Category Archives: Los Angeles area

Santa Cruz Island Adventure – Discovering North America’s Galapagos

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Hundreds of common dolphins gather to feed in the Santa Barbara Channel.

BY DAVID N. LEE, ECOTRIPS UNLIMITED PUBLISHER.
Four miles off the coast of Ventura, California the ocean explodes as hundreds of common dolphins break the surface in graceful arches. As the pod approaches, we hear “poof, poof!” as each dolphin catches its breath.
 Aboard the Islander, Captain Dave Corey with Island Packers … Continue Readingslows the vessel for a better look. There are over 25,000 common dolphins in the area, he says, each one eats between 10 and 15 pounds of fish a day to maintain their body heat in the chilly waters.
It is wonderful to see so many of these marine mammals swimming free in the wild, miles

Santa Barbara Open Space a Hotspot for Birders

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BY DAVID N. LEE, ECOTRIPS UNLIMITED… Continue Reading PUBLISHER.
“Up there, in that sycamore,” our leader, Jack Sanford says in an excited voice. “Does everyone see it?”
A dozen binoculars point skyward. Way up in the tree is a bright orange and black bird, only visible to most when magnified. Closer inspection reveals his dramatic black markings – it’s a male hooded oriole for sure.
Thanks to Jack’s leadership and the Santa Barbara Audubon Society, a group of about 20 of us birders are in for a treat today as we roam the riparian edges of San José Creek at the University Circle Open Space in Goleta, just west of Santa Barbara, Ca. Although the open space is relatively small, the trails

Cachuma Lake – a haven for wildlife

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A Western grebe chick gets a ride on its mother's back.

Nature cruise features mule deer, nesting swallows and Western grebes
BY DAVID N. LEE, ECOTRIPS UNLIMITED PUBLISHER.
As red-tailed hawks float on the breeze, a feeling of freedom and expansiveness fills me as our boat leaves the dock. Before us is Cachuma Lake; seven miles of open water and a fantastic wildlife area just a half hour north of Santa Barbara.
Surrounded by rolling hills and mountain wilderness, the lake is a haven for water-loving birds like Western grebes, ospreys, bald eagles, cliff swallows and a host of migrating waterfowl.
I’m aboard the Osprey, a 48-foot pontoon boat with 30 padded, swivel seats joined by a group of 20 other passengers. The Osprey… Continue Reading is dedicated to showing people the

Joshua Tree National Park – Visitors experience desert wildlife, geologic wonders

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Sunset in Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by Kristin Ciofalo.

BY KRISTIN CIOFALO
The Adventure… Continue Reading
Two and a half hours east of Los Angeles, Joshua Tree National Park is a surreal high-desert landscape sculpted by erosion, weather and numerous fault lines that crisscross the park. Gnarled, spiky Joshua trees stretch out in sparse miniature forests, and jumbles of giant boulders rise up from the desert floor—rounded blocks of sand-colored granite that change shade with the movement of the sun.
During the day, one might catch a glimpse of coyotes, lizards, squirrels, a rare desert tortoise or one of more than 200 visiting or resident bird species. As the sun sets, new animals appear, taking advantage of the failing light to eat—or prey upon the eaters. Black-tailed jackrabbits dart out of the