America the Beautiful: Mighty Northwest (2018): Season 1, Episode 1 - Golden Coast - full transcript
♪
Everything about this coast
is big.
♪
Steep cliffs.
Rugged landscapes.
And miles of
sparsely inhabited wilderness.
(shrieking)
here the spice of life is salt.
Mini-miracles rise
from the ocean...
And titans clash.
Now, climb a food chain
full of surprises...
On california's coast
with the most.
(playing america the beautiful)
♪
♪
♪
For throngs of sightseers,
the famous highway 1
up california's central coast
means spectacular views.
♪
For passing wildlife, the coast
is one of the busiest pit stops
they know.
♪
♪
Smack dab in the middle
of winter mating
and summer feeding grounds.
♪
Birds flock here;
mammals migrate.
And right now,
just under the waves...
♪
...A major arrival
few people ever see.
♪
It's spring break
for these anchovies.
They swarm here for easy eats
and cool temperatures.
And they bring friends.
A single school can consist
of one billion individuals.
Hair-like sensors allow them
to detect the slightest
movement by their neighbors...
And they react
in the blink of an eye.
♪
Every side watches
for incoming predators,
but there are some threats
you can't run from.
♪
A gaping mouth joins the party.
♪
The ribbed skin-folds
along a humpback's throat
expand like an accordion,
allowing it to gulp thousands
of fish in one pass.
♪
These 30-ton visitors
can swallow 3,000 pounds
of food a day.
This group is on
its annual voyage north.
Some travel around 10,000 miles,
one of the farthest migrations
of any mammal.
(whale moaning)
♪
♪
It's this calf's
first journey north...
Learning the ropes
from mom as he goes.
♪
Female humpbacks nurse their
youngsters for almost a year.
He already weighs
more than a ton.
On this trip they'll map out
the crucial path
to summer feeding grounds,
and he'll remember it for life.
♪
♪
Plus a few tricks from mom
along the way.
♪
♪
They take in the coastal
scenery as they go.
♪
The wildest section
of california's coast
stretches from san simeon,
100 miles up to monterey bay,
and beyond.
It includes big sur,
and takes in rich ocean waters
from monterey bay's
two-mile-deep underwater canyon.
In both depth and scale, it's
comparable to the grand canyon.
♪
Life here is just bigger,
out of the water and in.
Stands of giant kelp grow fast,
as much as two feet
in a single day,
until they reach
more than 150 feet tall.
♪
Among the kelp,
a less obvious giant.
This coastal traveler packs
a lot into his hard case.
Red abalone have a foot
that stretches
their entire body length.
That's it there,
the frilly part on the bottom.
But this sea snail
is not much of a runner.
He uses this oversized appendage
to grip massive kelp leaves.
And he has a razor-like tongue
to shred them like a chainsaw,
measuring one-third
of his body length.
♪
Ruffled folds of tissue
and writhing tentacles
stick out from his foot,
probing for his next meal.
He uses the holes on top
of his shell to breathe,
for waste, and to make babies.
He releases clouds of sperm
and fills the shallow waters
with billions
of microscopic mini-me's.
♪
On cue, a nearby female
shoots out millions
of her own green eggs.
♪
♪
All this x-rated action
attracts others
who join in the fun.
♪
The eggs contain chemical lures,
a beacon to light the way home
for each abalone sailor.
The young settle on the bottom
and dine on pink
coralline algae.
This will be their main course
for the next few months,
giving each one its pink color:
You are what you eat.
These youngsters are just under
two inches in size.
But they've got the appetite
of a teenager.
And big eyes fixed on kelp.
♪
They chow down.
♪
Red abalone can grow shells
up to one foot in length.
But few will make it
to that size.
♪
♪
California's intertidal area
is a cutthroat arena...
Filled with killers.
And this lined shore crab
is the best abalone assassin
of them all.
♪
He takes advantage
while the juveniles
are still bite-sized.
♪
The young abalone
doesn't have enough suction
to withstand
the crab's iron grip.
It has no chance.
The feast is frenetic.
And for good reason.
Open shellfish
are only on the menu
for a short time each day.
♪
This landscape changes
by the hour.
It's a clock set to the rhythm
of the tide.
As soon as the water rolls out,
the anemones and mussels
close up shop.
From fully submerged...
To fully exposed.
♪
From pounding
surf... To baking sun.
♪
♪
This lined shore crab
is unfazed.
He can stay out of the water
for up to 70 hours.
♪
He's one of the more
terrestrial crabs of his kind.
♪
After his first meal
of shellfish
he simply moves on
to his second course,
a side salad
of seaweed and kelp.
♪
But spending so much
time on land... Is risky.
(squawking)
threats from above make
this hunter become the hunted.
♪
If you're not careful out here,
you end up as bird food.
On this coast, there's always
a bigger fish.
♪
Further down the beach,
the tide is bringing in
perhaps the strangest-looking
coastal creature of all.
♪
A northern elephant seal.
(snorting)
and he's not alone.
(birds squawking)
ahead of him, hundreds
lounge on this single beach.
(birds squawking)
the females
have recently given birth
and lay quietly with their pups.
♪
But the peace is soon broken.
♪
A latecomer sneaks in
to look for a mate.
But he's stomping
on someone else's territory.
(bellowing)
big mistake.
♪
♪
A reigning elephant seal
guards his piece
of california's golden coast.
He has more than a hundred
females under his watch,
and he could mate with almost
all of them in a single season.
♪
The big bosses can grow
to nearly 20 feet in length
and weigh around 8,000 pounds.
That's longer and heavier than
a fully loaded pickup truck.
Far too intimidating
for the sneaky intruder
who's chased off with a burst
of elephant energy.
♪
That mini trunk helps him
fend off some interlopers
with sound alone.
(belching)
the male aims his massive nose
down his throat,
and towards his voice box,
to create an echo chamber.
(bellowing)
his call can be heard
from a mile away.
(belching)
(bellowing)
a recent study
of this population
shows that males
can recognize rivals
by the rhythm of their call.
(belching)
that stops some battles,
but not all.
♪
Only weeks after giving birth,
the females are ready
to mate again.
When the king senses this,
nothing stands in his way.
♪
Not even his own pups.
♪
(squealing)
while he's distracted
by his manly duties,
smaller males on the edges
of the harem make their move.
♪
(snorting)
and the competition
between lesser males is fierce.
(bellowing)
(belching)
♪
♪
(growling)
♪
(belching)
♪
(growling)
the two young males clash with
thousands of pounds of force.
Teeth larger than that
of grizzly bears
puncture and draw blood
with each blow.
♪
(belching)
♪
(belching)
the loser slinks away,
while the victorious male
wastes no time.
He must make his move
on the nearest female fast.
If he's lucky,
the king won't notice.
♪
Creatures of all kinds
fixate on this edge.
♪
This fine line between sand and
sea is a food delivery service.
Waves bring dinner
to the doorstep
of millions of coastal birds.
The mountains of kelp
and seaweed
that wash up every year
aren't too tasty.
But they attract something
that is:
(buzzing)
insects.
Lots of insects.
They multiply and swarm.
These little beach hoppers
could take over the coast,
except for one thing.
♪
Enter the snowy plover.
(chirping)
he's the pest control
around these parts.
♪
♪
(chirp)
without these
little winged fur balls,
beaches would be infested.
♪
They may look like young,
but these are indeed adults...
Zipping around like pinballs,
with a dash-dart-and-dine
technique.
♪
If it was a dance,
it'd be a quick step.
♪
When they're done chasing
insects, they chase each other.
♪
This game is called
'getting to know you.'
♪
♪
This piggyback is probably not
what you think.
It's just a warm-up act.
♪
Wait for it... Wait for it.
And there you go.
Both mom and dad
take turns egg sitting.
♪
Dad usually takes
the night shift;
mom the day shift.
Vigilance is vital.
There's danger above.
This hawk would love
nothing more
than a scrambled-egg breakfast.
To counter, the plover is about
to do something extraordinary.
Along california's golden coast,
snowy plovers make
dash-and-dart moves.
♪
♪
It's their best defense
against an aerial attack.
Now this dad uses it
to divert a hawk's attention
away from his family.
(chirping)
it's a bold move.
But it may not be enough.
♪
So he changes tactics
and now pretends to be injured.
♪
♪
A living decoy.
♪
(calling)
he catches the hawk's eye
and distracts it from the nest.
(calling)
♪
When the hawk comes
too close for comfort,
the plover suddenly finds
his speedy little legs again.
It's a strategy that works.
Soon enough, the nest
is chock-a-block with chicks.
♪
Within hours of hatching,
the chicks are up and running.
♪
The next generation
of insect catchers.
♪
Their mother is not
the maternal kind.
She immediately leaves
to find another mate.
♪
But dad hangs around
for about a month
and takes the young'uns
under his wing
whenever danger swoops by.
And there's
one predator's shadow
that can swoop over him
faster than any other.
♪
Of all the birds
on this golden coast,
one raptor stands
above them all.
A diving peregrine falcon
is the fastest creature
on the planet.
In the cliffs above, a young
falcon stretches its wings.
(screeching)
he's just over a month old.
But peregrine chicks
are dependent upon mom and dad
for food for at least 40 days
after hatching.
♪
It must wait while
its parents soar above,
searching for opportunity.
♪
♪
(squawking)
they have three gears.
Around 30 miles an hour
when commuting,
close to 70 when chasing prey,
and a top speed of more than
200 miles an hour in a dive.
♪
Dad is a little smaller.
It's mom who rules the roost.
♪
What she'll bring back
for dinner is anyone's guess.
♪
But it'll certainly be
something slower.
♪
♪
Today's meal is another bird.
And her keen eyes
have spotted one in trouble.
♪
It's hard to see at first,
but it's a dove clinging
to a rock in the surf.
The dove chooses
to weather the waves.
It knows that to fly away now
would be suicide.
He's no match for the falcon.
It's between a rock
and a hard place.
The rock is being pounded
by surf,
but the hard place
is a peregrine's talons.
A stalemate... Until
neptune intervenes.
Peregrine falcons
on california's golden coast
live for opportunities
like this.
A dove trapped
in among the waves.
♪
♪
The male tries again.
And again.
It's a tricky maneuver.
He doesn't want to risk
getting soaked by a wave
or pulled under.
This is a job for momma.
♪
Much closer.
♪
Finally.
♪
♪
♪
♪
She takes her fair share
before feeding her chick.
♪
♪
Dad needs to hold his own.
♪
Once more back to the beach.
♪
♪
The ocean thrusts her bounty
up on the sand,
into the tidal pools...
And farther into california
than you'd imagine.
The icy ocean current
from monterey canyon
heads inland for seven miles.
It carries with it
something important:
Lunch.
♪
The water is full
of yummy morsels,
bits of kelp and plankton.
These nutrients feed one
of the largest tidal marshes
in california:
Elkhorn slough.
A salty kingdom
ruled by the tides.
It's a gentle oasis
for this sea otter.
He's a water-loving weasel
with massive webbed toes
that make this male look like
he walks with two left feet.
♪
But once deep enough,
he finds his sea legs...
And a whole bunch of friends.
♪
Almost every moment
of their lives is spent afloat.
♪
Some take on a prayerful pose;
it's how they sleep.
For others, wakey wakey.
Time for a morning scrub.
♪
Otters are the heaviest members
of the weasel family
and are uniquely adapted
to life around water.
They use their tails
for balance and as a rudder.
They can open and close
their small ears for diving.
And they have the densest fur
in the animal kingdom,
like a full-body lifejacket.
Eight hundred million hairs
trap air close to their skin
and keep out the icy ocean.
♪
Sea otter romance
leaves much to be desired.
A skinny dip with a partner
might sound romantic,
but it ain't.
♪
It's a rumble and a tumble
until the male gets a good grip.
♪
(squeaking)
♪
He can draw blood
with those teeth
and will hold her head
underwater
until he gets his way.
♪
It's a life-or-death struggle
for this female.
And she already has
a juvenile at her side.
If she goes down, so does it.
Two lives hang in the balance.
♪
It's a california love tangle
that can turn tragic.
This reluctant female sea otter
and her young pup
could easily be killed
by this determined male.
♪
♪
It's a close call,
but the mating battle ends,
and all survive.
♪
He'll leave her to raise
their new offspring alone.
♪
Pups are born in the water.
But can't swim until
they reach two weeks.
Mom uses her stomach
as a furry cradle.
But every parent needs
a little me time.
And mom's got just the solution.
♪
Fill the pup's dense fur
with air.
Like blowing up a balloon.
Now this kid will float
for hours.
♪
She wanders off
while the youngster bobbles
like a buoy nearby.
♪
Hunting is essential
for a young mother.
She's on a high-calorie diet,
eating up to 30%
of her body weight each day.
A large innkeeper worm
makes a perfect starter.
♪
(squeak)
♪
♪
For another female,
catch of the day is clam,
freshly cracked and served raw.
Her pup is a little older
and can swim.
(pup cries)
but he's not happy mom
has a table for one.
♪
(cries)
♪
(cry)
♪
He depends on her until he can
wrangle his own dinner.
♪
♪
Until then, this momma's boy
will keep living at home...
(squeak)
♪
...A little otter
growing up on a big coast.
♪
♪
In the hills above them,
another golden coast
family commotion
comes with a strange twist.
Here, vast meadows
weave through coastal hills...
Chock full of some
of california's
finest wildflowers.
♪
Look carefully, and you'll see
there's another speck of color
moving among this grass...
western side blotched lizards.
♪
Every spring these males take on
one of three shades of color:
Blue, orange, or yellow.
♪
All so they can play
a very special game.
A cutthroat round
of rock-paper-scissors.
And to the victors,
go the females.
Let the games begin.
These lizards turned blue.
Blue spots, blue scales,
and blue chin to match.
♪
Blues are the team players.
They work together
to set up a security detail
around their females.
♪
And their guards keep watch.
♪
The push-ups signal
that he sees trouble.
It's a dreaded orange.
Same species, different color,
different tactic.
He's no team player,
but he's blessed with genes
that give him brute strength
and a short temper.
Which he uses to hit
the nearest blue head on.
♪
The attack is
relentless... ♪
...Barely a contest.
♪
Rock beats scissors.
Orange beats blue.
Those are the rules.
But don't forget yellow...
The unlikely third contender.
♪
Yellow males
don't need to fight.
They have other skills.
Namely, they're small
and sneaky.
The blues' defenses
are too strong
for the yellow to slink by.
But yellow's sly tactics
are perfect against orange.
♪
While orange was busy fighting,
he left his females alone.
♪
Yellow slips right in... ♪
♪
...And beats rock.
So orange beats blue...
Blue beats yellow...
Yellow beats orange.
Rock-paper-scissors.
It's all-consuming
if you're a lizard.
But there is one predator
here on the golden coast
that can consume them all.
♪
♪
Atop the cliffs
of california's golden coast,
a bobcat roams her territory.
♪
♪
There's about a square mile
of grasslands
this bobcat calls
her own... ♪
...Where she lives...
Sleeps... And hunts.
♪
She's twice the size
of your average housecat.
Around three feet in length.
And she's a lot more of a loner.
♪
There is another cat nearby.
It's her offspring
from last year.
♪
♪
This young female
would like to tag along
like the good old days.
It'll take a few months
for her to learn
that mom's not having it.
♪
She already has plenty
on her plate back at her den.
♪
♪
♪
Two kittens can be a handful.
These wide-eyed wonders
are just over a month old.
At this age they're still
working on their motor skills.
Climbing.
Playing.
And testing their balance.
It's a work in progress.
One day these kittens
will keep up with their mother
by following the white spots
behind her ears
and on the end of her tail.
♪
But for now she hunts solo.
♪
With mom gone, this duo is left
to entertain themselves...
Seeing how far their
little legs can take them.
♪
But straying too far
on this coast can be deadly.
♪
(shriek)
hawks watch from above.
♪
And coyotes stalk below.
♪
It's enough to lose
your appetite for adventure.
They go back to the den.
♪
But they shouldn't wait up.
Mom's going to be out late.
She scents the trail
to mark her territory.
♪
It's a five-mile circuit,
starting at dusk
and going into the night.
♪
Then in the morning
she leaves her kittens again
for another five miles
that'll finish around sunrise.
♪
It's a whole lot
of hurry up and wait.
She's been here for hours,
staking out
a single gopher hole.
♪
Then, at just the right moment.
♪
♪
This time, not worth the wait.
♪
Maybe the next hole.
♪
California's golden coast
has no shortage
of permanent residents.
(shriek)
even some of the birds
live here year round.
When a location is
this bountiful, why move?
This is more than
a wild stretch of beach.
It's a mid-point for
feeding... ♪
and mating migrations.
♪
A salty food chain that runs
up and down the coast.
From the depths of the pacific,
to the top of big sur,
this pristine marine ecosystem
runs like clockwork,
driven by the tides.
Complex... Unstoppable...
And totally wild.
♪
Everything about this coast
is big.
♪
Steep cliffs.
Rugged landscapes.
And miles of
sparsely inhabited wilderness.
(shrieking)
here the spice of life is salt.
Mini-miracles rise
from the ocean...
And titans clash.
Now, climb a food chain
full of surprises...
On california's coast
with the most.
(playing america the beautiful)
♪
♪
♪
For throngs of sightseers,
the famous highway 1
up california's central coast
means spectacular views.
♪
For passing wildlife, the coast
is one of the busiest pit stops
they know.
♪
♪
Smack dab in the middle
of winter mating
and summer feeding grounds.
♪
Birds flock here;
mammals migrate.
And right now,
just under the waves...
♪
...A major arrival
few people ever see.
♪
It's spring break
for these anchovies.
They swarm here for easy eats
and cool temperatures.
And they bring friends.
A single school can consist
of one billion individuals.
Hair-like sensors allow them
to detect the slightest
movement by their neighbors...
And they react
in the blink of an eye.
♪
Every side watches
for incoming predators,
but there are some threats
you can't run from.
♪
A gaping mouth joins the party.
♪
The ribbed skin-folds
along a humpback's throat
expand like an accordion,
allowing it to gulp thousands
of fish in one pass.
♪
These 30-ton visitors
can swallow 3,000 pounds
of food a day.
This group is on
its annual voyage north.
Some travel around 10,000 miles,
one of the farthest migrations
of any mammal.
(whale moaning)
♪
♪
It's this calf's
first journey north...
Learning the ropes
from mom as he goes.
♪
Female humpbacks nurse their
youngsters for almost a year.
He already weighs
more than a ton.
On this trip they'll map out
the crucial path
to summer feeding grounds,
and he'll remember it for life.
♪
♪
Plus a few tricks from mom
along the way.
♪
♪
They take in the coastal
scenery as they go.
♪
The wildest section
of california's coast
stretches from san simeon,
100 miles up to monterey bay,
and beyond.
It includes big sur,
and takes in rich ocean waters
from monterey bay's
two-mile-deep underwater canyon.
In both depth and scale, it's
comparable to the grand canyon.
♪
Life here is just bigger,
out of the water and in.
Stands of giant kelp grow fast,
as much as two feet
in a single day,
until they reach
more than 150 feet tall.
♪
Among the kelp,
a less obvious giant.
This coastal traveler packs
a lot into his hard case.
Red abalone have a foot
that stretches
their entire body length.
That's it there,
the frilly part on the bottom.
But this sea snail
is not much of a runner.
He uses this oversized appendage
to grip massive kelp leaves.
And he has a razor-like tongue
to shred them like a chainsaw,
measuring one-third
of his body length.
♪
Ruffled folds of tissue
and writhing tentacles
stick out from his foot,
probing for his next meal.
He uses the holes on top
of his shell to breathe,
for waste, and to make babies.
He releases clouds of sperm
and fills the shallow waters
with billions
of microscopic mini-me's.
♪
On cue, a nearby female
shoots out millions
of her own green eggs.
♪
♪
All this x-rated action
attracts others
who join in the fun.
♪
The eggs contain chemical lures,
a beacon to light the way home
for each abalone sailor.
The young settle on the bottom
and dine on pink
coralline algae.
This will be their main course
for the next few months,
giving each one its pink color:
You are what you eat.
These youngsters are just under
two inches in size.
But they've got the appetite
of a teenager.
And big eyes fixed on kelp.
♪
They chow down.
♪
Red abalone can grow shells
up to one foot in length.
But few will make it
to that size.
♪
♪
California's intertidal area
is a cutthroat arena...
Filled with killers.
And this lined shore crab
is the best abalone assassin
of them all.
♪
He takes advantage
while the juveniles
are still bite-sized.
♪
The young abalone
doesn't have enough suction
to withstand
the crab's iron grip.
It has no chance.
The feast is frenetic.
And for good reason.
Open shellfish
are only on the menu
for a short time each day.
♪
This landscape changes
by the hour.
It's a clock set to the rhythm
of the tide.
As soon as the water rolls out,
the anemones and mussels
close up shop.
From fully submerged...
To fully exposed.
♪
From pounding
surf... To baking sun.
♪
♪
This lined shore crab
is unfazed.
He can stay out of the water
for up to 70 hours.
♪
He's one of the more
terrestrial crabs of his kind.
♪
After his first meal
of shellfish
he simply moves on
to his second course,
a side salad
of seaweed and kelp.
♪
But spending so much
time on land... Is risky.
(squawking)
threats from above make
this hunter become the hunted.
♪
If you're not careful out here,
you end up as bird food.
On this coast, there's always
a bigger fish.
♪
Further down the beach,
the tide is bringing in
perhaps the strangest-looking
coastal creature of all.
♪
A northern elephant seal.
(snorting)
and he's not alone.
(birds squawking)
ahead of him, hundreds
lounge on this single beach.
(birds squawking)
the females
have recently given birth
and lay quietly with their pups.
♪
But the peace is soon broken.
♪
A latecomer sneaks in
to look for a mate.
But he's stomping
on someone else's territory.
(bellowing)
big mistake.
♪
♪
A reigning elephant seal
guards his piece
of california's golden coast.
He has more than a hundred
females under his watch,
and he could mate with almost
all of them in a single season.
♪
The big bosses can grow
to nearly 20 feet in length
and weigh around 8,000 pounds.
That's longer and heavier than
a fully loaded pickup truck.
Far too intimidating
for the sneaky intruder
who's chased off with a burst
of elephant energy.
♪
That mini trunk helps him
fend off some interlopers
with sound alone.
(belching)
the male aims his massive nose
down his throat,
and towards his voice box,
to create an echo chamber.
(bellowing)
his call can be heard
from a mile away.
(belching)
(bellowing)
a recent study
of this population
shows that males
can recognize rivals
by the rhythm of their call.
(belching)
that stops some battles,
but not all.
♪
Only weeks after giving birth,
the females are ready
to mate again.
When the king senses this,
nothing stands in his way.
♪
Not even his own pups.
♪
(squealing)
while he's distracted
by his manly duties,
smaller males on the edges
of the harem make their move.
♪
(snorting)
and the competition
between lesser males is fierce.
(bellowing)
(belching)
♪
♪
(growling)
♪
(belching)
♪
(growling)
the two young males clash with
thousands of pounds of force.
Teeth larger than that
of grizzly bears
puncture and draw blood
with each blow.
♪
(belching)
♪
(belching)
the loser slinks away,
while the victorious male
wastes no time.
He must make his move
on the nearest female fast.
If he's lucky,
the king won't notice.
♪
Creatures of all kinds
fixate on this edge.
♪
This fine line between sand and
sea is a food delivery service.
Waves bring dinner
to the doorstep
of millions of coastal birds.
The mountains of kelp
and seaweed
that wash up every year
aren't too tasty.
But they attract something
that is:
(buzzing)
insects.
Lots of insects.
They multiply and swarm.
These little beach hoppers
could take over the coast,
except for one thing.
♪
Enter the snowy plover.
(chirping)
he's the pest control
around these parts.
♪
♪
(chirp)
without these
little winged fur balls,
beaches would be infested.
♪
They may look like young,
but these are indeed adults...
Zipping around like pinballs,
with a dash-dart-and-dine
technique.
♪
If it was a dance,
it'd be a quick step.
♪
When they're done chasing
insects, they chase each other.
♪
This game is called
'getting to know you.'
♪
♪
This piggyback is probably not
what you think.
It's just a warm-up act.
♪
Wait for it... Wait for it.
And there you go.
Both mom and dad
take turns egg sitting.
♪
Dad usually takes
the night shift;
mom the day shift.
Vigilance is vital.
There's danger above.
This hawk would love
nothing more
than a scrambled-egg breakfast.
To counter, the plover is about
to do something extraordinary.
Along california's golden coast,
snowy plovers make
dash-and-dart moves.
♪
♪
It's their best defense
against an aerial attack.
Now this dad uses it
to divert a hawk's attention
away from his family.
(chirping)
it's a bold move.
But it may not be enough.
♪
So he changes tactics
and now pretends to be injured.
♪
♪
A living decoy.
♪
(calling)
he catches the hawk's eye
and distracts it from the nest.
(calling)
♪
When the hawk comes
too close for comfort,
the plover suddenly finds
his speedy little legs again.
It's a strategy that works.
Soon enough, the nest
is chock-a-block with chicks.
♪
Within hours of hatching,
the chicks are up and running.
♪
The next generation
of insect catchers.
♪
Their mother is not
the maternal kind.
She immediately leaves
to find another mate.
♪
But dad hangs around
for about a month
and takes the young'uns
under his wing
whenever danger swoops by.
And there's
one predator's shadow
that can swoop over him
faster than any other.
♪
Of all the birds
on this golden coast,
one raptor stands
above them all.
A diving peregrine falcon
is the fastest creature
on the planet.
In the cliffs above, a young
falcon stretches its wings.
(screeching)
he's just over a month old.
But peregrine chicks
are dependent upon mom and dad
for food for at least 40 days
after hatching.
♪
It must wait while
its parents soar above,
searching for opportunity.
♪
♪
(squawking)
they have three gears.
Around 30 miles an hour
when commuting,
close to 70 when chasing prey,
and a top speed of more than
200 miles an hour in a dive.
♪
Dad is a little smaller.
It's mom who rules the roost.
♪
What she'll bring back
for dinner is anyone's guess.
♪
But it'll certainly be
something slower.
♪
♪
Today's meal is another bird.
And her keen eyes
have spotted one in trouble.
♪
It's hard to see at first,
but it's a dove clinging
to a rock in the surf.
The dove chooses
to weather the waves.
It knows that to fly away now
would be suicide.
He's no match for the falcon.
It's between a rock
and a hard place.
The rock is being pounded
by surf,
but the hard place
is a peregrine's talons.
A stalemate... Until
neptune intervenes.
Peregrine falcons
on california's golden coast
live for opportunities
like this.
A dove trapped
in among the waves.
♪
♪
The male tries again.
And again.
It's a tricky maneuver.
He doesn't want to risk
getting soaked by a wave
or pulled under.
This is a job for momma.
♪
Much closer.
♪
Finally.
♪
♪
♪
♪
She takes her fair share
before feeding her chick.
♪
♪
Dad needs to hold his own.
♪
Once more back to the beach.
♪
♪
The ocean thrusts her bounty
up on the sand,
into the tidal pools...
And farther into california
than you'd imagine.
The icy ocean current
from monterey canyon
heads inland for seven miles.
It carries with it
something important:
Lunch.
♪
The water is full
of yummy morsels,
bits of kelp and plankton.
These nutrients feed one
of the largest tidal marshes
in california:
Elkhorn slough.
A salty kingdom
ruled by the tides.
It's a gentle oasis
for this sea otter.
He's a water-loving weasel
with massive webbed toes
that make this male look like
he walks with two left feet.
♪
But once deep enough,
he finds his sea legs...
And a whole bunch of friends.
♪
Almost every moment
of their lives is spent afloat.
♪
Some take on a prayerful pose;
it's how they sleep.
For others, wakey wakey.
Time for a morning scrub.
♪
Otters are the heaviest members
of the weasel family
and are uniquely adapted
to life around water.
They use their tails
for balance and as a rudder.
They can open and close
their small ears for diving.
And they have the densest fur
in the animal kingdom,
like a full-body lifejacket.
Eight hundred million hairs
trap air close to their skin
and keep out the icy ocean.
♪
Sea otter romance
leaves much to be desired.
A skinny dip with a partner
might sound romantic,
but it ain't.
♪
It's a rumble and a tumble
until the male gets a good grip.
♪
(squeaking)
♪
He can draw blood
with those teeth
and will hold her head
underwater
until he gets his way.
♪
It's a life-or-death struggle
for this female.
And she already has
a juvenile at her side.
If she goes down, so does it.
Two lives hang in the balance.
♪
It's a california love tangle
that can turn tragic.
This reluctant female sea otter
and her young pup
could easily be killed
by this determined male.
♪
♪
It's a close call,
but the mating battle ends,
and all survive.
♪
He'll leave her to raise
their new offspring alone.
♪
Pups are born in the water.
But can't swim until
they reach two weeks.
Mom uses her stomach
as a furry cradle.
But every parent needs
a little me time.
And mom's got just the solution.
♪
Fill the pup's dense fur
with air.
Like blowing up a balloon.
Now this kid will float
for hours.
♪
She wanders off
while the youngster bobbles
like a buoy nearby.
♪
Hunting is essential
for a young mother.
She's on a high-calorie diet,
eating up to 30%
of her body weight each day.
A large innkeeper worm
makes a perfect starter.
♪
(squeak)
♪
♪
For another female,
catch of the day is clam,
freshly cracked and served raw.
Her pup is a little older
and can swim.
(pup cries)
but he's not happy mom
has a table for one.
♪
(cries)
♪
(cry)
♪
He depends on her until he can
wrangle his own dinner.
♪
♪
Until then, this momma's boy
will keep living at home...
(squeak)
♪
...A little otter
growing up on a big coast.
♪
♪
In the hills above them,
another golden coast
family commotion
comes with a strange twist.
Here, vast meadows
weave through coastal hills...
Chock full of some
of california's
finest wildflowers.
♪
Look carefully, and you'll see
there's another speck of color
moving among this grass...
western side blotched lizards.
♪
Every spring these males take on
one of three shades of color:
Blue, orange, or yellow.
♪
All so they can play
a very special game.
A cutthroat round
of rock-paper-scissors.
And to the victors,
go the females.
Let the games begin.
These lizards turned blue.
Blue spots, blue scales,
and blue chin to match.
♪
Blues are the team players.
They work together
to set up a security detail
around their females.
♪
And their guards keep watch.
♪
The push-ups signal
that he sees trouble.
It's a dreaded orange.
Same species, different color,
different tactic.
He's no team player,
but he's blessed with genes
that give him brute strength
and a short temper.
Which he uses to hit
the nearest blue head on.
♪
The attack is
relentless... ♪
...Barely a contest.
♪
Rock beats scissors.
Orange beats blue.
Those are the rules.
But don't forget yellow...
The unlikely third contender.
♪
Yellow males
don't need to fight.
They have other skills.
Namely, they're small
and sneaky.
The blues' defenses
are too strong
for the yellow to slink by.
But yellow's sly tactics
are perfect against orange.
♪
While orange was busy fighting,
he left his females alone.
♪
Yellow slips right in... ♪
♪
...And beats rock.
So orange beats blue...
Blue beats yellow...
Yellow beats orange.
Rock-paper-scissors.
It's all-consuming
if you're a lizard.
But there is one predator
here on the golden coast
that can consume them all.
♪
♪
Atop the cliffs
of california's golden coast,
a bobcat roams her territory.
♪
♪
There's about a square mile
of grasslands
this bobcat calls
her own... ♪
...Where she lives...
Sleeps... And hunts.
♪
She's twice the size
of your average housecat.
Around three feet in length.
And she's a lot more of a loner.
♪
There is another cat nearby.
It's her offspring
from last year.
♪
♪
This young female
would like to tag along
like the good old days.
It'll take a few months
for her to learn
that mom's not having it.
♪
She already has plenty
on her plate back at her den.
♪
♪
♪
Two kittens can be a handful.
These wide-eyed wonders
are just over a month old.
At this age they're still
working on their motor skills.
Climbing.
Playing.
And testing their balance.
It's a work in progress.
One day these kittens
will keep up with their mother
by following the white spots
behind her ears
and on the end of her tail.
♪
But for now she hunts solo.
♪
With mom gone, this duo is left
to entertain themselves...
Seeing how far their
little legs can take them.
♪
But straying too far
on this coast can be deadly.
♪
(shriek)
hawks watch from above.
♪
And coyotes stalk below.
♪
It's enough to lose
your appetite for adventure.
They go back to the den.
♪
But they shouldn't wait up.
Mom's going to be out late.
She scents the trail
to mark her territory.
♪
It's a five-mile circuit,
starting at dusk
and going into the night.
♪
Then in the morning
she leaves her kittens again
for another five miles
that'll finish around sunrise.
♪
It's a whole lot
of hurry up and wait.
She's been here for hours,
staking out
a single gopher hole.
♪
Then, at just the right moment.
♪
♪
This time, not worth the wait.
♪
Maybe the next hole.
♪
California's golden coast
has no shortage
of permanent residents.
(shriek)
even some of the birds
live here year round.
When a location is
this bountiful, why move?
This is more than
a wild stretch of beach.
It's a mid-point for
feeding... ♪
and mating migrations.
♪
A salty food chain that runs
up and down the coast.
From the depths of the pacific,
to the top of big sur,
this pristine marine ecosystem
runs like clockwork,
driven by the tides.
Complex... Unstoppable...
And totally wild.
♪