Saturday - ravens galore. Visitors to Barney’s Beanery should keep their eyes open. Maybe it’s the spirit of Sal Mineo. This was one of a pair seen in both the morning and the afternoon at LaCienega and Holloway. I’d gone back to take photos of where they *had* been, and they appeared right above me while I was framing a shot. The whole day, full of ravens, is detailed below. It’s not so much that ravens are in Hollywood as it is that Hollywood is in the Santa Monica mountains.
The whole day:
Early morning under a light marine layer and cool temps:
8 am.: pair of ravens eastbound over LaBrea and Sunset
9 am.: ravens at Sweetzer and Santa Monica Blvd (noticed while I was having breakfast at Eat Well)
9:15 a.m.: pair of ravens at LaCienega and Holloway. First noticed on street light, near a utility pole full of sparrows. One raven then visited a construction site (mostly empty, being cleared for foundation, so mostly dirt) while its buddy kept watch from the Enser building (the tall white building in the background - the empty lot is adjacent to the 7-Eleven)
The lookout then left its perch and glided over the construction site, turning as it did, and its friend on the ground took off to follow, and they both flew south-east (away from the hills).
The rest of the day, the skies were sunny and clear.
10:30 a.m.: Near Mt. Topanga, two ravens flying north at 10-15 m. above ridge, following ridge trail, itself at 1800 ft. They alighted for a few moments on a telephone pole before continuing on. Sadly, we were hiking the other direction.
5 p.m.: On returning to LaCienega and Holloway, ravens caught me taking photos. Same ravens as in the morning? Who knows. Ravens were there again the following Thursday (see L’chaim to ravens)
6 p.m.: raven soarcling above LaBrea and Sunset, slowly moving towards Cahuenga Pass.