Some Coastal Birds of California

The Tempest

The Tempest on eco-maple wood panel

These two images of coastal birds along Northern California beaches (The Tempest and Stinson Beach) were taken one year apart, in early Spring 2020 and 2019, respectively. The weather and overcast skies were similar..yet things couldn’t be more different in terms of day to day life since the Shelter in Place order began last month in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

I can’t help but wonder, do the seabirds sense a big shift? Beaches have been closed. Are the birds searching for food scraps that are normally readily available? Do other animals know that humanity is experiencing a tidal wave of upheaval? I’ve found it reassuring to watch regular bird and squirrel activity in our backyard. We refilled the bird feeder yesterday, and the suburban sparrows and chickadees look to be carrying on as usual. I suppose the effects of the pandemic vary a lot for birds and other animals. I’m crossing my fingers that life gets back on track as soon as possible.

Stinson Beach