MOUNTAINS + MOLEHILLS
  • Blog
  • About
  • Our People
  • Contact

a Sonoma Land Trust stewardship blog

Mountains + Molehills focuses on the adventures of the Sonoma Land Trust stewardship crew, and the day-to-day challenges and blessings that they face. The daily schedule of each crew member may involve working with power shovels, connecting with landowners, hiking around the Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor, building habitat for burrowing owls, avoiding skunks, trooping through poison oak, and so much more. Every day is an adventure, and we hope to share those adventures with you!

discovering distant lands with birds

2/13/2018

0 Comments

 

by Corby Hines

The last time I flew to Hawaii, I marveled at how far off and isolated from land the island chain is. In fact, it’s the most isolated island chain in the world, being more than 2,000 miles from the nearest continent. While visiting this jewel in the Pacific, I wondered how ancient Polynesian navigators were able to discover this tiny paradise in the midst of a vast ocean, so I did a little research.
​
It turns out that the most likely explanation is that a little bird told them about it. In his book, “Voyagers,” the late artist and storyteller Herb Kawainui Kane shares the legend of how ancient Polynesians from islands in the South Pacific followed the migrating Kolea bird — also known as the Pacific Golden Plover — to discover their new home in Hawaii.
Picture
Painting by Herb Kawainui Kane
​The Pacific Golden Plover, weighing in at only five ounces, flies further than just about any other bird — and does it nonstop. These birds cannot swim, yet they fly over 3,000 miles across open ocean, from their breeding grounds in the Arctic of Western Alaska to their winter range in Hawaii and destinations further south. These tiny birds are very territorial, so as waves of migrants reach Hawaii from Alaska, the best winter foraging sites are claimed, forcing the late arrivals (usually juveniles) to continue flying further south to places like Rapa Nui, Tahiti and even New Zealand. It is these birds that the ancient Polynesians followed north from their origins in the South Pacific to reach Hawaii. 
Picture
Photo by Corby Hines
​Although I didn’t have the opportunity to overwinter in Hawaii this year, it turns out that wintering in Sonoma County is not so bad! Not only is it warm and sunny, there are also plenty of amazing birds to see that like to winter right here, too, with many more stopping by for a rest and a snack during their migrations to destinations beyond. In fact, this past weekend was the Flyway Festival to celebrate the Bay Area’s abundance of birds, and Sonoma Land Trust hosted two birding hikes at Sears Point to get in on the fun. 
Picture
Photo by Corby Hines
​Bird expert Larry Broderick led nearly 50 people down the Bay Trail to spot and learn about the shorebirds, wading birds and waterfowl — and the raptors who hunt them. Many folks on the outing had their first experience seeing a Peregrine Falcon on the hunt. Others marveled at the synchronized flight displays of the Least Sandpipers. And, maybe, someone was inspired to discover the distant lands that our overwintering birds migrate to in the summer … I hear summer in Alaska is amazing.
Picture
Photo by Corby Hines

Corby Hines is Sonoma Land Trust's outings guide, photographer and videographer.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    about us

    Sonoma Land Trust is a local nonprofit based in Santa Rosa, CA, that conserves scenic, natural, agricultural and open lands in Sonoma County for the benefit of the community and future generations. This blog focuses on SLT's stewardship team, whose members do hands-on work to directly protect, restore, and safeguard the land for generations to come.

    subscribe to our mailing list

    * indicates required
    Give Now

    archives

    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015

    categories

    All

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Blog
  • About
  • Our People
  • Contact