On Monday, October 22nd, I stopped off at Goleta Slough mouth at Goleta Beach at 5:15pm for 20-30 minutes before the CCBER seminar at UCSB at 6pm. The low-tide waters of the slough mouth were occupied by many different birds; it was quite an active scene. However, the light was not that great but did get pictures of White-faced Ibis, Bonaparte’s Gull and Bufflehead that are not seen in the summer months at the slough.

(Bonaparte’s Gull - Goleta Slough mouth - October 24, 2007)

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A good resource “CIMSS Satellite Blog” was discovered today - worthy of a post.

The latest entry on the CMISS blog includes “an animation of GOES-11 visible channel images shows large smoke plumes from the California wildfires being advected a significant distance (over 1000 miles) westward over the Pacific Ocean.”

• CIMSS Satellite Blog Link

This weekend, I had hoped to go to Figueroa Mountain and environs to photograph more fall colors, plants, seeds, etc., but decided that 50+ mph winds were not conducive to photography — or for driving on Chumash Highway or through Gaviota Pass. Just as well: a fire broke out at the foot of Figueroa Mountain.

I am thankful the Zaca fire was not accompanied by Santa Ana winds; I feel for residents to the south today.

More links

• Earth Observatory
• MODIS Active Fire Detections
  

I enjoy many kinds of music, in particular a number of different sounds produced by African artists. At the top of the list of my favorite African musicians are Lucky Dube, Jabu Khanyile, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Yvonne Chaka Chaka amongst many others.

Sadly today it was learned that Lucky Dube was killed in a hijacking in Johannesburg. I have listened to his music (on and off between others) for over 20 years, the last time being over the weekend while driving in the back country when I heard one of his most famous songs “Together as One” (about Apartheid) on SB public radio.

In tribute, a photo of Lucky Dube from his site:
http://www.luckydubemusic.com

A very big tree has fallen, a tree bigger than the oak. A tree whose branches swing with great whistling music all across the world, a tree that stands tall and rubs shoulders with others, a tree that provides perfect shade filled with love and affection, passion and emotions. -Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti

Africa will miss the detribalised Lucky. And the rest of us, who are lucky to still be breathing, we should keep the flag of oneness, resilience and excellence flying, which Lucky Dube represented. Lucky was one of the shining lights in Africa. - Tosin Ajirire

Last year, Jabu Khanyile died of cancer. I had the privilege of seeing him at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival in 1997. It was one of those magic moments in life, not only for his music, but for his amazingly entertaining personality.

In memory of the 1997 festival where I heard Jabu Khanyile for the first time, a photo of African musicians at the Festival. After hearing Bayete (Khanyile’s band), I immediately bought 3 Bayete CDs at the festival - and ordered more from the online store, One World Music.

The world of South African music has lost two giants in the last twelve months. I extend heartfelt sympathies to Lucky Dube’s family and teenage son and daughter - it was tragic that they were a witness to the hijacking.

Commentaries on Lucky Dube:

• A Complete Human Being
• Gallo Staff mourn soft-spoken star
• Honouring Lucky Dube
• Tributes in the Sowetan
• BBC
• The Shebeen
• Special Tribute
• World Music Central
• Why Lucky Dube
• The Life and Times of Lucky Dube
• South African reggae star who cracked Motown
• Music and tears flow at memorial service for slain reggae star
• Lucky Dube’s unnecessary death a blow to fans worldwide, writes Dave Segal
• Lucky Dube’s songs will never die

• Lucky Dube Tribute - Respectance

Music videos

• Different Colours
  
• Back to my roots
• Together as One
• War and Crime
• Remember Me
• Usizi (Ndebele: grief, sorrow)
  

War and Crime - Lucky Dube

Every where in the world
People are fighting for freedom
Nobody knows what is right
Nobody knows what is wrong
The black man say it’ s the white man
The white man say it’ s the black man
Indians say it’ s the coloureds
Coloureds say it’ s everyone
Your mother didn’t tell you the truth
Cause my father didn’t tell me the truth
Nobody knows what is wrong
And what is right
How long is this gonna last
Cause we’ ve come so far so fast

When it started, you and I were not there so
Why don’ t we
Bury down apartheid
Fight down war and crime
Racial discrimination
Tribal discrimination

You and I were not there when it started
We don’ t know where it’ s coming from
And where it’ s going
So why don’ t we

I’ m not saying this
Because I’ m a coward
But I’ m thinking of the lives
That we lose every time we fight
Killing innocent people
Women and children yeah
Who doesn’t know about the good
Who doesn’t know about the wars
Your mother didn’ t tell you the truth
Cause my father did not tell me the truth
Yeah

Black man say it’ s the white man
White man say it’ s the black man
Indians say it’ s the coloureds
Coloureds say it’ s everyone

When it started we were not there
We know where we come from
But we don’ t know where we’ re going
So why don’ t we

Bury down apartheid
Fight down war and crime
Racial discrimination
Tribal discrimination

Both “Bad Behavior” and “Akismet” plug-ins have been activated to deal with spam on this blog. Hopefully, things will improve, and time will not be wasted dealing with this irritant.

Santa Barbara Back County
Photos of flowers and birds of fall are being compiled into another Flickr slideshow. Most impressive, was the gorgeous display of reddish-brown Buckwheat on Figueroa Mountain. Slideshow link below - which will be updated until winter.

• Fall Wildlife Slideshow
  

(Buckwheat - October, 2007 - click on image for larger picture.)

More Mesa
More Mesa was visited briefly for fall flowers and birds; some of this information was used for the October News on the More Mesa web site. No extensive observations, but some fall flowers and birds were photographed. Links below (More Mesa Slideshow link was posted to SBCounty Birding not too long ago.)

• More Mesa September News
• More Mesa Slideshow

(Savannah Sparrow - More Mesa - October, 2007)

New Brodiaea
“A brand new wildflower species has been recognized” - Lara Hartley was one of the first to photograph it. See photo and story links at link below.

• Brodiaea santarosae

A wonderful new book, full of information about the uses of plants by the Chumash People of Southern California was recently published. It is the product of almost thirty years of research, some of it derived from more than 300,000 pages of notes written by John P. Harrington.

An excellent review was written by Matt Kettman of the Santa Barbara Independent:

• Chumash Ethonobotany by Jan Timbrook

It was after reading this review that I signed up for both a lecture by Jan Timbrook at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, and a field trip in the Santa Ynez Valley.

During all three activities - reading the book, listening to the lecture, and participating in the field trip, one is struck the depth of knowledge, professionalism and attention to detail by Jan Timbrook. The book is one of those books one can read and reread before going to sleep, a plant at a time, and each time learn something new.

Included in this post are some of the photos taken on the field trip.

(Indian Hemp/Dogbane - October 6, 2007 - a very rare plant in the wild)

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