Gray Whale Migration Off San Diego County’s Coast peaks this month. The best view spots from land are high points close to the surf. Aside from the whale-watching overlook at Cabrillo National Monument, try Sunset Cliffs, the vest-pocket parks and dead-end streets from Pacific Beach to Scripps Park in La Jolla, various ocean overlooks on the trail system at Torrey Pines State Reserve, the cliffs opposite Carmel Valley Road south of Del Mar, overlooks opposite Lomas Santa Fe Drive in Solana Beach, and various clifftop viewpoints and beach access stairways in Encinitas and Leucadia. Scan the ocean a few hundred yards to a couple of miles out using high-power binoculars. Best times for viewing are about 9 a.m. to noon.
The California Brown Pelican Displays Its Most Colorful Plumage on its head and neck from late December through February in anticipation of the March-April breeding season. Brown pelicans typically stay in flocks, and can often be seen flying in “V” formation along the coast. The brown pelican can spot a fish from heights of 70 feet and dives headfirst into the water to grab its prey. No other known pelican uses this technique to catch fish.
The Fires North Of Us are creating lots of toxic smoke, some of which is drifting south to San Diego County. Evidence of small particulates could be found on our streets and vehicles last weekend, especially along the coast. (Fire can also lead to some very orange sunsets.) Santa Ana winds typically blow the smoke out over the ocean; then, when the winds shift, the airborne particulates can return to land, sometimes north or south of where they originated. Santa Ana conditions returned to San Diego on Monday and fire crews are on alert in hopes that we don’t see any fires in our local mountains. Dry brush with strong offshore winds and dangerously low humidity levels are the perfect conditions for a fire to start and spread. Red flag warnings are in place in our inland valleys and mountains until Thursday, when the winds will die down and humidity levels return to normal.
Gray Whale Migration Off San Diego County’s Coast peaks this month. The best view spots from land are high points close to the surf. Aside from the whale-watching overlook at Cabrillo National Monument, try Sunset Cliffs, the vest-pocket parks and dead-end streets from Pacific Beach to Scripps Park in La Jolla, various ocean overlooks on the trail system at Torrey Pines State Reserve, the cliffs opposite Carmel Valley Road south of Del Mar, overlooks opposite Lomas Santa Fe Drive in Solana Beach, and various clifftop viewpoints and beach access stairways in Encinitas and Leucadia. Scan the ocean a few hundred yards to a couple of miles out using high-power binoculars. Best times for viewing are about 9 a.m. to noon.
The California Brown Pelican Displays Its Most Colorful Plumage on its head and neck from late December through February in anticipation of the March-April breeding season. Brown pelicans typically stay in flocks, and can often be seen flying in “V” formation along the coast. The brown pelican can spot a fish from heights of 70 feet and dives headfirst into the water to grab its prey. No other known pelican uses this technique to catch fish.
The Fires North Of Us are creating lots of toxic smoke, some of which is drifting south to San Diego County. Evidence of small particulates could be found on our streets and vehicles last weekend, especially along the coast. (Fire can also lead to some very orange sunsets.) Santa Ana winds typically blow the smoke out over the ocean; then, when the winds shift, the airborne particulates can return to land, sometimes north or south of where they originated. Santa Ana conditions returned to San Diego on Monday and fire crews are on alert in hopes that we don’t see any fires in our local mountains. Dry brush with strong offshore winds and dangerously low humidity levels are the perfect conditions for a fire to start and spread. Red flag warnings are in place in our inland valleys and mountains until Thursday, when the winds will die down and humidity levels return to normal.
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