Program Description & Sources

Rusten Hogness started producing radio segments about the natural history of Monterey Bay in 1995, as part of the Field Notes collective at KUSP-FM in Santa Cruz, California. The collective produced 5-minute shows for two years. Rusten produced 19 of the programs, most back in the tape-and-razorblade era before digital editing.

This program on brown pelicans and their soaring and plunge-diving was one of Rusten's first. He interviewed biologist Craig Himmelwright in the field, atop the cliff north of Santa Cruz, as they watched the pelicans glide by, riding the updrafts at the edge of the cliff. When Rusten remarked that the pelicans looked about as much like pterodactyls as any living critter, Craig got into it. That part of the conversation got turned into the framework leading into and out of the piece on the pelicans.

Craig's comment near the end of the piece that leaving plastic in the water where it can choke a bird like a pelican to death was recorded back in the car ... thus the very different sound quality.

This mp3 file has been created from the only existing, low quality recording of the program Rusten can find. The original interview tapes are lost.

Thanks to P J Swift of Pickleberry Pie for finding the kids' songs that help frame the piece.