July 28: Snowy Plovering at Abbotts Lagoon
Aiden at the snowy plover exhibit table at Abbotts Lagoon
We had enough docents to divide up into two locations. Will, Janelle, Aiden and I set up at Abbotts Lagoon Trailhead for a day of greeting park visitors and telling them about snowy plovers. The other docents went to Kehoe Beach. Overall, we talked to more than 100 visitors. Many visitors were curious to learn more about snowy plovers while others had questions about Abbotts Lagoon and Point Reyes. At the end of the day, a couple gave Aiden the largest zucchini I’ve ever seen. They had a bumper crop and kindly offered them to the docents.
We brought the scope and scanned the pasture throughout the day looking for wildlife, however, we didn’t see any burrowing owls, bobcats, herons or coyotes — all of which I’ve seen in this pasture in the past.
Coyote Brush Leaf Beetle explosion
What we did see were masses of Coyote Brush Leaf Beetles (Trirhabda flavolimbata) ! They have an iridescent green shell, yellow head, and a wide yellow neck band with black dots. They are very cute. Aiden counted more than 100 on one Coyote Brush plant — right behind the trailhead. Volunteer docent, Jim Rolka has a better name for these beetles: the Point Reyes Prince Beetle. It’s a prince for its glittering shell and gold collar studded with black diamonds. And, it’s found in Point Reyes (Point of the Kings) so naturally this beetle is a prince.
On the naming of Point Reyes by Europeans
Point Reyes officially entered Spanish maps on January 6, 1603 when Sebastian Vizcaino sighted the headlands on the Roman Catholic feast day of the three wise men. Following Spanish tradition, the headlands were named after these religious figures: "la Punta de los Reyes" or the Point of the Kings. Read more about early European explorers on the Point Reyes National Seashore Early European Explorers website.
Otter pups at Abbotts Lagoon
We also quickly discovered it was otter pupping season and many visitors reported getting a glimpse of the otter family in the lagoon. The otters in Abbotts Lagoon are North American River Otters (Lontra canadensis) not sea otters. They were in the big south lagoon near the Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) flock.
