Bucket List Trip - The Channel Islands

 Thursday October 20th

A few weeks ago, I went out to California. Never been this far west before, so there were a lot of lifers for me to enjoy. This trip was centered around a pelagic trip out of Ventura on September 30th.

Scorpion Cove at Santa Cruz Island

When I booked the pelagic trip with Island Packers, I added a trip out to Santa Cruz Island for the 29th. A visit to Santa Cruz Island within the Channel Islands National Park has been on my bucket list for a very long time. The Island Scrub-Jay is only found in the Santa Cruz Island, as are the Santa Cruz Island Fox. The island also hosts dozens of endemic and rare plant species. The naturalist in me was keen to visit such a unique place. There are whales, seals and dolphins too.

Santa Cruz Fox Island

Wavy Turban shell

The Channel Islands are clearly visible from the mainland as it is only a 32 mile away. So the ferry ride across the Santa Barbara Channel was usually only an hour long. On both the trip out and on the return Humpback Whales were feeding and a few Common Dolphins. Was too concerned on missing getting photos of the cetaceans because tomorrows ten-hour pelagic trip would offer a wealth of opportunities. Unfortunately, my pelagic trip was cancelled due to bad weather.

 The day-trippers, like myself, had about six hours to explorer. Lots of visitors were campers and backpackers. Fox boxes were located at the visitor cent and each camp site, because the endemic island foxes are quite crafty in snatching any campers of visitors' food left unsecured. The ravens were just as bad. 

The endemic Island Scrub-Jay

I chose to do my birding and nature hiking around the Scorpion Campground and a hike up the Scorpion Canyon and to Cavern Point. 

 

White-crowned Sparrow

Island Loggerhead Shrike
an endemic subspecies to the island

House Finch sitting in some dry milk thistles.

Slender Iceplant

Tagged Common Ravens seen at the campgrounds.

Greene's Dudleya