Bahia Magdalena
A great expanse of dunes welcomed us as we made for Isla Magdalena, our first shore expedition of this trip. There, a wonderful assortment of bills were to be seen. The whimbrel’s curved bill was hard to miss as it flew over head at the beach. Marbled godwits probed the surf for tiny meals, and a solitary osprey was spotted perched on the beach watching us as we trekked across the dunes.
In cool air and under promising skies, we made our way past shell middens and blooming sand verbena to the Pacific Ocean. Due to early winter rains, vegetation was lush, adding brilliant color to the warming hills of sand.
Once to the Pacific side, the salty sea spray and pounding surf were irresistible. Miles and miles of beach, an openness that felt so welcoming, we wandered the shores, examining sand dollars and playing detective with the bones of marine mammals left to bleach in the sun.
After lunch we transited Hull Canal, a large, mangrove-lined channel separating Isla Magdalena from mainland Baja. In the trees and on the shores, more birds roosted, preened, and fed. The mangroves themselves felt the presence of the birds. On one point, every bit of vegetation was gone from the top quarter of the trees. Nesting cormorants and herons had redecorated their homes to their liking over years of habitation.
Birds weren’t the only life we saw, however. Bottlenose dolphins surged under our bow, and in the mangrove shade, a pair of coyotes traveled, most likely in search of an afternoon meal. Baja has welcomed us with its open skies and surprising life.
A great expanse of dunes welcomed us as we made for Isla Magdalena, our first shore expedition of this trip. There, a wonderful assortment of bills were to be seen. The whimbrel’s curved bill was hard to miss as it flew over head at the beach. Marbled godwits probed the surf for tiny meals, and a solitary osprey was spotted perched on the beach watching us as we trekked across the dunes.
In cool air and under promising skies, we made our way past shell middens and blooming sand verbena to the Pacific Ocean. Due to early winter rains, vegetation was lush, adding brilliant color to the warming hills of sand.
Once to the Pacific side, the salty sea spray and pounding surf were irresistible. Miles and miles of beach, an openness that felt so welcoming, we wandered the shores, examining sand dollars and playing detective with the bones of marine mammals left to bleach in the sun.
After lunch we transited Hull Canal, a large, mangrove-lined channel separating Isla Magdalena from mainland Baja. In the trees and on the shores, more birds roosted, preened, and fed. The mangroves themselves felt the presence of the birds. On one point, every bit of vegetation was gone from the top quarter of the trees. Nesting cormorants and herons had redecorated their homes to their liking over years of habitation.
Birds weren’t the only life we saw, however. Bottlenose dolphins surged under our bow, and in the mangrove shade, a pair of coyotes traveled, most likely in search of an afternoon meal. Baja has welcomed us with its open skies and surprising life.
