Good Morning Barbara and you staying safe Nature Adorers,
Have you been soaking up sanity time in our City, County Park/Open Spaces in the last 2 months? Did you visited these places and were surprised find so many fellow open air seekers on your path as you squeak by each other, trying to keep the social distancing intact? So many people have been benefitting from our Park systems, which is being attended to by a truly amazing skeleton crew! People are discovering Nature: her soothing beauty, her magic web, her calming outreach. Studies have shown that spending time in Nature unruffled agitated nerves and allows better decision making. It’s chirping good news that birdwatching is the prime hobby during the COVID stay safe situation. It is the perfect pastime to take up, because people can watch birds anywhere, everywhere~ out their windows, walking in their neighborhood, sitting in the backyard, strolling in a park. May people’s newly discovered Nature infatuation enrich their present and future everyday life…
My duckling wait has been rewarded by seeing more MALLARD Mamas parading their little golden & brown fluffy-brigades along the river water edge. 2 Mamas faced a confusing moment when their offsprings mingled with each other. The little ones were oaring their tiny legs hectically in circles until some serious Mama quakes sorted out the tangled crowd. 1 Mama took off with 9 fluff-balls and the other Mama had 1 in tow, who proved to be quite a wing-full. It hadn’t read the Duckling Guide for beginners and saw no reason to stick close to Mama. It went far ahead, out into the open water, climbed unattended ashore, lagged behind~ long story short this little rascal tried to pile as many duckling ‘No-Nos’ on its life plate as possible. Mama’s response was to either chase after the chick or go her own way and ignore her brood. I did get concerned when the Mama went ashore to preen herself while the young was heading straight for the ocean. Thank heaven after a while it turned around and foraged by itself until Mama joined it.
I was happy to see the RED-throated LOON swimming down the river towards me. Over the years it has become such a familiar sight that it took me a moment to realize that this migrant should have left for its breeding grounds. True! some have stayed with us over the summer and maybe this one has decided to remain on the river for the coming season…
Okay! You already know that I have a hell of a time with the massive Front St. development, because last year I meowed to you about effects that project will have on the San Lorenzo River habitats. Now comes the next round of facing that massive project. The EIR for 5 project properties has been released at a time when public meetings are via videos, making public commenting difficult. I wish the City would wait with their approvals of huge development plans and their EIRs until we can have public meetings again. After all EIR approvals are forever and development plans approvals are transferable and can be sold for a lot of money. Don’t these humongous river, City developments, EIRs deserve thorough community scrutiny, input, feedback?
Therefore it is important that we weigh in on the Front St. projects by clicking on the link to review the Front St. EIR and sending in our comments by 6/24/20: http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/Home/Components/BusinessDirectory/BusinessDirectory/62/2849
Sign up for the 5/19/20 video presentation of the 6th property for Front St. project: http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/Home/Components/News/News/8822/
Read Gillian Greensite’s article on https://brattononline.com
Isn’t it time we own this situation: We and Nature are in this together helping each other! Let’s protect her and in return we’ll keep our sanity by receiving her soothing nerve balm.
Embrace your heart song greetings~ jane
San Lorenzo River Mysteries 