Notes about your surroundings

Tern Time--It has been a tough breeding season for the endangered California least terns at the Bolsa Chica State Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach, where a red fox and an American kestrel have taken a toll on both eggs and fledglings, it was reported early in June.

Other tern species that nest in the wetlands reserve were not as badly affected by the predators, observers have said. In any case, birders can still see plenty of adult tern activity at Bolsa Chica now.

Tern species that nest on two islands in the wetlands, in addition to the California least tern, include black skimmers, Caspian terns, elegant terns and Forster’s terns. The most abundant nesting tern in the reserve is the elegant tern; last year, more than 1,800 nesting pairs were recorded.

The reserve is open to the public during daylight hours. Public tours are offered by Amigos de Bolsa Chica on the first Saturday of each month. For information, call (714) 897-7003.

Star News--KNBC weatherman Fritz Coleman will speak Friday night at the monthly meeting of Orange County Astronomers about “Astronomy and the Weather.” The meeting, open to the public, will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Science Hall of Chapman University in Orange.

With a comet’s impending collision with Jupiter the big astronomical news this month, the astronomers group will set up telescopes at the Orange County Fair from 2 to 10 p.m. July 16 and 17. During the day, fair-goers can observe the sun, but at night, the scopes will be trained on Jupiter. The club is also trying to set up a video link with its big telescope in the desert near Anza.