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Bird Word: The Heron and the Octopus

Beautiful moments of nature are in sight each day, if you keep your eyes open

Last Saturday morning I went for a quick walk around the Bolsa Chica wetlands area to catch sight of one of the Burrowing Owls that are now in residence. (See photo from the previous weekend). What a treat to see these little guys! They stand a resolute watch during the daytime hours, poking their head out of the hole they've sequestered, casting an occasional annoyed glance at the squirrels and rabbits that scurry nearby.

But on this particular walk, I didn't bring my camera, and so was not able to capture the spectacle of seeing a Great Blue Heron snagging a small octopus, shaking it like crazy (it seemed to want to break off a tentacle and eat it like a snack), repeatedly throwing it down into the shallows and grabbing it again with its great beak. My profuse apologies for not having a photo. I mean, it's like talking about a Russian meteorite without seeing a video! I hang my head in shame. OK, I'm over it.

The lesson is: These are some of the wonders that are happening constantly within our little coastal area in and around Belmont Shore - keep your eyes open!

Editor's Note: Despite Mike forgetting his camera, we really appreciate him sharing his sightings. We found some file art of Great Blue Herons. 

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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
my Belmont Shore sunset
Nancy Wride (Editor) May 23, 2013 at 01:06 pm
Gorgeous! We still have the feature, but right now the newest photos are not able to be featured, soRead More you do have to click through for the newest ones. But this is terrific, thank you.
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Panglonymous May 16, 2013 at 02:38 pm
If the medium is the message, what is Patch 2 saying?Read More http://missionviejo.patch.com/groups/opinion/p/this-boards-for-you-whiners
Panglonymous May 16, 2013 at 01:22 pm
Got me an image stuck into the profile peephole after a little wrangling. Pretty much an abstractRead More at this size but what the hey, I know what it is and it pleases me... :-)
Nancy Wride (Editor) May 15, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Nice. Yesterday's Playlist was led by 'Livin' on a Prayer' :D
Panglonymous May 15, 2013 at 12:25 pm
Good morning, good morning ... good! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzhSbBftWtk
Mike Ruehle May 15, 2013 at 03:04 pm
Long Beach Police Commander Jay Johnson is now the 3-year chief of the Newport Beach departmentRead More described by Orange County media as, "Police Department Management Is a Cesspool of Adultery, Lies & Retaliation Against Honest Officers." http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2012/07/newport_beach_police_departmen.php
Nancy Wride (Editor) May 15, 2013 at 09:18 am
Thanks, John.
John B. Greet May 12, 2013 at 10:00 am
Perhaps Ruehle should learn just a little more about all the things the Auditor's Office *does* do,Read More before whining and complaining about all of the things it doesn't. http://www.cityauditorlauradoud.com/office-of-the-auditor.shtml Beyond routinely identifying many areas of waste, fraud, and abuse in City government, the Auditor's office conducts a great deal of non audit-related services each year. Ruehle's comments seem to connote a belief that City Auditor Doud is somehow responsible for investigating and reporting on every bad decision the Council makes or every instance of questionable affiliation found throughout City government. She is not and even if she were, Long Beach taxpayers do not provide her with sufficient resources to do so. Despite that Ms. Doud is, herself, a citywide elected official, and despite her office's consistently excellent work-product, she can only fact-find and report her findings. Beyond her own office, she has no authority to mandate changes in the way other City officials conduct the people's business. Since her initial election in 2006, Ms. Doud's office has uncovered -and reported upon- millions and millions of dollars worth of fraud, waste, and abuse in City government. That's not sufficient for Ruehle who, despite all his complaints, will never consider running for that office himself and showing us all how much better *he* could do.
John B. Greet May 12, 2013 at 09:39 am
"...this article is saying that the fact that the city of Long Beach extorts millions ofRead More dollars from its residents in the form of RIDICULOUS parking tickets and charges outrageous fines for them is to be applauded?" No. There is actually nothing in this article that says that but please enjoy these lovely parting gifts.
Mike Ruehle May 12, 2013 at 06:56 am
What has City Auditor Laura Doud done since her re-election other than support anything wanted byRead More Foster & Delong. Maybe people should ask: 1. Why didn't Doud audit the city's transaction where city owned valuable port property was exchanged for swamp land? There certainly was enough controversy about the value of each asset. Wasn't it her job as the taxpayer's representative to look into it? 2. Why didn't Doud audit the amount of taxpayer's money used to support the 2nd & PCH project and the Home Depot project before that. The city was supposed to be compensated by the Developers for ALL of their costs, including meeting costs. However, that is NOT what happened. Millions of taxpayer's dollars where gifted to certain politically connected developers. 3. Why hasn't Doud audited the $1 dollar per year no-bid contracts of valuable city taxpayer owned ocean front property to the Long Beach Yacht Club, Alamitos Bay Yacht Club and other exclusive members only clubs for the wealthy and politically connected do determine what the value of an alternative use might be? 4. Why hasn't Doud audited the exclusive, no-bid, for-profit lease of city owned waterfront property to Steve Conley's and John Hancock's BANCAP company that has made those two men tremendously wealthy at the expense of Long Beach taxpayers? Doud started out with a bang when first elected. Since then, she has been a crony for anything Foster and DeLong related.