OXNARD’S ORMOND BEACH
— THE WHY —













Terns and Dowwitchers Feeding at Ormond Beach

Photos courtesy Alan Sanders



Trumpeter Swans - Photo by Roger Pariseau
  Photo by Roger Pariseau
This pair of trumpeter swans has been seen at Ormond Beach and at the estuary of the Santa Clara River and the ocean. All birds opportunist- ically feed where the pickings are easiest. During both sites of their migrations, others of their kind note each other's condition and will follow the healthiest to wherever they opt to migrate. As our local "greenies" have more and more success in making Ormond Beach Wetlands and the Santa Clara River more hospitable, more and more species are attracted to these areas. Why haven't our political leaders been opportunistic themselves and promoted our avian advantage to effect? Ventura County is home to more than 450 different bird species, some 291 in ZIP 93030 alone! Of Ventura County's 19 species of endangered or threatened birds, 16 have been seen at Ormond Beach.




Baby Bird with Penny

Since the founding of our nation, the area now containing the State of California has lost 91% of its wetlands. Here in Oxnard we personally experience the harm done with our "years of the spiders, the flies and the gnats" — Some bird species that normally visit us skipped those years, or were driven away from overcrowding by other species.

As we continue to overpopulate our state, it is imperative that we restore what wetlands we can. If we fail, we do so at our children's and their children's peril.

These pages try to explain and to prove that assertion.



Fuller's Report — Special Birds
Seen At Ormond Beach:
Northern Fulmar, California Condor (reported seen feeding on a seal carcass), Snowy Plovers, Semipalmated Plovers, Virginia Rail, Peregrine Falcon, White Ibis, Egrets, Great Blue Heron, Black Rail, Western Grebe, Surf Scoters, Black Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Belted Kingfisher, Black Crowned Herons (seen arguing with each other), Red Tailed Hawks, Trumpeter Swans!, White-Tailed Kites, Bald Eagle Fledgling! (seen fishing in the drain between the Perkins Rd. parking lot and the wetlands), and Eared Grebes.



— Grant to aid wetlands preservation —

— Threatened Birds in Ventura County —

— KCLU News Ormond Beach Story,
Oct. 13, 2005 [mp3 audio file - 6 min.] —

— Editorial: Good times for Ormond Beach —

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