Monday, June 8, 2009

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach

Bolsa Chica ecological reserve represents a victory of the environmentalists over the relentless effort of the developers to turn this area into a housing and business complex. A lot of work is still needed to be done in this reserve but it is coming along fine. The day I visited, the migratory birds were probably still on their way in or they already packed their bags and left for their seasonal destinations LOL. It was also low tide, so I did not see any fishermen trying their luck in areas where fishing is permitted. I saw a few bird watchers armed with binoculars and cameras fitted with powerful telephoto lenses but I did not see any subject of interest for them to photograph, at least while I was there.

This is one of the two entrances to the reserve.

A couple of bird watchers with their camera mounted on a tripod ready for any action

Just beyond the wooden bridge, there used to be a lot of active oil wells but they have all been plugged off and abandoned except for a few. The oil deposit underneath (Huntington Beach oil field) is almost depleted now but with modern technology they are still able to wash off the oil clinging to the oil sands and extract them.









9 comments:

Reena said...

we also have a bird sanctuary/rserve area here in Candaba, Pampanga. But it doesn't have any structures like what i see here in your post. There are already conservationists protecting that area, so it's good news. :)

Sardonyx said...

That's a nice eco park, I've never been there, bakit parang walang tao. Ang ganda ng weather, that's the one I miss in So. CA yun weather maganda. I remember Bolsa Chica this is where I exit from 405S, am I right? hehehe that's where my ex-boss live :-)

Anonymous said...

i like your photo of the wooden bridge. poetic!
this place is so serene, really perfect as eco sanctuary.

The Nomadic Pinoy said...

For this area to be turned into an ecological preserve makes a great environmental story knowing, as you pointed out, it used to have a lot of oil wells. I hope the birds do come back.

RJ said...

Based on the photos, Bolsa Chica is really worthy to be protected!

Whew! Bakit kaya walang nagpakitang mga ibon sa inyo that time?! Hindi season ng migration? Balik po kayo ulit du'n.

[Port Wakefield, S.A. is also a sanctuary of migratory birds! The poultry farm (my worlkplace) is only 5kms away from the mangroove and the Gulf St. Vincent. o",) ]

BlogusVox said...

I think a scene was shoot here in the movie "Pelican Brief" or some other movie I think. Ahh... my memory is not what it used to be.

bertN said...

Reena, that's good to know. My maternal grandparents are from Baliwag, Bulacan...that's not very far from Candaba. I'll make it an objective to see the sanctuary when I visit Pinas.

Sardonyx, it was a workday (not for retirees like me) when I went there so there were few visitors, people and avians alike LOL

The weather here is indeed one of the major factor why Southern California attracts out-of-town and out-of-country visitors to settle here.

docgelo, just a stone's throw from this serene environment is the Pacific Coast Highway, a very busy highway that runs parallel to the California coast. There is no hint of it from the photos I posted.

The Nomadic Pinoy, there are still some operating wells around but they are no longer the environmental nightmares they used to be.

As soon as the word spread out to the avian population, the sanctuary will be a popular stopover for migratory birds LOL.

RJ, I'll revisit the place when the birds are having a field day LOL. I agree with you, Bolsa Chica wetland is worth preserving and protecting from the enroachment of greedy developers.

BlogusVox, I'm not sure if this place had been used as a movie locale but I know that the beach areas, not very far from this wetland, have been use, off and on, in some made for TV movies.

sheng said...

hi there, thanks for dropping by my blog, it is my pleasure to be visited by different people from different places, thanks for commenting as well...gosh, you have such very good photos, i'm envious...

bertN said...

sheng, thanks for your visit.