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♪♪

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NARRATOR: It's known as
"America's Finest City."

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Sand, surf,

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and superb weather attract
people from around the world.

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But we're not the first
to enjoy it here.

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♪♪

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San Diego has more biodiversity
than any county

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in the continental U.S.

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♪♪

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Humans have transformed
San Diego's wild landscapes...

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♪♪

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...but life here
always finds a way...

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♪♪

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...because San Diego isn't just
"America's Finest City"...

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♪♪

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it's also...
"America's Wildest."

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♪♪

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♪♪

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NARRATOR: San Diego is a land
born of extremes.

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[ Waves crashing,
gulls calling ]

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To its west,
the mighty Pacific.

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To its east, the Sonoran Desert.

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And in between...

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a profusion of life...

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...adapted to a world where
change is the only constant.

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People have been part of
this landscape for 12,000 years.

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But just in the last century
and a half,

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our numbers have grown
500-fold...

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and today's humans --

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3.3 million of us --

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have reshaped San Diego,

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making life here
more comfortable...

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more predictable...

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♪♪

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...and nothing is more important
to us than water.

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♪♪

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San Diego County's
eastern mountains.

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♪♪

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For time immemorial,
rain falling here

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has carved its way through an
arid landscape to find the sea.

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[ Stream gurgling ]

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♪♪

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Life made do with what little
water the land could provide...

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♪♪

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...but for some humans,
it wasn't enough.

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♪♪

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Today, most of San Diego's
rivers are dammed.

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♪♪

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And in a region with no large,
natural lakes...

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♪♪

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...these reservoirs
haven't gone unnoticed.

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[ Water lapping gently ]

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Western grebes,
once only visitors here,

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have become
year-round residents.

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They've gathered this morning
for a very particular reason.

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It's too early to nest...

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but never too soon to be picky.

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♪♪

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Through the crowd,
their eyes meet.

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♪♪

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They start by echoing
each other's movements.

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♪♪

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[ Water splashing ]

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♪♪

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The male offers a gift...

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and the female accepts.

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It's time to take this
relationship to the next level.

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♪♪

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Wait for it.

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♪♪

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Not yet.

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Now.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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The grebes' ritual
demands strength, speed...

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and impeccable timing.

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♪♪

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It's not clear what,
exactly, they're looking for...

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or even who's judging whom,

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but these two pass the test,
taking the first,

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speedy steps towards raising
a family together.

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Below the dam, the river
continues toward the sea,

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but some of its water
takes a very different journey

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through pumps, pipes...

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and sprinklers, creating
a lush oasis in the city.

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♪♪

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For California ground squirrels,

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San Diego's parks
are a paradise.

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[ Squirrel chittering ]

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There's plenty to eat,

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and humans keep predators like
rattlesnakes and coyotes away.

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The squirrels are
more numerous today than ever.

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But they're still...squirrelly.

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When you're eight inches tall,

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dangers lurk around
every corner --

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some imagined...

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[ Squirrel squeaks ]

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...and others very real.

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[ Dog growls ]

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♪♪

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[ Dog whines ]

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♪♪

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[ Dog barks ]

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♪♪

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[ Dog growls ]

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♪♪

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[ Dog barks ]

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♪♪

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Safety, at last.

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♪♪

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Below the surface
is a labyrinth of tunnels,

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constantly under construction.

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♪♪

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Wherever San Diego's
squirrels flourish,

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their burrows are home
to a menagerie of wildlife...

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♪♪

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...a whole parallel universe
right under our feet.

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♪♪

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But even the squirrels'
elaborate earthworks

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pale next to ours...

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♪♪

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...because humans have
re-shaped this landscape

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not just to control water...

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but also other people.

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♪♪

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San Diego's southern border
was once abstract --

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an imaginary line through
a single, connected ecosystem.

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♪♪

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Today, for anything with paws,
hooves, or shoes...

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the border is all too real.

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For desert species,

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the wall can block
traditional migration routes,

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and even cut off access
to water --

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collateral damage in our fervor
to defend our land.

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But no wall is a match...

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for the sea.

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[ Waves crashing ]

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♪♪

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Just offshore, ancient
migrations are still underway.

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♪♪

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Winter brings ocean giants
to San Diego's coast...

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♪♪

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...and smaller species,
like common dolphins,

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arrive from the north
by the thousands.

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♪♪

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Predators are never far behind.

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♪♪

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This all-female pod of orcas

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normally hunts
in Mexican waters...

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...but San Diego's coastal
abundance is worth the journey.

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♪♪

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A common dolphin won't keep
the family fed for long...

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...but there are
more substantial meals

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closer to shore.

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♪♪

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Bottlenose dolphins are smart,
fast, and acrobatic.

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Catching one won't be easy...

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even for the ocean's
top predator.

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♪♪

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The orcas isolate one dolphin
from the pod.

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Alone and outnumbered,

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the bottlenose needs
a stroke of luck.

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♪♪

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Every leap is a chance
to change direction...

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buying the dolphin
precious seconds.

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♪♪

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But orcas are quick learners,

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and luck has a habit
of running out.

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♪♪

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[ Water churning ]

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In San Diego,

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these violent clashes
between predator and prey

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happen just off shore...

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where a crowded coastline

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meets the planet's
greatest ocean wilderness.

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[ Waves crashing ]

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♪♪

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Winter waves --
the biggest of the year --

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draw surfers to San Diego's
best breaks.

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♪♪

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Signs of the ocean's power

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pile up just about everywhere...

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...except here...

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one little beach,
sheltered from the surf.

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This concrete breakwater
was built in 1931

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to create a safe beach
for children,

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but waterfront property
is in high demand.

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[ Seal barks ]

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Pacific harbor seals
gather here every winter.

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It's a perfect place
for a nap in the sun...

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if you can just find a spot.

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♪♪

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But this female
isn't here to nap.

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She's on a much
more urgent mission.

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[ Seal groaning ]

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♪♪

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Just minutes after birth,

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her pup is ready
for his very first swim.

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At least, he thinks so.

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♪♪

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Maybe not just yet.

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♪♪

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Back on the beach, he eats
as much as Mom will let him.

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With milk on his mind, he hardly
notices he's being watched.

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The beach is closed
for pupping season...

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00:16:22,733 --> 00:16:26,833
but people still flock here
to watch the seals...

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argue about whose beach
this really is...

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and occasionally get
into fistfights over it all.

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Oblivious to the debate,
Mom and pup

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settle in for a nap on what is,
at least for now, their beach.

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[ Waves crashing ]

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[ Thunder rumbling ]

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Late-winter storms
are a good reminder...

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that for all we've changed
San Diego...

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...we still don't control
the weather.

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[ Thunder rumbles ]

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♪♪

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The storm pushes inland,

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bringing rain
to San Diego's desert.

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♪♪

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This winter's been
unusually wet...

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setting the stage for
a rare and spectacular event.

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♪♪

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As the soil warms
and the days grow longer,

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the desert begins to transform.

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♪♪

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00:18:32,733 --> 00:18:35,933
Locals call it a "superbloom."

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For a few short weeks, you
can see the colors from space.

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♪♪

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00:19:00,766 --> 00:19:02,833
In years like this one,

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the superbloom comes
to the city, too.

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00:19:06,166 --> 00:19:09,266
♪♪

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00:19:09,266 --> 00:19:12,000
But San Diego's urban
superbloom --

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thanks to the water
we pump into the city --

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can last for months.

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Ornamental plants
from distant shores

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00:19:21,100 --> 00:19:25,233
join native flowers
in a cacophony of color.

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00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:32,166
And people aren't the only ones
who enjoy all the flowers.

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00:19:32,166 --> 00:19:33,866
[ Wings flittering ]

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00:19:33,866 --> 00:19:40,933
♪♪

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00:19:40,933 --> 00:19:45,366
A male Anna's hummingbird --

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00:19:45,366 --> 00:19:47,500
one of four species thriving

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in San Diego's
parks and suburbs.

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♪♪

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00:19:57,666 --> 00:20:00,533
But it isn't just
the urban superbloom

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00:20:00,533 --> 00:20:03,200
that keeps the hummingbirds
coming back.

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♪♪

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00:20:06,266 --> 00:20:09,600
For these hungry birds,

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sugar water will do just as well
as the real thing...

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[ Wings flittering ]

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00:20:14,900 --> 00:20:19,133
...so a hummingbird feeder
is a year-round attraction.

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♪♪

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00:20:26,966 --> 00:20:30,200
With all the flowers
and feeders,

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you'd think there was
plenty of nectar to go around,

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00:20:35,233 --> 00:20:37,966
but that's not how they see it.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:11,200
The G-forces in these maneuvers
put "Top Gun" to shame.

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00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:28,700
♪♪

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00:21:28,700 --> 00:21:32,533
Maybe tomorrow's the day
they'll finally sort it out.

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00:21:34,233 --> 00:21:37,800
But today,
the garden is an ideal place

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00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:40,100
for a female
Allen's hummingbird

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00:21:40,100 --> 00:21:41,800
to raise a family.

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00:21:44,233 --> 00:21:48,533
Right from the start,
this is her responsibility --

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00:21:48,533 --> 00:21:51,866
male hummingbirds
don't help with parenting.

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00:21:51,866 --> 00:21:53,866
[ Birds chirping ]

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00:21:53,866 --> 00:21:58,100
♪♪

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00:21:58,100 --> 00:22:01,833
Her nest is
a tiny cup of grass, lichen,

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00:22:01,833 --> 00:22:03,833
and plant fibers...

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00:22:06,066 --> 00:22:08,966
...held together by spiderwebs.

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00:22:08,966 --> 00:22:13,766
♪♪

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00:22:13,766 --> 00:22:18,033
Nesting so close to people
can come with some surprises...

273
00:22:18,033 --> 00:22:25,800
♪♪

274
00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:30,500
...but soon, her human neighbors
just fade into the background.

275
00:22:30,500 --> 00:22:33,166
♪♪

276
00:22:33,166 --> 00:22:35,100
With babies on the way,

277
00:22:35,100 --> 00:22:38,200
she needs to get some rest
while she can.

278
00:22:40,566 --> 00:22:44,766
Spring is in the air
all over San Diego,

279
00:22:44,766 --> 00:22:47,900
and if you're young
and looking for love,

280
00:22:47,900 --> 00:22:50,600
Pacific Beach is the place
to do it.

281
00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:55,333
♪♪

282
00:22:55,333 --> 00:23:00,066
But the scene here
is positively Puritan...

283
00:23:00,066 --> 00:23:03,066
next to what's about to happen
on the beach.

284
00:23:03,066 --> 00:23:06,800
[ Waves crashing ]

285
00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:13,066
♪♪

286
00:23:13,066 --> 00:23:15,666
A fish out of water?

287
00:23:17,900 --> 00:23:23,600
But this male California grunion
beached himself on purpose.

288
00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:27,233
He's a "scout,"
and he's checking out the venue.

289
00:23:27,233 --> 00:23:33,666
♪♪

290
00:23:33,666 --> 00:23:35,000
For most of the year,

291
00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:39,933
grunion live mysterious lives
out at sea.

292
00:23:39,933 --> 00:23:44,333
But each spring,
they come ashore to spawn.

293
00:23:44,333 --> 00:23:48,533
♪♪

294
00:23:48,533 --> 00:23:50,766
The scouts are easily spooked...

295
00:23:50,766 --> 00:23:58,300
♪♪

296
00:23:58,300 --> 00:24:03,000
...but the spring's highest tide
is just minutes away.

297
00:24:05,133 --> 00:24:11,300
Offshore, the drive to spawn
is becoming irresistible.

298
00:24:14,366 --> 00:24:19,533
On some unspoken cue,
the grunion charge en masse...

299
00:24:19,533 --> 00:24:30,400
♪♪

300
00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:32,966
...riding the waves to shore...

301
00:24:32,966 --> 00:24:37,966
♪♪

302
00:24:37,966 --> 00:24:41,566
...and then flopping onward
under their own power.

303
00:24:41,566 --> 00:24:50,433
♪♪

304
00:24:50,433 --> 00:24:54,766
Soon, the beach is a mass
of squirming silver.

305
00:24:54,766 --> 00:25:00,133
♪♪

306
00:25:00,133 --> 00:25:02,833
[ Waves crashing ]

307
00:25:04,733 --> 00:25:10,100
The safest place for grunion
eggs is beneath the sand.

308
00:25:10,100 --> 00:25:14,233
A female begins
to dig herself in...

309
00:25:14,233 --> 00:25:16,166
and right on cue...

310
00:25:18,866 --> 00:25:22,600
...she's surrounded
by eager males,

311
00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:26,433
ready to fertilize
her 3,000 eggs.

312
00:25:26,433 --> 00:25:34,066
♪♪

313
00:25:34,066 --> 00:25:36,900
Some won't get the chance.

314
00:25:39,233 --> 00:25:43,366
Birds normally active
during the day seem to know

315
00:25:43,366 --> 00:25:45,800
when a grunion run is coming.

316
00:25:45,800 --> 00:26:02,400
♪♪

317
00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:06,533
The females full of eggs
are a special treat.

318
00:26:06,533 --> 00:26:11,500
♪♪

319
00:26:11,500 --> 00:26:14,200
But there are so many grunion...

320
00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:18,266
the birds don't make much
of a difference.

321
00:26:18,266 --> 00:26:21,866
Thousands of females spawn
successfully.

322
00:26:21,866 --> 00:26:28,866
♪♪

323
00:26:28,866 --> 00:26:31,200
[ Waves crashing ]

324
00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:32,900
Then...

325
00:26:32,900 --> 00:26:34,100
it's over.

326
00:26:35,900 --> 00:26:40,133
Just two hours after
the first scouts hit the beach,

327
00:26:40,133 --> 00:26:42,266
the only evidence
of what happened

328
00:26:42,266 --> 00:26:47,833
is the glint of city lights
off a few eggs on the sand.

329
00:26:47,833 --> 00:26:53,433
These eggs, exposed to
the elements, won't last long...

330
00:26:53,433 --> 00:26:58,666
but millions of others
are now safe below the surface.

331
00:26:58,666 --> 00:27:02,033
♪♪

332
00:27:02,033 --> 00:27:04,533
Mission -- accomplished.

333
00:27:04,533 --> 00:27:10,833
♪♪

334
00:27:10,833 --> 00:27:12,600
Far from the coast,

335
00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:16,233
the grebes are starting
to think about nesting, too.

336
00:27:16,233 --> 00:27:17,366
[ Birds chirping ]

337
00:27:17,366 --> 00:27:19,933
Months after their first date,

338
00:27:19,933 --> 00:27:22,433
the pair still find time
to dance...

339
00:27:22,433 --> 00:27:28,066
♪♪

340
00:27:28,066 --> 00:27:30,266
And he still brings her gifts.

341
00:27:30,266 --> 00:27:34,466
♪♪

342
00:27:34,466 --> 00:27:37,766
He certainly seems
like a keeper.

343
00:27:37,766 --> 00:27:40,300
She's ready to commit.

344
00:27:40,300 --> 00:27:42,766
[ Bird warbles ]

345
00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:45,666
It's time to build a nest.

346
00:27:45,666 --> 00:27:58,266
♪♪

347
00:27:58,266 --> 00:28:02,900
Before long, a floating platform
emerges from the surface...

348
00:28:02,900 --> 00:28:04,333
♪♪

349
00:28:04,333 --> 00:28:07,566
...giving the female
a chance to observe --

350
00:28:07,566 --> 00:28:10,400
or maybe "supervise" --
the male.

351
00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:14,933
♪♪

352
00:28:14,933 --> 00:28:20,133
He's a hard worker, but
he takes plenty of breaks to...

353
00:28:20,133 --> 00:28:23,233
well, let's just say

354
00:28:23,233 --> 00:28:26,400
"reinforce their bond."

355
00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:29,866
The trouble is, his legs
are built for swimming...

356
00:28:29,866 --> 00:28:32,033
♪♪

357
00:28:32,033 --> 00:28:33,900
...and not much else.

358
00:28:33,900 --> 00:28:41,633
♪♪

359
00:28:41,633 --> 00:28:43,933
His flare on the mount
is impressive...

360
00:28:43,933 --> 00:28:45,733
♪♪

361
00:28:45,733 --> 00:28:47,166
...but balancing...

362
00:28:47,166 --> 00:28:49,033
♪♪

363
00:28:49,033 --> 00:28:50,200
...that's tricky.

364
00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:55,600
♪♪

365
00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:57,166
Nice save!

366
00:28:57,166 --> 00:28:59,100
♪♪

367
00:28:59,100 --> 00:29:01,933
But if he really wants to be
a father,

368
00:29:01,933 --> 00:29:04,033
he'll have to try
a little harder.

369
00:29:04,033 --> 00:29:13,733
♪♪

370
00:29:13,733 --> 00:29:16,100
Just the dismount now...

371
00:29:16,100 --> 00:29:19,233
♪♪

372
00:29:19,233 --> 00:29:20,700
...and...

373
00:29:20,700 --> 00:29:27,933
♪♪

374
00:29:27,933 --> 00:29:29,033
Nailed it!

375
00:29:29,033 --> 00:29:36,100
♪♪

376
00:29:36,100 --> 00:29:38,866
The next generation is
on its way.

377
00:29:38,866 --> 00:29:40,266
♪♪

378
00:29:40,266 --> 00:29:42,866
And these two will be ready.

379
00:29:42,866 --> 00:29:44,000
♪♪

380
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:45,500
[ Birds chirping ]

381
00:29:45,500 --> 00:29:47,400
♪♪

382
00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:49,900
Back in the garden,

383
00:29:49,900 --> 00:29:52,866
the hummingbird nest is
further along.

384
00:29:52,866 --> 00:30:02,833
♪♪

385
00:30:02,833 --> 00:30:06,433
For the young chicks,
sugar water isn't enough.

386
00:30:06,433 --> 00:30:08,500
[ Birds chirping ]

387
00:30:08,500 --> 00:30:11,066
They need protein and fat
to grow.

388
00:30:11,066 --> 00:30:16,666
♪♪

389
00:30:16,666 --> 00:30:19,566
But the feeders are
still important,

390
00:30:19,566 --> 00:30:23,566
fueling Mom up to find
insects for the little ones.

391
00:30:23,566 --> 00:30:27,966
♪♪

392
00:30:27,966 --> 00:30:32,366
In just 3 weeks, the chicks are
as big as their mother...

393
00:30:32,366 --> 00:30:37,566
♪♪

394
00:30:37,566 --> 00:30:39,433
...and they're ready
to join the melee

395
00:30:39,433 --> 00:30:41,133
at the neighborhood feeders...

396
00:30:41,133 --> 00:30:44,600
♪♪

397
00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:47,166
...where the constant dogfights

398
00:30:47,166 --> 00:30:49,300
have attracted some attention.

399
00:30:49,300 --> 00:30:52,433
♪♪

400
00:30:52,433 --> 00:30:53,800
A roadrunner.

401
00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:54,933
♪♪

402
00:30:54,933 --> 00:30:56,733
Like the cartoon,

403
00:30:56,733 --> 00:30:58,833
the real roadrunner is clever.

404
00:30:58,833 --> 00:30:59,966
♪♪

405
00:30:59,966 --> 00:31:02,566
It's also...a hunter.

406
00:31:02,566 --> 00:31:10,766
♪♪

407
00:31:10,766 --> 00:31:13,433
Predators often ignore
hummingbirds...

408
00:31:13,433 --> 00:31:16,266
♪♪

409
00:31:16,266 --> 00:31:19,433
...they're so small and so fast,

410
00:31:19,433 --> 00:31:21,500
they're hardly worth
the trouble.

411
00:31:21,500 --> 00:31:25,933
♪♪

412
00:31:25,933 --> 00:31:30,700
But so many drawn
to one place...

413
00:31:30,700 --> 00:31:32,566
it's too much to resist.

414
00:31:32,566 --> 00:31:36,366
♪♪

415
00:31:36,366 --> 00:31:39,133
The more experienced
hummingbirds can sense

416
00:31:39,133 --> 00:31:42,466
that something's not right.

417
00:31:42,466 --> 00:31:45,433
But the youngsters don't seem
to notice.

418
00:31:45,433 --> 00:31:49,600
♪♪

419
00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:50,700
A near miss.

420
00:31:50,700 --> 00:31:55,566
♪♪

421
00:31:55,566 --> 00:31:57,133
But they'll be back.

422
00:31:57,133 --> 00:32:08,833
♪♪

423
00:32:08,833 --> 00:32:11,633
It's over quickly
for the young hummingbird.

424
00:32:11,633 --> 00:32:14,866
♪♪

425
00:32:14,866 --> 00:32:17,500
New resources for hummingbirds

426
00:32:17,500 --> 00:32:21,566
have made new opportunities
for their enemies, too.

427
00:32:21,566 --> 00:32:24,433
♪♪

428
00:32:24,433 --> 00:32:27,433
[ Waves crashing,
birds calling ]

429
00:32:27,433 --> 00:32:30,666
Feeders aren't the only things
in San Diego

430
00:32:30,666 --> 00:32:32,733
that attract a crowd.

431
00:32:32,733 --> 00:32:37,000
On a warm spring day,
the beaches are packed.

432
00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,433
[ Footfalls echo ]

433
00:32:39,433 --> 00:32:42,900
Beneath the bare feet
and sandcastles...

434
00:32:42,900 --> 00:32:50,666
♪♪

435
00:32:50,666 --> 00:32:53,500
...the grunion eggs
have transformed.

436
00:32:53,500 --> 00:33:00,466
♪♪

437
00:33:00,466 --> 00:33:04,400
A single cell has grown
into a tiny fish...

438
00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:06,000
[ Heart beating ]

439
00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:08,366
♪♪

440
00:33:08,366 --> 00:33:11,366
...complete with eyes
and a beating heart.

441
00:33:11,366 --> 00:33:22,100
♪♪

442
00:33:22,100 --> 00:33:28,033
Microscopic nematode worms,
normally bacteria eaters,

443
00:33:28,033 --> 00:33:30,266
won't pass up a fish dinner.

444
00:33:30,266 --> 00:33:35,866
♪♪

445
00:33:35,866 --> 00:33:40,666
But as long as the eggs' tough
outer membranes are intact,

446
00:33:40,666 --> 00:33:43,733
the embryos inside are safe.

447
00:33:43,733 --> 00:33:49,333
♪♪

448
00:33:49,333 --> 00:33:52,000
[ Waves crashing ]

449
00:33:53,333 --> 00:33:56,866
Lately, the grunion's
ancient life cycle

450
00:33:56,866 --> 00:33:59,500
has run into
a very modern problem.

451
00:33:59,500 --> 00:34:05,566
♪♪

452
00:34:05,566 --> 00:34:08,433
Humans don't just love beaches.

453
00:34:08,433 --> 00:34:10,866
♪♪

454
00:34:10,866 --> 00:34:12,400
We love them clean.

455
00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:16,133
♪♪

456
00:34:16,133 --> 00:34:17,700
For grunion eggs...

457
00:34:17,700 --> 00:34:20,166
♪♪

458
00:34:20,166 --> 00:34:22,800
...these machines
are a death sentence.

459
00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:25,433
♪♪

460
00:34:25,433 --> 00:34:29,000
But San Diego recently banned
spring beach cleaning

461
00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:31,066
below the high-tide mark.

462
00:34:31,066 --> 00:34:33,866
♪♪

463
00:34:33,866 --> 00:34:37,200
So, these eggs will live
to see another day...

464
00:34:39,500 --> 00:34:44,533
...and with it, the tide that
will reunite them with the sea.

465
00:34:47,633 --> 00:34:50,600
[ Crashing waves echo ]

466
00:34:53,066 --> 00:34:56,233
The first touch of saltwater...

467
00:34:56,233 --> 00:34:58,266
[ Crashing waves echo ]

468
00:35:01,500 --> 00:35:04,666
[ Crashing waves echo ]

469
00:35:06,666 --> 00:35:09,300
The time is finally here.

470
00:35:09,300 --> 00:35:42,233
♪♪

471
00:35:42,233 --> 00:35:44,900
In the churn of the surf

472
00:35:44,900 --> 00:35:47,633
and the lulls
between the waves...

473
00:35:47,633 --> 00:35:49,300
[ Choir vocalizing ]

474
00:35:49,300 --> 00:35:51,700
♪♪

475
00:35:51,700 --> 00:35:55,933
...millions of tiny fry wriggle
from their eggs.

476
00:35:55,933 --> 00:36:08,100
♪♪

477
00:36:08,100 --> 00:36:10,100
Swept down the beach,

478
00:36:10,100 --> 00:36:11,866
a new generation of grunion

479
00:36:11,866 --> 00:36:14,733
leaves the sand
and worms behind...

480
00:36:14,733 --> 00:36:17,033
♪♪

481
00:36:17,033 --> 00:36:21,166
...and begins lives
in the vast Pacific.

482
00:36:21,166 --> 00:36:26,266
♪♪

483
00:36:26,266 --> 00:36:30,266
The grebes are preparing
for new arrivals, too.

484
00:36:30,266 --> 00:36:31,766
[ Water lapping,
birds chirping ]

485
00:36:31,766 --> 00:36:35,033
The eggs --
safe in their floating nest --

486
00:36:35,033 --> 00:36:38,533
are almost ready to hatch.

487
00:36:38,533 --> 00:36:46,733
♪♪

488
00:36:46,733 --> 00:36:49,733
But this isn't a natural lake.

489
00:36:49,733 --> 00:36:52,500
♪♪

490
00:36:52,500 --> 00:36:57,200
We decide when the water's
gotten too high.

491
00:36:57,200 --> 00:37:00,700
Grebes don't get a vote.

492
00:37:00,700 --> 00:37:05,866
So, to quench San Diego's thirst
and protect an aging dam,

493
00:37:05,866 --> 00:37:09,800
the city releases
billions of gallons of water.

494
00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:39,900
♪♪

495
00:37:39,900 --> 00:37:44,833
In a few days, the nests are too
high for the parents to reach.

496
00:37:44,833 --> 00:37:50,266
♪♪

497
00:37:50,266 --> 00:37:55,700
Baking under the sun,
they soon become unrecognizable.

498
00:37:55,700 --> 00:38:02,233
♪♪

499
00:38:02,233 --> 00:38:04,933
On this reservoir,

500
00:38:04,933 --> 00:38:07,966
not a single egg survives.

501
00:38:07,966 --> 00:38:10,300
[ Wind rushing ]

502
00:38:16,566 --> 00:38:19,633
Water from the dam
flows through a landscape

503
00:38:19,633 --> 00:38:24,166
utterly transformed
to meet our needs.

504
00:38:24,166 --> 00:38:27,666
Suburbs
where chaparral once stood...

505
00:38:29,166 --> 00:38:31,566
...rivers without curves...

506
00:38:32,333 --> 00:38:33,566
[ Birds calling ]

507
00:38:33,566 --> 00:38:37,033
...estuaries re-engineered
as harbors.

508
00:38:39,666 --> 00:38:42,333
But in this coastal park...

509
00:38:42,333 --> 00:38:43,933
life goes on...

510
00:38:45,833 --> 00:38:48,433
...and this female
ground squirrel

511
00:38:48,433 --> 00:38:52,166
is making some changes
of her own.

512
00:38:52,166 --> 00:38:55,833
She's hard at work,
collecting grass trimmings.

513
00:38:55,833 --> 00:38:57,900
♪♪

514
00:38:57,900 --> 00:39:02,033
Below the surface,
she's built a cozy nest...

515
00:39:02,033 --> 00:39:05,900
and inside
are three helpless kits.

516
00:39:05,900 --> 00:39:08,500
♪♪

517
00:39:08,500 --> 00:39:12,666
Just a few days old,
the kits are growing fast...

518
00:39:12,666 --> 00:39:14,966
[ Squirrels chittering ]

519
00:39:14,966 --> 00:39:17,966
...and as soon as their eyes
begin to open...

520
00:39:17,966 --> 00:39:19,866
♪♪

521
00:39:19,866 --> 00:39:21,633
...they start exploring.

522
00:39:21,633 --> 00:39:27,000
♪♪

523
00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:31,000
Before long,
the bright outside beckons.

524
00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:48,900
♪♪

525
00:39:48,900 --> 00:39:50,200
Baby steps.

526
00:39:50,200 --> 00:40:00,133
♪♪

527
00:40:00,133 --> 00:40:03,666
But the kits get bolder...

528
00:40:03,666 --> 00:40:05,766
and soon start to enjoy

529
00:40:05,766 --> 00:40:08,433
everything
the park has to offer.

530
00:40:08,433 --> 00:40:16,500
♪♪

531
00:40:18,233 --> 00:40:21,400
With a whole new generation
out and about,

532
00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:24,033
the colony is bustling.

533
00:40:24,033 --> 00:40:26,933
And it's drawn some attention.

534
00:40:26,933 --> 00:40:29,266
[ Birds calling ]

535
00:40:32,066 --> 00:40:35,766
American Crows
love the park, too.

536
00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:39,900
It's an easy place to find food.

537
00:40:39,900 --> 00:40:40,966
[ Birds squawking ]

538
00:40:40,966 --> 00:40:42,400
But today,

539
00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:46,266
they seem to have more
than leftovers on their minds.

540
00:40:46,266 --> 00:40:54,233
♪♪

541
00:40:54,233 --> 00:40:57,733
The kits don't seem
to grasp the danger.

542
00:40:57,733 --> 00:41:09,066
♪♪

543
00:41:09,066 --> 00:41:10,600
[ Bird squawks ]

544
00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:15,166
♪♪

545
00:41:15,166 --> 00:41:17,500
The crows bide their time...

546
00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:21,733
...the kits can't stay
underground forever.

547
00:41:21,733 --> 00:41:31,033
♪♪

548
00:41:31,033 --> 00:41:33,300
[ Bird squawking ]

549
00:41:33,300 --> 00:41:36,300
[ Squawk echoes ]

550
00:41:36,300 --> 00:41:56,533
♪♪

551
00:41:56,533 --> 00:41:57,866
[ Squawk echoes ]

552
00:41:57,866 --> 00:42:08,166
♪♪

553
00:42:08,166 --> 00:42:11,133
One fewer squirrel
in this colony.

554
00:42:11,133 --> 00:42:14,733
♪♪

555
00:42:14,733 --> 00:42:18,066
Its siblings have learned
an important lesson.

556
00:42:18,066 --> 00:42:20,033
♪♪

557
00:42:20,033 --> 00:42:22,633
People haven't eliminated
predators

558
00:42:22,633 --> 00:42:25,000
in the parks after all.

559
00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:29,633
We've just made space
for more opportunistic hunters.

560
00:42:29,633 --> 00:42:31,566
[ Birds squawking ]

561
00:42:31,566 --> 00:42:34,700
♪♪

562
00:42:34,700 --> 00:42:39,533
Until recently, there were
no crows in San Diego.

563
00:42:39,533 --> 00:42:44,233
But starting in the 1980s,
their numbers exploded.

564
00:42:44,233 --> 00:42:46,033
♪♪

565
00:42:46,033 --> 00:42:47,533
No one really knows

566
00:42:47,533 --> 00:42:50,433
why crows didn't invade
the city earlier.

567
00:42:50,433 --> 00:42:53,566
♪♪

568
00:42:53,566 --> 00:42:57,200
They're smart, adaptable,

569
00:42:57,200 --> 00:43:01,333
and most importantly,
they thrive around people.

570
00:43:01,333 --> 00:43:05,300
♪♪

571
00:43:05,300 --> 00:43:10,066
With bellies full, the crows
settle down for the night.

572
00:43:10,066 --> 00:43:16,966
♪♪

573
00:43:16,966 --> 00:43:19,866
As the sun sinks
low in the west,

574
00:43:19,866 --> 00:43:22,033
other lights come awake.

575
00:43:22,033 --> 00:43:23,933
[ Fireworks exploding ]

576
00:43:23,933 --> 00:43:27,766
And the nightly pyrotechnics
of San Diego's theme parks

577
00:43:27,766 --> 00:43:30,466
add an extra splash of color.

578
00:43:32,100 --> 00:43:34,833
These bright nights distract us

579
00:43:34,833 --> 00:43:39,000
from a ritual older
than our entire species.

580
00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:41,533
[ Wind rushing ]

581
00:43:43,633 --> 00:43:45,233
Just offshore,

582
00:43:45,233 --> 00:43:49,100
single-celled algae
called dinoflagellates

583
00:43:49,100 --> 00:43:51,266
are starting
to reproduce.

584
00:43:51,266 --> 00:43:53,400
♪♪

585
00:43:53,400 --> 00:43:55,000
If disturbed,

586
00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:57,566
a chemical reaction
inside each cell

587
00:43:57,566 --> 00:44:01,100
creates a tiny spark of light.

588
00:44:01,100 --> 00:44:04,066
♪♪

589
00:44:04,066 --> 00:44:06,733
When the conditions are
just right,

590
00:44:06,733 --> 00:44:11,533
the algae multiply
to uncountable numbers,

591
00:44:11,533 --> 00:44:14,533
and the coast becomes
electric.

592
00:44:14,533 --> 00:44:57,633
♪♪

593
00:44:57,633 --> 00:45:01,000
But most San Diegans
never notice...

594
00:45:02,833 --> 00:45:04,133
...and in a few hours...

595
00:45:04,966 --> 00:45:06,733
...the show is over.

596
00:45:06,733 --> 00:45:09,566
♪♪

597
00:45:09,566 --> 00:45:12,533
[ Wind rushing ]

598
00:45:12,533 --> 00:45:14,533
As summer approaches,

599
00:45:14,533 --> 00:45:17,133
the same water that gave life

600
00:45:17,133 --> 00:45:20,066
to trillions
of tiny glowing plankton...

601
00:45:20,066 --> 00:45:22,700
evaporates into the air above.

602
00:45:22,700 --> 00:45:26,700
♪♪

603
00:45:26,700 --> 00:45:31,300
West winds push
this cool, oceanic air inland,

604
00:45:31,300 --> 00:45:35,400
creating a marine layer
enshrouding the coast.

605
00:45:35,400 --> 00:45:38,100
♪♪

606
00:45:38,100 --> 00:45:42,766
Known to many as the
"May Gray" and "June Gloom,"

607
00:45:42,766 --> 00:45:46,066
this fog delivers
the last moisture to the hills

608
00:45:46,066 --> 00:45:48,466
before the unrelenting summer.

609
00:45:48,466 --> 00:45:53,466
♪♪

610
00:45:53,466 --> 00:45:57,200
Some comes to rest here...

611
00:45:57,200 --> 00:46:00,500
on a rock
that the locals know well.

612
00:46:00,500 --> 00:46:15,466
♪♪

613
00:46:15,466 --> 00:46:17,166
It's a place to drink...

614
00:46:17,166 --> 00:46:21,366
♪♪

615
00:46:21,366 --> 00:46:22,766
...and to bathe...

616
00:46:22,766 --> 00:46:29,766
♪♪

617
00:46:29,766 --> 00:46:31,600
...and to socialize.

618
00:46:31,600 --> 00:46:37,000
♪♪

619
00:46:37,000 --> 00:46:39,566
A reliable puddle like this one

620
00:46:39,566 --> 00:46:40,800
can even summon

621
00:46:40,800 --> 00:46:44,066
one of San Diego's
most elusive animals.

622
00:46:44,066 --> 00:46:49,033
♪♪

623
00:46:49,033 --> 00:46:54,200
These hills support a
thriving population of bobcats.

624
00:46:54,200 --> 00:47:29,100
♪♪

625
00:47:29,100 --> 00:47:32,133
But when the June Gloom
evaporates...

626
00:47:32,133 --> 00:47:34,233
so, too, does their lifeline.

627
00:47:34,233 --> 00:47:42,433
♪♪

628
00:47:42,433 --> 00:47:44,033
A century ago,

629
00:47:44,033 --> 00:47:46,233
many animals would leave
the hills

630
00:47:46,233 --> 00:47:49,100
when their seasonal
water sources dried up.

631
00:47:49,100 --> 00:47:52,233
♪♪

632
00:47:52,233 --> 00:47:55,133
Today, people live here.

633
00:47:55,133 --> 00:47:57,100
♪♪

634
00:47:57,100 --> 00:48:00,633
And for us,
water isn't just for drinking.

635
00:48:00,633 --> 00:48:02,400
♪♪

636
00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:04,233
It's ornamental, too.

637
00:48:04,233 --> 00:48:05,466
♪♪

638
00:48:05,466 --> 00:48:07,333
As the hills wither,

639
00:48:07,333 --> 00:48:11,700
our decorative water features
become irresistible.

640
00:48:11,700 --> 00:48:27,533
♪♪

641
00:48:27,533 --> 00:48:29,900
Animals shift their schedules,

642
00:48:29,900 --> 00:48:33,533
coming at night to avoid
crossing paths with humans...

643
00:48:33,533 --> 00:48:35,133
[ Raccoons chittering ]

644
00:48:35,133 --> 00:48:42,900
♪♪

645
00:48:42,900 --> 00:48:47,366
Even the shy bobcats have found
a way to live alongside us...

646
00:48:47,366 --> 00:48:51,266
♪♪

647
00:48:51,266 --> 00:48:54,900
...where water now flows
all year long.

648
00:48:54,900 --> 00:48:56,866
♪♪

649
00:48:56,866 --> 00:48:59,033
[ Birds squawking, chirping ]

650
00:48:59,033 --> 00:49:02,733
♪♪

651
00:49:02,733 --> 00:49:05,133
[ Birds chirping, cawing ]

652
00:49:05,133 --> 00:49:07,133
The way we manage water

653
00:49:07,133 --> 00:49:11,166
shapes the lives of creatures
all over San Diego.

654
00:49:11,166 --> 00:49:13,533
♪♪

655
00:49:13,533 --> 00:49:16,300
On this reservoir...

656
00:49:16,300 --> 00:49:20,600
the city kept the year's rain
behind the dam.

657
00:49:20,600 --> 00:49:23,600
♪♪

658
00:49:23,600 --> 00:49:26,633
The grebe nests here survived...

659
00:49:26,633 --> 00:49:29,666
♪♪

660
00:49:29,666 --> 00:49:33,633
...and left these new parents
with a different challenge.

661
00:49:33,633 --> 00:49:36,766
♪♪

662
00:49:36,766 --> 00:49:38,666
Actually...

663
00:49:38,666 --> 00:49:40,266
two.

664
00:49:40,266 --> 00:49:47,300
♪♪

665
00:49:47,300 --> 00:49:49,333
An hour after hatching,

666
00:49:49,333 --> 00:49:51,566
the grebe chicks can swim...

667
00:49:51,566 --> 00:49:55,033
♪♪

668
00:49:55,033 --> 00:49:56,666
...climb...

669
00:49:56,666 --> 00:49:59,166
♪♪

670
00:49:59,166 --> 00:50:00,533
...and eat.

671
00:50:00,533 --> 00:50:01,800
♪♪

672
00:50:01,800 --> 00:50:03,666
And sometimes,

673
00:50:03,666 --> 00:50:06,366
their eyes
are bigger than their beaks.

674
00:50:06,366 --> 00:50:12,500
♪♪

675
00:50:12,500 --> 00:50:14,900
Every meal is a competition...

676
00:50:14,900 --> 00:50:20,566
♪♪

677
00:50:20,566 --> 00:50:24,666
...and an exercise
in patience for the parents.

678
00:50:24,666 --> 00:50:35,566
♪♪

679
00:50:35,566 --> 00:50:40,433
Before long, the piggyback
rides start to get impractical.

680
00:50:40,433 --> 00:50:50,000
♪♪

681
00:50:50,000 --> 00:50:54,233
But no one is ready for
this chapter to end quite yet.

682
00:50:54,233 --> 00:50:56,833
♪♪

683
00:50:56,833 --> 00:51:01,300
These reservoirs are strange,
unpredictable homes...

684
00:51:01,300 --> 00:51:03,433
♪♪

685
00:51:03,433 --> 00:51:06,900
...but they're the only ones
these grebes know...

686
00:51:06,900 --> 00:51:08,300
♪♪

687
00:51:08,300 --> 00:51:13,133
...and despite all odds,
they've made it here.

688
00:51:13,133 --> 00:51:15,933
[ Wind rushing ]

689
00:51:15,933 --> 00:51:19,200
And as the season draws
to a close,

690
00:51:19,200 --> 00:51:22,566
nature's cycle begins again.

691
00:51:22,566 --> 00:51:36,233
♪♪

692
00:51:36,233 --> 00:51:38,033
Across the city,

693
00:51:38,033 --> 00:51:42,333
animals are finding new ways
to thrive

694
00:51:42,333 --> 00:51:44,900
in a world
that humans are changing

695
00:51:44,900 --> 00:51:49,033
a little more
with each passing season.

696
00:51:49,033 --> 00:51:52,000
♪♪

697
00:51:52,000 --> 00:51:55,300
It was San Diego's abundance...

698
00:51:55,300 --> 00:51:56,800
diversity...

699
00:51:56,800 --> 00:51:59,133
♪♪

700
00:51:59,133 --> 00:52:01,133
...and natural beauty

701
00:52:01,133 --> 00:52:02,700
that drew people here

702
00:52:02,700 --> 00:52:06,733
to create America's Finest City
in the first place.

703
00:52:06,733 --> 00:52:07,866
[ Bobcat sniffing ]

704
00:52:07,866 --> 00:52:09,966
♪♪

705
00:52:09,966 --> 00:52:12,133
Now, it's up to us

706
00:52:12,133 --> 00:52:17,300
to make sure San Diego remains
America's wildest city, too.

707
00:52:17,300 --> 00:52:22,966
♪♪

708
00:52:40,900 --> 00:53:17,866
♪♪

709
00:53:17,866 --> 00:53:18,933
To learn more

710
00:53:18,933 --> 00:53:19,933
about what 
you've seen

711
00:53:19,933 --> 00:53:21,533
on this "Nature" 
program,

712
00:53:21,533 --> 00:53:23,800
visit pbs.org.

713
00:53:23,800 --> 00:53:27,133
♪♪

714
00:53:27,133 --> 00:53:29,966
♪♪