A day with Chandu……day started with bird watching…. Had day full of exploring nature of Sam Fransisco….talks, videos and photographs.
Started with bird watching, moving to ants, nature, food…. And many more things related to nature. In the process explored many more topics. Began with geography, we traced the location of California on the globe……why it’s called silicon valley? A place of earth quakes and faults. Geography of California and San Francisco. Knowing about Coastal red wood trees – from someone who experienced them first hand, was interesting……..such huge heights and why do they grow in grooves? What helps redwood to live longer ( almost 3000yrs).
Water requirements of this tree gets answer in weather of this place….summer fog which comes out of its geographical situation. Leaves of red wood trees directly absorb water from fog. So rain and fog helps in fulfilling water requirements of red wood trees. Mediterranean weather……Story of California…..1847. Gold rush…….battle and California…rush for gold brought killing of native Americans, pollution to mine, contaminated water, more businesses to dig gold, horse carriages, food, shelter and innovation (Levi’s jeans).
Topics covered from pollination to ocean forest (kelp forest), variation of ocean water color, butterflies, moth, night pollination, day pollination, fishes, krill, ocean ecology, conservation, migration,. whales and research, and of course birds. While he talked about his experience of discovery of nature in California, he shared various videos to keep interest alive.
He left us mesmerised with his passion for nature.. . Living in new place like California just for six months and out of his interest he discovered so much about the nature…..he learnt by questioning, wondering, reading, travelling and observing.