Tag: birds

Watching for rare birds at Tweet Street park.

Looking west along the narrow linear Cortez Hill Park, also called Tweet Street.
Looking west along the narrow linear Cortez Hill Park, also called Tweet Street.

Every day for the past six years I’ve been watching for rare birds.

As you might have read on this blog, I live at the top of Cortez Hill in downtown San Diego. One cool feature of my neighborhood is a modest but well-loved park that awaits a few steps from my front door. Cortez Hill Park, more commonly called Tweet Street, is an extremely narrow urban park that stretches for several blocks along Date Street and Tenth Avenue. Completed in 2008, it includes a small playground, dog rest areas, and benches where visitors can rest and enjoy the San Diego sunshine. But Tweet Street’s unique purpose is to provide an inviting refuge of trees, shrubs and birdhouses that encourages birds to take up residence!

I remember when Tweet Street first opened, and my excitement. The artistic, brightly painted birdhouses were simply fun to walk past, and the idea that the park would soon be full of birds put a spring in my step.

Years later, I’m still watching for birds. Occasionally one can be glimpsed or heard in the deeper parts of the trees, or down on the hillside above Interstate 5. But to see a bird near the sidewalk is a rare thing. I’ve never seen a single birdhouse being used.

I suppose the lesson is that birdhouses shouldn’t be erected 5 or 6 feet from a popular walkway, where many people pass throughout the day, often with dogs. And that birds need a little more cover than what an extremely narrow park provides. Don’t get me wrong, I love Tweet Street! I love how the trees have grown out. I love walking along the park and gazing out at different vistas. The idea of attracting birds was terrific. But birds have their own notions about where to live. It seems they prefer a little more privacy.

Metal artwork resembles a bird perched atop trees in the downtown community.
Metal artwork resembles a bird perched atop trees in the downtown community.
Houses for birds are creative works of imagination, built by local artists in 2008.
Houses for birds are creative works of imagination, built by local artists in 2008.
Birds might choose to live in this traffic light.
Birds might choose to live in this traffic light.
Display near center of park shows how to build a birdhouse.
Display near center of park shows how to build a birdhouse.
Bees have taken over this wooden birdhouse.
Bees have taken over this empty wooden birdhouse.
The eyes of this colorful cat invite birds to enter.
The eyes of this colorful, weather-beaten cat invite courageous birds to enter.
Human condos and apartments are across the street from vacant bird housing.
Human condos and apartments are across the street from vacant bird housing.
House finches are among the birds that visit the Tweet Street park.
House finches are among the birds that occasionally visit the Tweet Street park.
Another fanciful birdhouse in the downtown San Diego park.
Another fanciful but unused birdhouse in the downtown San Diego park.
Stylish birdhouse, palm tree and downtown buildings.
Stylish birdhouse, palm tree and downtown buildings.
Squirrel perched on fence above Interstate 5 at edge of Tweet Street park.
Squirrel perched on fence above Interstate 5 at edge of Tweet Street park.

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Quiet spring day at Silver Strand State Beach.

Park ranger removing weeds near beach entrance.
Park ranger removing weeds near State Beach entrance.

The Silver Strand is a narrow strip of land that connects Coronado southward to Imperial Beach. The northern portion is used as a training ground for Navy Seals. Other areas contain housing, marinas and a hotel. Much of it remains in a natural state.

Halfway down the strand, sandwiched between San Diego Bay and the blue Pacific Ocean, you’ll find Silver Strand State Beach, a beautiful state park featuring a great beach, RV parking, a large picnic area, and a boating facility. Apart from the RV area, which is very popular, the place often seems half-deserted. Even during summer weekdays.

I rode my bike through the park on a perfectly sunny spring weekday and I saw half a dozen people.

Closed lifeguard lookout on Silver Strand State Beach.
Closed lifeguard lookout on Silver Strand State Beach.
Except for RVs to the north, beach is almost empty.
Except for RVs to the north, the beach is almost empty.
Kelp on natural beaches is the home of tiny wildlife.
Kelp on natural beaches is the home of tiny wildlife.
Silver Strand Grill is closed and nobody is about.
Silver Strand Grill is closed and nobody is about.
From one empty side of the strand to the other.
From one empty side of the strand to the other.

Here I’m passing through a tunnel under the highway from the Pacific side to the bay side.

Dozens of unused picnic tables on a sunny Spring weekday.
Dozens of unused picnic tables on a sunny Spring weekday.

There are scores of picnic benches on the bay side and very few ever seem to be used.

One small figure sits at end of picnic table row.
One small figure sits at end of picnic table row.
Colorful kayaks at Crown Cove Aquatic Center.
Colorful kayaks at Crown Cove Aquatic Center.

The boating center gets a little more activity on weekends. I’ve seen folks out rowing along the water.

Lots of unused boats on the bay side of Silver Strand.
Lots of unused boats on the bay side of Silver Strand.
San Diego Bay beyond a group of beached sailboats.
San Diego Bay beyond a group of beached sailboats.
Trail leads from Silver Strand bikeway across natural habitat.
Trail leads from Silver Strand bikeway across natural habitat.

You’ll find this natural area in the north part of Silver Strand State Beach, on the east side of the highway.

The wood plank nature trail is in disrepair.
The wood plank nature trail is in disrepair.

The endangered California least tern nests in clear, sandy areas along the Silver Strand. I wasn’t able to spot any during this visit.

Information sign rusted and unreadable.
Information sign rusted and unreadable.
A rabbit among brittle coastal plants.
A rabbit among brittle coastal plants.

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Life on the water in San Diego Bay’s Crescent.

Life on the water near San Diego Coast Guard Station.
Life on the water near San Diego Coast Guard Station.

Most people walking along San Diego’s Embarcadero never venture north of the Hornblower boats docked at the Grape Street pier. They’re missing a lively, less-touristy area of San Diego Bay known as the Crescent. Many residents live on small boats moored in this corner of the bay, just west of Little Italy and south of the Coast Guard Station.

Take a walk along the sidewalk and you’ll see folks sitting on benches looking out at the bay, or bicycling along, or out on the water rowing to their floating homes. You’ll see Coast Guard boats and helicopters, folks pumping out their boats, kayaks, fishermen, sea lions and lots of different birds. Turn around and you’ll see planes landing at Lindbergh Field.

Rowing to a boat moored in San Diego Bay's crescent area.
Rowing to a boat moored in San Diego Bay’s Crescent area.
Many people live in small boats on San Diego Bay.
Many people live in small boats on San Diego Bay.
This old sign describes the Crescent Area just south of the Coast Guard Station.
This old sign describes the Crescent Area just south of the Coast Guard Station.
People love to bicycle along the edge of picturesque San Diego Bay.
People love to bicycle along the edge of picturesque San Diego Bay.
Photo taken behind Coast Guard Auxiliary station on North Embarcadero.
Photo taken behind Coast Guard Auxiliary station on North Embarcadero.
Sprinkles of light dance on the small waves of San Diego Bay.
Sprinkles of light dance on the small waves of San Diego Bay.
One boat moored in the Crescent with downtown skyline in the background.
One boat moored in the Crescent with downtown skyline in the background.
Boater walks along the Embarcadero with some drums.
Boater walks along the Embarcadero with some drums.
Wildlife sign and boats on the North Embarcadero.
Wildlife sign and boats on the North Embarcadero.
Vessel Assist boat just brought in a disabled jet ski.
Vessel Assist boat just brought in a disabled jet ski.
Living on the water near downtown San Diego.
Living on the water near downtown San Diego.
This boat has a nice potted garden for a backyard.
This boat has a nice potted garden for a backyard.
Biking and reading a newspaper along Harbor Drive.
Biking and reading a newspaper along Harbor Drive.

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