily struggle

Dusk at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve instills a sense of urgency among birds that have not yet had enough to eat.

As daylight waned one recent early evening, I watched the snowy egret (in photos) walk purposefully through the shallows beneath the footbridge, using its right foot to stir edible critters from the mud. Then it'd strike quickly, hoping to grab them.

The bird did not seem to be enjoying much success and at times it'd stop hunting and just stand there, its feathers rustling in the breeze, gazing through beady yellow eyes.

It made me think about people and how so many of them, in these difficult times, are becoming like the birds: embroiled in a day-to-day struggle just to get by.

At least the birds are used to it; it's all they know.

In a way I envied this egret, who is not affected by corporate greed, mismanagement of business and the economy, layoffs and high prices.

But then I climbed into my car and turned the heater on, and all envy went out the window, so to speak. Hopefully, the bird nabbed its meal and found someplace warm to nest.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Snowy egret forages at dusk at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. Credit: Pete Thomas / Los Angeles Times

Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Refuge for birds and birders, not fishermen

I recently embarked upon a late-afternoon stroll through a San Fernando Valley oasis known as Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve and found the display of nature to be breathtaking.

White pelicans, such as those pictured above, peddled en masse around Wildlife Lake, providing a snow-colored contrast to their greenish surroundings.

Egrets, such as the one pictured below, lined the lake's perimeter, probing the shallows for unsuspecting fish. Cormorants stood sentinel on island treetops and circled the lake in high-speed flight.

But there's an ugly side to this refuge that seems finally to be receiving attention from its caretakers, the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks:

Woodpeckers: Prepare to meet your maker

Yes, this is the same photograph posted on Outposts a few days ago, but it works with the following story about a battle between these beautiful woodpeckers and residents who are now allowed to shoot them.

Setting: Rossmoor, a retirement community in the east Bay Area, between Lafayette and Walnut Creek. Issue: Woodpeckers drilling holes into wooden houses, in which they like to store acorns for the winter (thus, they're called acorn woodpeckers).

According to a story in today's San Francisco Chronicle, it has been a long-standing problem. Two associations of homeowners claim to have spent $170,000 for repairs and methods to keep the birds at bay.

(Those fake owls never do seem to work.)

But under a permit obtained from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the homeowners can now legally kill a limited number of woodpeckers in hopes it will scare others away.

They'll hire a sharpshooter for the task and the bullets may start flying soon. That's a shame because these are colorful avian critters with a complex social structure. Young woodpeckers stay with their parents for a long time and actually help them raise the next generation.

Controversial? Just wait till the birds start dropping.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Acorn woodpecker drills into an old oak within Topanga State Park in Southern California. Credit: Pete Thomas/Los Angeles Times

A walk with the critters in Topanga State Park

I stood alone atop massive Eagle Rock late Monday afternoon, until a rock wren emerged from the face of the cliff and joined me.

Bird photography is difficult because the subjects don't generally loiter in the open for long and do not like being looked at or have cameras pointed their way.

Amazingly, this wren remained close by, hopping around, long enough for me to change lenses and take several pictures.

Finally, when I inched one step too close, it vanished over the edge, leaving me alone again, with a bird's-eye view of Topanga State Park, which is billed as the "world’s largest wildland within the boundaries of a major city."

Bolsa Chica wetlands not always a birder's paradise

I pulled into the parking lot at the Bolsa Chica wetlands Friday afternoon and witnessed a rare sight: an empty walking bridge and trail. There wasn't a photographer in sight, which is highly unusual.

So I got out and wandered beneath a thickening cloud cover and discovered why. There was very little activity except for hundreds of sandpipers probing the flats. Terns appeared sporadically. Pelicans hunted elsewhere. Even gulls were scarce.

There was an extreme low tide. A possible reason? Is this a transition period for various species? I don't know.

I did encounter egrets -- how can you miss the snowy white birds? -- and followed a few as they seemed to pursue grebes plowing through the muddy shallows.

I took few photos because the late-afternoon light was awful. I did manage to capture a great egret seeming to peck a mirror image of itself (see photo), but then it began to rain and I rushed back to the lot with my camera under my shirt.

I suppose even magical destinations such as Bolsa Chica can't always produce, and it's probably just as well, because it makes the truly special days all the more magical.

-- Pete Thomas