Cabrillo Field Notes

Photo showing various ranger articles such as uniform, hat, radio
 

About This Blog

Cabrillo National Monument protects a unique and diverse landscape thriving with life. Follow our science teams into the field and discover the stories of our park’s natural resources and beyond.

Excuse Me, What Do You Keep in Your Gular Pouch?

January 23, 2020 Posted by: Conservation and Environmental Stewardship Apprentice Violeta Anghel

Dixon Lanier Merritt wrote a great limerick regarding our fine feathered friend in 1910:
"Oh, a wondrous bird is the pelican!
His bill holds more than his belican.
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week.
But I'm darned if I know how the helican."
In this field note we discuss the Brown Pelican, the uses of its gular pouch, its diet, description, and, finally, its range.

 

IF We Empower a Woman in STEM, THEN She Can Change the World

November 27, 2019 Posted by: Samantha Wynns

If you’ve ever met Cabrillo National Monument scientist Samantha Wynns, then you know that she is a super geek for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). She’s so into STEM, in fact, that she’s been nationally recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Read on to hear how Sam’s AAAS year-long Ambassadorship is supporting scientists, students, and the mission of the National Park Service.

 

Albinism versus Leucism: In the Wild and at Our Parks

October 01, 2019 Posted by: Conservation and Environmental Steward Apprentice Felix Asadi-Denham

Meet Summer, an albino California Kingsnake and one of our ambassador snakes here at Cabrillo. In this field note, we’ll be observing the differences between albinism and leucism in organisms, specifically snakes and other reptiles.

 

Femmes in STEM

September 27, 2019 Posted by: Samantha Wynns

For most, the end of summer means the conclusion of beach days and ice cream breaks. For Cabrillo National Monument, the changing season means another successful STEM summer camp for girls in the books. Read on to learn about this year’s incredible campers!

 

Popular Arts with Your National Parks: Comic-Con Edition

August 02, 2019 Posted by: Samantha Wynns

Cabrillo National Monument is at it again – they’re bringing the parks to the people with an outreach initiative that represented at San Diego Comic-Con! But how do the National Parks fit into one of the world’s largest popular arts festival? Read on to find out!

 

Three Summer Blooms

June 28, 2019 Posted by: Andrew Rosales

As we move into the summer months and the drought deciduous plants of spring begin to go dormant, the summer blooms arrive to add their splash of color to Cabrillo National Monument. Clustered Tarweed (Deinandra fasciculate), California Flattop Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), and Tall Stephanomeria (Stepanomeria virgate ssp. Pleurocarpa) are currently in bloom at our park.

 

We Brake for Snakes!

June 18, 2019 Posted by: Samantha Wynns

Cabrillo National Monument is home to six different snake species – one of these species, the San Diego Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer annectens), is an oft-misidentified and harmless backyard reptile that keeps our ecosystems healthy. Read on to learn more about this slithering species, and why it’s important to break for snakes!

 

The Beautiful Mallow Are Out

May 16, 2019 Posted by: Andrew Rosales

The Coastal Bushmallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus) has just started blooming at Cabrillo National Monument. This shrub from the Coastal Sage Scrub plant community is loved by bees and visitors to the park. The lovely light pink blooms are dotted along the stems of this late spring bloomer.

 

City Nature Challenge at Cabrillo National Monument – A Celebration of Science for the Entire Community

May 15, 2019 Posted by: Samantha Wynns

With the growing popularity of citizen science National Park Service scientists are employing the power of the people to help them solve the problems they face. Read on to learn about one such project that just concluded at Cabrillo National Monument.

 

Hummingbirds: Aerial Acrobats

April 24, 2019 Posted by: Samantha Wynns

Cabrillo National Monument is home to many different species of birds. One of the most remarkable is also one of the smallest, and most iconic – the hummingbird! Read on to learn more about these masters of the air.

 

Rising To The Top

March 20, 2019 Posted by: Andrew Rosales

With the consistent rains of this rainy season, the Wild Cucumber is the first to come out of dormancy and spread its vines across the Coastal Sage Scrub. This perennial is one of the early blooming plants at Cabrillo National Monument and its white flowers and spectacular seed pods can be seen in many areas of the park.

 

Strange Birds Caught by Observant Community Scientists

August 22, 2018 Posted by: Samantha Wynns

Field scientists do their best to observe and catalogue every species on the Earth, but there just isn’t enough of them to be all places at all times.  Because of this, community scientists are playing an increasingly vital role in keeping track of the world’s organisms – are you one of them?

 

The Remarkable Adaptations of Birds to Their Environment

May 26, 2018 Posted by: Samantha Wynns

Birds, like all living things, are sculpted by natural selection. Every adaptation they sport serves a purpose: beaks are designed to eat a specific kind of food, feet help them to navigate their preferred environments, and plumage advertises a bird’s fitness or disguises its presence. Ready to learn about some of the interesting adaptations that make birds unique? Read on!

 

Last updated: November 4, 2016

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1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive
San Diego, CA 92106

Phone:

619 523-4285

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