It is funny the lengths that some of us choose to go to see birds. You may have heard tales of “big year birders” or “big listers” flying across the country when a rarity shows up that they still need for whatever current list they are keeping. I always reflect on my luck when a Collared Plover showed up just before noon at a playa, which was a half-hour drive from my work in Mission, Texas. We patiently waited for the clock to tick towards 5:00 pm so we could go search for it. By the time we arrived to add it to our list, a birder had already flown in from Michigan to see it. That experience opened my eyes to listing and listers and the competitive side of this hobby.
And although I have neither the time nor interest for embarking on a proper Big Year, the fact is I cannot help but care about some of my birding lists. So, when the chance arises to search for a new bird – I take it. A recent opportunity to go on a repositioning cruise with Princess Cruise Lines out of Los Angeles as they transition the ship from the winter Mexico cruises to summer Alaska cruises gave us a chance to seek out a species that is incredibly isolated but should be easy enough to see and could be one of the rarest birds in the United States: Island Scrub-Jay.
Island Packers Cruises offers daily trips to Santa Cruz Island from Ventura, which is just north of LA. We were not quite sure what to expect from this day trip other than that we had five hours to fill once on the island and limited access to essential resources. We packed our bags with water and granola bars, headed to the marina, and hoped to see our target bird. Upon arriving at the marina, we checked in with the staff and searched for coffee. Harbor Cove Café, a cool Hawaiian-vibed spot, was just towards the end of the harbor, and the coffee and muffins hit the spot. A lengthy line to board the 65’ vessel had formed at the vendor’s headquarters. Once on the boat, we quickly found a place on the bow to take advantage of possible bird sightings while in transit.
At about 10:30 am, we disembarked the Island Adventure and set foot on Santa Cruz Island, an island within the Channel Islands National Park. The 1½-hour ride over to the island was choppy, which the thirty or so teenagers aboard seemed to enjoy. They tried to time their jumps with the waves so that they could get some air – the boat’s crew were not enthused. It was fun to watch these kids enjoy the great outdoors, some of whom had never seemed to ever be aboard a boat before and were understandably apprehensive. We all ooh and ahh over the common dolphins that rode at the boat’s bow. Groups of dolphins sought out the incoming vessel to join in the fun and would dive beneath us.
Upon arrival on the island, we attended a required briefing by a naturalist with details regarding waste, bathrooms, hiking, and getting back to the mainland. After listening in, we collected ourselves before searching for our bird. Then, it appeared right next to the table we were sitting at. The Island Scrub-Jay was just a few feet away.
I like planning my birding excursion to know what to expect. Looking at eBird, I could not get a clear picture of how easily accessible and consistent the Scrub-Jays would be. The reportings are sporadic and spread out over the whole island. It is easy to think that the island should be relatively easy to explore in a single day; however, it spans over ninety-six square miles. Island Packers can drop you off at either Scorpion Cove or Prisoners Harbor; it looked like the former would be our best bet.
There are a handful of hikes from Scorpion Cove, some more strenuous than others. Based on eBird reports, we had mentally prepared for the Upper Scorpion Canyon hike. And now that we saw the Scrub-Jay straight away, we were at a bit of a loss for how to spend the rest of the day. Fortunately for us, the naturalist who gave us the briefing had a scheduled hike that we decided to join on the Cavern Point trail. The hike took us through the campground and up a grassy hill to the northern side of the island, overlooking mainland California where tagged Common Ravens soared on the winds.
The island has been occupied for over 10,000 years, with the Chumash as early residents. They relied on marine harvest and trade with the mainland. Most recently, before the island came to be managed by the National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy, ranching and agriculture were the primary uses of the island. The grassy hills would have been full of cattle, sheep, and horses before being removed in 1999, and the pigs were eradicated in 2006.
Other than its fascinating history, Santa Cruz Island is notable for it is island endemics. Besides the Island Scrub-Jay – which our guide claimed looks just like the Scrub-Jays in his backyard – there is also the Santa Cruz Island Fox. Both species are indeed something to behold, not just a tick on your list. Although closely related to the California Scrub-Jay, which it diverged from over 150,000 years ago, it is larger and is visibly more brightly colored. Scientists speculate that this species arrived at Santa Cruz Island due to a storm, floated in on driftwood, or possibly during a period of glaciation when the sea channel was not as wide. The Island Fox is noticeably smaller than the mainland species, which put it at risk from the burgeoning Golden Eagle population that naturally colonized the island when we faced a DDT-induced decline of Bald Eagles – everything is connected.
Our guide finished the hike when we reached Cavern Point, a scenic vista on the north side of the island overlooking plunging cliffs into the Pacific and Brown Pelicans fishing way below. It was up to us to continue the loop that led back to the starting point and more opportunities to experience time with our island endemics. We wandered back down to the campground where the Island Fox can be easily viewed under a grove of non-native Eucalyptus trees and a few more Scrub-Jays searching for whatever campers might have left out.
We had several hours left before our trip back to the mainland, which gave us ample time to enjoy watching the jays at the Scorpion Ranch and see a very bold fox exploring the campground. A few more ravens passed overhead and a stunning House Finch sunned itself on the rocks.
Our boat ride back was very eventful, with spouting whales, gliding shearwaters, and an overheard conversation from American overlanders. The student group that rode out with us must have been worn out as they slept much of the way back. But I was all abuzz as we found what we were searching for, and it was not even that hard.
I hear criticisms of listers that they are not enjoying the experience or appreciating the birds. And I will admit that, at times, I can be bird-bird-bird. But it is important to take trips like this to truly enjoy an important place’s landscape, history, and wildlife. When it comes to going to great lengths to see birds and chasing rarities, it is nice to know that for now, Island Scrub-Jay is a lock if you are in the right place.
Check out this Hannah and Erik Go Birding podcast episode for more: https://www.buzzsprout.com/187049/episodes/15160425-santa-cruz-island-island-scrub-jays
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