Birds in the Back Bay

Coral Wilson

Sunlight pushed the last gray clouds aside and the lingering morning

mist barely posed any threat. The crisp air invited people out from

their rainy day retreats and the Back Bay water sparkled with new

life, refreshed after the recent storms.

Upper Newport Bay naturalist Roger Mallett arrived to guide the

Resort Watersports’ Sunday morning kayak tour at the Newport Dunes

Waterfront Resort, bringing his daughter Chantel Mallett along for

the ride.

By 10 a.m., the departure time, they were the only ones at the

dock.

Hardly discouraged, the Newport Beach father-daughter team hit the

water anyway. It was a great day for kayaking, no matter how many

went along.

“People don’t think of kayaking in the winter and after bad

weather, but the best time to be here is actually December through

March because of the migrating birds,” Roger Mallett said.

The Bay is an important stopover for birds migrating from Alaska

or Canada on the Pacific Flyway during the winter. The greatest

number and variety of birds can be spotted during this time, he said.

The other advantage of kayaking is that birds aren’t as scared of

things on the water. While it might be only possible to get within 50

feet on foot, a kayak can drift as close as 10 feet away before the

bird flies away, he added.

But before the bird watching began, first came a quick but

essential kayaking refresher course. Roger Mallett reviewed with his

daughter how to paddle using her whole body rather than pulling

strictly with her arms.

“It’s like driving a car. Going forward is not so bad, it’s

reversing that’s the problem,” he joked.

The enclosed lagoon was the perfect place to practice.

They paddled up to the entrance of the ecological preserve. A

cormorant stood guard on a sign that read “Birds only past this

point,” blocking off one branch of the Bay and warning humans to stay

out. A great blue heron rested in the grass just behind.

Brown pelicans and least terns soared overhead.

Chunks of styrofoam, plastic water bottles, empty soda cans,

brightly colored rubber balls and paper products floated by or clung

to grass on the sidelines.

The junk isn’t only what people throw in the bay, Roger Mallett

said. Upper Newport Bay is an estuary, a place where salt and fresh

water mix. The salt water comes from the Pacific Ocean and the fresh

water comes from 154 miles of watershed reaching into the Santiago

Hills. Water drains in from Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Santa Ana,

Tustin, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Lake Forest and Orange.

“What people in the inland areas do to manage their trash impacts

what we see here,” he said.

Every year in September, during the “Estuary Clean Up Day,” more

than 20 tons of trash is collected, including stuff like sofas to

shopping carts, he said.

But not only the visible items pose a threat to the environment.

Pesticides and fertilizers used on lawns and motor oil leaked on

driveways all end up in the Bay.

The harmful effects of sediment, silt and soil erosion from

construction sites have necessitated a dredging project estimated to

cost $30 million, which is due to start next year.

On land, restoration projects work to keep the hearty non-native

plants from pushing the native species out.

The kayak approached Big Canyon just as the tide had receded from

the mudflat, exposing the fresh mud full of worms, mollusks and

marine critters.

The air filled with excited chirps, squeaks, the flapping of wings

against the shallow water and what sounded like bird laughter as

American coots, black skimmers, marbled godwits, western grebes,

western sandpipers and American avocets gathered for the feast.

“I run here at night. There are not many planes, you can’t see the

trash and you just hear the different birds,” Roger Mallett said

People watched from the lookout, bicyclists paused in awe, and

cars along Back Bay Drive pulled over to catch a glimpse.

Compatibility with public use is the problem that naturalists

struggle with at the Back Bay. People want to walk their dogs, ride

their bikes and explore. As with all natural areas inside an urban

environment, people want to use it for recreation, Roger Mallett

said.

“This is a place of beauty to enjoy, but it is also a habitat for

endangered birds and plants,” he said.

Staking out a small plot of land, each bird proved to be a

peaceful, well-mannered lunch companion.

“They are at peace with each other. That’s because they are not

competing for the same food,” Roger Mallet said.

This is because of adaptation, he said . Some birds have long

beaks and dig deep for critters below, some have short beaks and some

even eat seaweed.

While humans argue about how much public use is too much, birds of

all shapes and sizes will gather to enjoy the sun, water and a midday

snack.

* CORAL WILSON is the news assistant and may be reached at (949)

574-4298 or by e-mail at [email protected].