TAKING FLIGHT 'TWIXT WATER AND SKY : RARE BIRDS WINTER AT CASTAIC LAKE.Byline: Lisa Van Proyen Daily News Staff Writer Rainy skies on Sunday did not keep rare birds away from the Castaic Lake State Recreation Area Castaic Lake State Recreation Area is a protected area located in southern California. External links
A bashful bash·ful adj. 1. Shy, self-conscious, and awkward in the presence of others. See Synonyms at shy1. 2. Characterized by, showing, or resulting from shyness, self-consciousness, or awkwardness. male red-breasted merganser merganser: see duck. merganser or fish duck Any species of the diving duck genus Mergus. Essentially freshwater birds, they are classified as a sea duck (tribe Mergini). was among the birds spotted swimming in a cove area of the upper lake. ``This is really rare to see the male,'' said Pete Moore Pete Moore (born Warren Moore, 19 November 1939, Detroit, Michigan) is an African American soul singer, notable as the bass singer for Motown group The Miracles from 1956 onwards. , a senior lifeguard at Castaic Lake Castaic Lake is a lake on Castaic Creek formed by Castaic Dam, in northwestern Los Angeles County, California, near the town of Castaic. The 323,700 acre foot lake (399,000,000 m³) is the terminus of the West Branch of the California Aqueduct, though some comes from the 154 mi² , steering his boat through the upper end of the lake, which boasts 29 miles of shoreline. Nearby, a great blue heron blue heron n. Any of several varieties of heron with blue or blue-gray plumage. , with its 7-foot wingspan, sat in solitude by the lake's edge beside its haven of eucalyptus and Monterey pine trees. Up above, a pair of adult golden eagles taught juveniles how to roll in the sky and fight to claim territory, which they must share with ravens, said Jeff Workman, a senior lake lifeguard. ``They have their territories. When the juveniles can't hold them, they go back and get their parents,'' Workman said. Normally, Castaic Lake is a bird watcher's dream during late fall and winter. But with the relentless rain in recent weeks, many birds have flown farther south, said Moore, who spends the slow months photographing the bird life. Many of the birds are not native to this area but particularly enjoy Castaic Lake with its surrounding canyons and rolling plush green hills, Moore said. ``Behind this lake, you're into wilderness, and there's plenty to eat,'' he said. The migratory birds feed on large-mouth bass, striped bass striped bass moronesaxatilis. , blue gill, catfish and even squirrels. Besides the golden eagle, Moore particularly enjoys watching the osprey osprey (ŏs`prē), common name for a bird of prey related to the hawk and the New World vulture and found near water in most parts of the world. , large diving birds of prey belonging to the hawk family. They also make their winter home here. ``They'll dive into the water real hard and scoop up a 3- to 4-pound bass and get it into an aerodynamic position and fly with it,'' he said. ``He's solely a water bird. You see them on the land and they look sort of scruffy. They look like they've been in a bar fight.'' Other birds of passage at Castaic Lake include Canada geese, great egrets and prairie falcons. Lifeguards are available on a limited basis to take groups on free bird-watching tours by boat. For more information, contact the Castaic Lake Recreational Area at (805) 257-4050. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos Photo: (1--Ran in SAC and AV--color) A red-breasted merganser takes to the air at Castaic Lake State Recreation Area, where many uncommon species come to while away their winters. (2--Ran in SAC and AV--color) Stretching out its 7-foot wingspan, a great blue heron flies above the lake. John Lazar/Special to the Daily News |
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