Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Crows discuss a cow skull in a Morrissey area backyard.
|
|
Counting Crows on Corcoran Lagoon Beach
BY JAN MCGIRK
Although I grew up near a southern California beach, it wasn’t until I moved to Santa Cruz decades later that I noticed how local crows sometimes crowd out the usual shorebirds and compete with the gulls, egrets and sandpipers for tiny crabs. I have watched these crows dig in the sand with claws instead of their thick beaks, snatch morsels from the seagulls or drop mussels against the rocks to break them open. Whenever the waves rush in, these stout black birds will hop clumsily out of the way and take flight only at the last moment, avoiding the splash zone. I suspect their feet get as cold as mine do.
One afternoon at Corcoran Lagoon Beach, my husband and I observed a murder of crows engaged in some dark corvid ritual that seemed like a trial or maybe even a banishment. They gathered gradually in clusters, four or five at a time, until scores of crows crowded the beach and nearby rocks in a rough circle. In the center, a lone crow stood still while all the others cawed raucously and continuously for at least a quarter hour. Then two crows swooped from opposite directions, aiming at the bird in the middle, which kept hopping around to face the menacing pair. The cawing increased and some crows on the periphery flapped and shifted position, as if to get a better vantage point. The central crow attempted to take flight, but the pair flew around it, blocking its escape. When a big yellow Labrador came bounding onto the sand, chasing a tennis ball, the crows flew away in unison—all except the one who it seemed had been drummed out of the flock. It resumed clawing the wet sand.
I don’t want to anthropomorphize this into some kind of avian grand jury, but I still wonder what we witnessed that afternoon. I’ve never seen it happen again, although I have watched crows break off from a flock perched in the Monterey cypresses on Portola Drive and pursue red-shouldered hawks in the air. I’ve also spotted a hawk on my terrace with a baby crow in its talons.
My friend Dieter is not a birdwatcher, but he has always paid attention to crows. In his family, misfortune is linked to the sudden appearance of a black bird. (The night before his great uncle’s sudden death, a crow had flown straight at the bedroom window.) That’s why Dieter was overcome by a feeling of dread when he heard loud caws outside his own bedroom. When he went to investigate, he grew even more worried. Apparently a crow had got snagged when a loose kite string wrapped around its throat and now it dangled from his roof, struggling. Dozens of noisy crows were gathering nearby. What could be more ominous than a crow in a makeshift noose? As Dieter watched, a couple of crows flew towards the string and lifted it. Another pecked repeatedly at a tangled knot until it broke. Soon the snagged crow was able to rejoin the flock, and they all flew away together. Dieter marveled at what he’d seen and decided it did not portend bad luck after all. (At least for that trapped crow!)
Researching the behavior of crows, ravens, jays and other corvids led me to some fascinating scientific papers that make me question if “bird brain” is an insult, given the tool-making talents of these glossy birds with big beaks. There also are Facebook fan clubs of more than 100,000 enthusiasts who regularly feed crows and collect the shiny gifts that get dropped for them in return. Crows can recognize individual people, and commonly shriek alarm at those they fear. They can teach others in their flock and fledglings to look out for these enemies or allies.
|
|
Dr. David H. Anthony III, Associate Professor of African Studies at UCSC, will speak at an event sponsored by the NAACP Santa Cruz Feb. 24, 6pm. NAACP President Brenda Griffin invites all to this event. See more information above. Click to register here.
|
|
Housing Santa Cruz County Sponsors
By The Housing Santa Cruz County Team
We are so excited to cordially invite you to the official launch of Housing Santa Cruz County, a growing coalition leading the fight for affordable housing in Santa Cruz County. We hope that you will join us for the event, and in the fight to provide access to safe, stable, affordable housing for the residents and workers of Santa Cruz County.
The Zoom discussion is on Feb. 25 from 4-5pm and will also be streamed via Facebook Live. California State Controller Betty Yee will be joining the discussion and will offer the state's perspective on the housing crisis as well as her own. We’ll also have a guest from another Northern California organization that has been working effectively on affordable housing issues in a nearby county.
Please join us, Thursday, Feb. 25 at 4pm. You can register for this free event here. By registering, you guarantee that you will be sent all of the information you need to join the meeting. We look forward to seeing you there!
|
|
“Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.”
Frederick Douglass
Died Feb. 20,1895
|
|
U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey
Data released on Feb. 12 and based on responses collected January 20 through February 1 by the U.S. Census, the Survey estimates that:
24.9% of American adults expect someone in their household to experience a loss in employment income in the next 4 weeks.
38.6% of adults live in households where at least one adult substituted some or all in-person work for #telework because of the coronavirus pandemic.
11.2% of American adults lived in households where there was either sometimes or often not enough to eat in the previous 7 days.
8.0% of adults are either not current on their rent or mortgage payment or have slight or no confidence in making their next payment on time. Of adults living in households not current on rent or mortgage, 33.3% report eviction or foreclosure in the next two months is somewhat or very likely.
35.4% of adults live in households where it has been somewhat or very difficult to pay usual household expenses during the coronavirus pandemic.
79.3% of adults in households with post-secondary educational plans had those plans cancelled or changed significantly this fall.
13.2% of adults have received a COVID-19 vaccine. Among adults who have yet to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, 54.8% definitely will get one when available
7.8% of jobholders in the U.S. hold multiple jobs, and the numbers have been trending upward during the past twenty years. The data also show that earnings from secondary jobs are, on average, 27.8% of a multiple jobholder's total quarterly earnings and occurs at all levels of earnings.
|
|
Santa Cruz County Covid-19 Report
By SARAH RINGLER
cases that tested positive. That is an increase of 2% from last Thursday. 170 people have now died, an increase of 5%.
Regional stay-at-home orders are lifted by state health officials allowing some businesses to open. We are now under "Limited Stay at Home Orders." For information, go here.
The county's Effective Reproductive Number is continuing to fall below one. See chart below. Numbers above one show the spread of the virus is increasing. Below one means the spread is decreasing.
To get tested without a doctor’s request, call 1-888-634-1123 or go online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting. Other testing sites that may have restricted access can be found here.
Vaccines are now supposed to be available in Santa Cruz County. For more information, click here.
If you are on Medicare, Part B will cover your vaccine so it will be free. You might need your red, white, and blue Medicare card so your health care provider or pharmacy can bill Medicare. You’ll need your Medicare card even if you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan. Bring a pen.
|
|
 |
Deaths by ethnicity/170:
White - 58%
Latinx - 32%
Black - 1%
Asian - 8%
American Native - 1%
Deaths by gender/170:
Female - 54%
Male - 46%
Other - 0%
Under Investigation - 1%
Deaths by age/170:
30-39 - 2%
40-49 - 1%
50-59 - 2%
60-69 - 14%
70-79 - 19%
80-89 - 32%
90+ - 30%
Tested positive by region/% of population:
Mid-county - 20%/12%
North county - 18%/60%
South county - 60%/29%
Under investigation - 1%
Weekly increases in positive tests:
June 12-19 - 7%
June 19-26 - 23%
June 26 to July 3 - 22%
|
|
|
|
July 3-9 - 23%
July 9-16 - 40%
July 16-23 - 20%
July 23-30 - 27%
July 30-Aug. 6 - 13%
Aug. 6-13- 12%
Aug.14-20 - 16%
Aug.20-28 - 10%
Aug. 28-Sept. 3 - 10%
Sept. 3-10 - 6%
Sept. 10-17- 8%
Sept. 17-24 - 7%
Sept. 25- Oct.1 - 5%
Oct. 1 - 9 - 4%
Oct. 9-15 - 4%
Oct. 15-22 - 5%
Oct. 23-29 - 4%
Oct. 30-Nov. 5 - 6%
Nov. 5-12 - 10%
Nov. 12-19 - 11%
Nov. 19-26 - holiday
Nov. 19-Dec. 3 - 29% 2 weeks of data for this week only
Dec. 3-10 - 16%
Dec. 10-17 - 17%
Dec. 17-24 - 14%
Dec. 24-31 - 19%
Jan. 1-7 - 13%
Jan. 7-14 - 14%
Jan. 15-21 - 11%
Jan. 21-28 - 5%
Jan. 28-Feb. 4 - 5%
Feb. 5-11 - 2%
Feb. 11-18 - 2%
|
|
|
|
Labor History Calendar for February 19:
1942: Franklin Delano Roosevelt sends 120,000 west coast Japanese, including U.S. citizens, to concentration camps.
1948: Joe Ettor, IWW organizer dies.
|
|
Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Music with a Perfect Beet
By SARAH RINGLER
Like when musical notes come together to create a beautiful melody, the ingredients in this recipe possess a similar harmony. Even though it is a simple vegetable dish, it gives homage to the synchronicity of each of its individual parts combined.
I prefer the darkest and most purple beets, just because the color is so distinct. There are other colors including a white variety that was eaten by the ancient Greeks. The plant is native to the Mediterranean and Western Europe. The round ones we eat now were developed in the 16th century according to Harold McGee in his tome, “On Food and Cooking.” They also possess a natural sweetness that later was cultivated by scientists into the sugar beet, one source of granulated sugar although sugar cane production is six times greater than for sugar beets.
Roasting really brings out the flavor and keeps the color saturated. The added yogurt makes a nice pink color and the green flesh of the toasted pistachios add contrast. The recipe was presented by Aaron Hutcherson in the March 13, 2019 New York Times.
Greek yogurt is usually firm like sour cream. You can use any plain, whole milk yogurt but you need to drain it first. See directions below.
Roasted beets with yogurt, pistachios and coriander
3 small beets (about 2 pounds total)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
⅔ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt, drained
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ cup roughly chopped toasted pistachios
The yogurt needs to be thick and creamy like sour cream. If it isn’t, put cheese cloth in a sieve over a bowl. Add about 1 cup of yogurt to the cheesecloth and let sit and drain for about an hour or more until it holds its shape.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler if you want. Larger beets need to be peeled. Cut them in half, then cut each half into 4 wedges. In a bowl, toss the beets with 2 tablespoons olive oil and the ground coriander. Season generously with salt and pepper and spread out in an even layer on a rimmed baking pan. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until almost fully tender, about 25 minutes. Cut the beets into bite sized pieces and put them back in the bowl.
Meanwhile, toast the coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking the skillet, until seeds are golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
Season the yogurt with salt and pepper and spread it on a platter. Add the remaining olive oil and the balsamic to the roasted bite-sized beets and toss to coat; season to taste with salt and peppers. Arrange the beets and their juices over the yogurt. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios and toasted coriander seeds. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves four.
|
|
YOUR STORY OR ART HERE: Please submit a story that you think would be of interest to the people of Santa Cruz County. Try and keep the word count to around 400. Also, there should be suggested actions if possible. Submit to coluyaki@gmail.com
If you are enjoying the Serf City Times, forward it on to others. We need readers, artists, photographers and writers.
|
|
Welcome to Serf City Times. Over time, our county has grown more stratified and divided with many people feeling left out. Housing affordability, racism and low wages are the most obvious factors. However, many groups and individuals in Santa Cruz County work tirelessly to make our county a better place for everyone. These people work on the environment, housing, economic justice, health, criminal justice, disability rights, immigrant rights, racial justice, transportation, workers’ rights, education reform, gender issues, equity issues, electoral politics and more. Often, one group doesn’t know what another is doing. The Serf City Times is dedicated to serving as a clearinghouse for those issues by letting you know what is going on, what actions you can take and how you can support these groups.This is a self-funded enterprise and all work is volunteer.
Copyright © 2021 Sarah Ringler - All rights reserved
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
