July 1, 2021
It was the summer of 2018 and I was experiencing raw, out-of-body heartache. Desperate to distract myself and regain a hint of normalcy, I compiled a list of every birdwatching festival within 500 miles. As it would happen, the Western Field Ornithologists conference was approaching in September at a venue in Ventura, California. The conference is a multi-day birdwatching event hosted in a different town every year, loaded with workshops, scientific talks, and guided field trips. I sat in bed reviewing the list of field trips and was intrigued by a pelagic trip to the Channel Islands National Park. After finding the islands on a map, I wondered how I’d never noticed them before.
I joined a group of birders at Ventura Harbor the morning of the trip, eager to board a boat to Santa Cruz Island— the largest of the Channel Islands. The boat was operated by a local company called Island Packers and was captained by a gentleman who was a birder himself. We saw dozens of bird species on the boat ride to the island, the water like a playground for dolphins and birds alike. Despite the long list of potential sightings, my “goal bird” for the day was an Island Scrub-Jay.
Fast-forward three years, I revisited Santa Cruz Island and was able to sneak in a couple photos of an Island Scrub-Jay perched. These birds are endemic to Santa Cruz Island, meaning their range is confined to that specific area. In short, the Island Scrub-Jay, like other endemic species, evolved into its own species after developing specialized adaptations to its restricted environment. They resemble the mainland California Scrub-Jay but are generally larger in size and darker blue with higher contrasting features.
The Island Scrub-Jay population has been estimated at about 2,300 individuals. They are currently stable as a species, but a disease outbreak or natural disaster could be detrimental to their population. As I write this, all is well for Island Scrub-Jays and any birdwatchers on a boat to Santa Cruz Island as we speak.
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Gone Birdin' 